Livingston Mayor Shawn Klein will seek the endorsement of the Essex County Democratic organization as a candidate for County Commissioner-At-Large at his party’s convention on March 21.
Three of the four current county commissioners, including Patricia Sebold of Livingston, have announced that they will not seek re-election this year.
Klein, a physician and eye surgeon, is serving his twelfth year on the Livingston Township Council and his third stint as mayor.
In his first bid for public office in 2014, Klein unseated two Republican incumbents. He easily won re-election in 2018 and 2022.
As a candidate for county commissioner, Klein is touting his record of “innovative, effective, and compassionate leadership.”
“Our team has driven down Livingston’s crime rates by more than 75% in major categories by implementing new technologies and placing more officers on our streets,” said Klein. “We saved our residents money on their electric bills by buying cheaper, greener electricity on the free market using our aggregate purchasing power.”
Klein said that Livingston was able to hold their municipal property taxes under the inflation rate, decrease the size of municipal government, and increase their bond rating to Aa1.
“While doing all of this and so much more, we continue to emphasize Livingston’s proud character as a diverse and inclusive town which celebrates all of its residents,” he said.
In his medical practice, he accepts and treats Medicaid patients.
“I was born in Essex County, grew up here, and my wife and I returned here to raise our two sons who go to public school in Livingston. Essex is my home and I want to keep it the place that we all keep coming back to,” Klein stated.
