Three candidates are vying for two seats on the Maplewood Township Committee in the Democratic primary on June 2: Current Mayor Vic De Luca, Planning Board and Hilton Neighborhood Association member John T. Sullivan, and Green Team member and “Bike Bus” dad Martin Ceperley. (No Republicans have filed to run.) Village Green will be covering all three candidates’ kickoff events. De Luca has not announced one as yet, Ceperley hosted an event on April 12 at Artie’s on Newark Way, and John Sullivan hosted an event on April 22 at at Pallet Brewing Company, 30 Newark Way. Below are Sullivan’s comments from his campaign kickoff event.
John Sullivan and daughter Sarah. Photo by Morgan Triska.
As I look around, I feel so grateful to know all of you, whether I’ve known you for the 25 years I’ve lived here in Maplewood, or if it’s been just over the past couple of weeks while I’ve been campaigning and getting out more than I used to.
I want to thank everyone that’s here tonight who came out. You can look around and see the diversity in this group, that we are a united community. That this is a safe place for all of us to live and we want to keep it that way.
Some of you are seasoned politicos and some are new to this arena. Inspired by the recent tumult of our national politics and are now getting involved at the local level. And I applaud that and we have to keep pride alive. It’s only through our collective energy and diversity and forward thinking that affirms my decision to run for township committee and seals my conviction to win.
Sullivan and Maplewood Township Committee member Jane Collins-Colding.
Let me tell you a little bit about my personal life. I am one of three children. I have an older sister, a younger brother. My father was a corrections officer at Rahway State Prison, never graduated high school. My mother was a full-time mom and had several part-time jobs to help us make ends meet when times were tough. And it’s because of them that I was taught about having a strong moral compass and conviction in what you believe in. And that is why I have taken this opportunity to run for Township Committee.
Now I’ve been a member of this community for 25 years when we first came to Maplewood. I met the love of my life, Lauren, when we were college students and we had the opportunity to attend St. Peter’s College. Growing up in Hazlet where I grew up, the diversity was new to me, but I felt so enriched and learned so much from being in such a diverse community at St. Peter’s. And after law school, Lauren and I, we got married and we were looking for a town, a place that we could call home. A place that had the same belief systems that we did, that “loved thy neighbor”, care about one another and working community. And lucky for us, we found Maplewood.
Sullivan talks to Township Committee member and former Mayor Nancy Adams. Photo by Morgan Triska.
Now, at that time, there was no way a law clerk and my wife finishing up her master’s degree would have been able to afford to move to Maplewood. But we had the benefit of having one of my wife’s cousins who had recently got engaged. We ended up buying a two-family house on Orchard Road —and it’s Eddie Peterson. And it’s because of Eddie, we were able to afford to move into Maplewood. And then after a few years as our family expanded, we ended up buying our own home on Field Road, which is approximately three blocks from here. The location of this brewery is dangerous. My wife will tell you about that.
Anyway, so over the last 25 years, I’ve actively worked in the community. I am a member of the Maplewood Planning Board, Trustee on the Maplewood Foundation. I’m also on the executive board of the Hilton Neighborhood Association, and I’m a member and officer of the Maplewood Democratic Committee.
I stand here as a Democrat running for Township Committee where I pledge to fight for democracy, the voice of the people, the reward of thriving together.
This has been an interesting campaign and I had conversations with all of the candidates with the idea that there’d be no mud slinging, that we would go work off our platforms and make this a civil election.
There are recent things that have occurred and there’s one candidate running for Township Committee and he’s running as a Democrat in the primary. However, if you look at his lawn signs and all of his campaign literature, one word’s missing: Democrat. How can someone be running in a Democratic primary and not acknowledge that they’re a Democrat? In addition, this individual is preaching bullet voting, and that means that he just wants you to vote for him.
Each citizen here, each voting person has the ability and the right to vote for two people. Take part in democracy and vote for two people in this year’s election.
Now comes the positive good feeling stuff.
What is the Sullivan from Maplewood campaign about? I’m going to tell you. For the last 25 years, I’ve been working diligently in our community, listening to its residents and encouraging community outreach, transparency and accountability. As a proud Democrat, I’m committed to fighting against the tyranny of the Trump administration, and folks that he has in his administration. They’re making a mockery of our democracy.
If elected, it is my promise to advocate for the rights of all people. Regardless of race, religion, age, sex, citizenship, status, disability, and our LGBTQ+ neighbors. We need to continue to provide a welcoming and safe community for all of us.
My commitment to serving the underserved, undermined and overlooked remains paramount to my campaign.
I will work tirelessly to ensure that local businesses stay open and remain profitable. Providing jobs and retail partnerships within our town. The township government needs to help our businesses survive and flourish, not construct barriers by administrative punitive measures, but thinking in a holistic approach on what the township can do to enhance what we already have.
John Sullivan campaign kickoff event, April 22, 2026. Photo by Morgan Triska.
I pledge to improve on current traffic patterns. So pedestrians, cyclists and motorists are kept safe with better lighting, more crosswalks, sidewalks, reduction in speed limits, additional bike lanes and speed bumps. Some of my past accomplishments have been implementations of four-way stops.
So it does take community in order to get things done. And I’ve shown that I have been able to work across all areas, all races, all ethnicities in order to get things done.
In addition, I’ve been able to assist in having speed bumps implemented throughout the town.
I’m also committed to protecting green space in all our neighborhoods. And the township committee at the last meeting last night, they actually approved the bonding to have a natural field at DeHart Park. And there will be a green space there. But they took the next step and enacted the necessary maintenance and management and best practices, which are required in order to maintain our fields.
I’m ready to establish safe spaces for individuals and families of those who have been targeted by ICE and assist them as they navigate unjust persecution. Protecting immigrants protects everyone, and we must heed the call.
I’m also eager to promote local artists, artisans, musicians, so that their talents and wares are showcased in an exciting manner that reflects the vibrant diversity and energy of this amazing town.
And something I commented on recently on social media: practical leadership. We care, I care about the things that we deal with on a daily basis. What may be mundane to others are important, and that can be as simple as snow removal and patching potholes.
Sullivan with Essex County Young Democrats Brandon Mathieson and Jasmine Metellus, and former Maplewood Mayor Dean Dafis. Photo by Morgan Triska.
In addition, I intend to encourage our young voter involvement in local politics. We had a great time at Bunny’s with the [Essex County] Young Democrats. I’m glad you’re here tonight. Thank you so much. But it’s important we have young people in our community to ensure that what we’re doing, what we’re doing as a community continues to thrive. And they are going to be the next leaders taking up the mantle. So it’s important for us to get out the young vote. And for those who I imagine most, if not everyone here is, are registered to vote. You have to May 12 in order to register for the June 2 primary. So if you know any young ones at home, friends, neighbors, encourage them to register to vote so that their voice can be heard.
I’m almost done.
Finally, friends, this is about all of us. This is not about me. This is not about one belief system. My motto for this campaign — if my wife can turn around [showing the back of her T-shirt] — “Listening first, thriving together.” That is how you’re going to accomplish all we can to make Maplewood a better place. And I just would pray that on June 2, you consider me as a candidate for Township Committee, and I hope I can count on your vote. Thank you.
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