Last year on election night during our final push fighting the sewer referendum, I can still hear the voice of a person from the Township Administration screaming “We ALWAYS win!!”. He was referring to our efforts to stop the sale of our publicly owned sewer utility. Well, it appears that may not actually be the case.
Gloucester Township’s 2025 mayoral race took a significant turn today. At 4:43 PM, the Camden County Clerk’s Office issued a decision on challenges to petition signatures for candidates running as unaffiliated in the November election. The results are a win for transparency and the voters of our community.
If you have been following along, a new alleged “Phantom” candidate appeared at the last minute. This candidate was Joseph Brocco. At quick glance, it appeared that there were issues with the petitions, so a challenge was submitted. Many of these were upheld by the Camden County Clerk’s office. Joseph Brocco’s petitions were deemed to fall short of the required valid signatures by six signatures. This outcome ensures that only candidates with sufficient voter support will move forward.
Additionally, another write-in campaign also failed. A candidate Politco questioned named Neil Smith was attempting to get on the ballot in the Republican column by asking people to write-in his name. If 100 people write his name, he would become the Republican candidate in GT in November. Despite efforts, including mailers urging voters to write in his name, the campaign fell short with only 95 votes, as confirmed by the Clerk’s Office.
Here’s something worth noting: I, Keith Gibbons, received more write-in votes than Smith in the Republican primary, even though I actively encouraged supporters not to write in my name, as it wouldn’t affect my independent candidacy. I also earned enough write-in votes on the Democratic side to achieve what Neil Smith was actively trying to promote, further showing the strength of our grassroots support.
The point I would like to get across with this post is simple. We CAN win! I’ve seen firsthand how some in Gloucester Township’s political establishment may use questionable tactics to hold onto power. But I won’t be intimidated, and I won’t back down. Our campaign is about giving voters a real choice, free from behind-the-scenes maneuvers. I have been saying this for a long time in Gloucester Township. When we come together, we CAN make a change. We proved it with stopping the attempted sale of our sewer, and we can do it again.
As we move toward November, expect to see attack mailers or negative ads trying to discredit me. I’m confident that Gloucester Township voters will see through these tactics. As I said when I launched my campaign, negative attacks reflect more on those who spread them than they do on me. Our community is tired of divisive politics and ready for honest leadership.
Join me in standing up for a better Gloucester Township. Request a yard sign, volunteer, or share your thoughts on my website. Together, we’ll keep fighting for a fair and transparent election!
Thank you,
Keith Gibbons
