The Faulkner Act

Trenton, NJ · Mayoral election Nov 3, 2026

Know the job before you pick the mayor

Trenton runs under New Jersey’s Faulkner Act. Here is what that means for who holds power at City Hall, and what residents can do with theirs.

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Nov 3
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Dec 8
What does Trenton’s mayor actually do?Presented by Leod Onitari. Written and produced by Joey Rivera. Filmed at Trenton City Hall and Mercer County Community College.
Read the transcript

So, we hear a lot about who should be Trenton's next mayor. But before we figure out who should be in office, there's one major question: What does the mayor of Trenton actually do?

Well, to start, Trenton operates under the Faulkner Act, using a mayor-council form of government, which allows towns to move from a more rigid traditional form of government. In simple terms, there are two distinct roles.

City Council leads the legislative side of government, and the Mayor leads the executive, the administrative side. The city council drafts the laws and controls the budget. The mayor runs the city day-to-day and enforces those laws.

There are checks and balances. The mayor can approve or veto laws that are passed by council, and City Council can override a mayoral veto with a two-thirds vote.

Under the Faulkner Act, voters have initiative and referendum powers to propose a law, or block an existing law within 20 days after it's enacted, through the statutory petition process. A resident can write and propose the idea of a law, but can't force it forward alone. With the support of council, it needs enough voter signatures on a petition to move forward. Under the Faulkner Act, that generally means 15% of voters who cast their ballots in the last General Assembly election.

So when we say the mayor runs the city, what does that actually look like? Under the mayor's direction, the business administrator prepares the budget, handles contracts and labor relations, and helps to manage the day-to-day administration of city government. The mayor can appoint a chief of staff.

That administration reaches every part of city life: finance, law, housing and economic development, recreation, public works, water, sewer, health and human services, fire, emergency services, police, and more. In a civil disturbance, city code allows for the mayor to declare an emergency, enacting curfews or closing streets to restore order to the city.

So when candidates discuss housing, development, public safety, water, recreation and city services, they're talking about an office with significant executive responsibilities, but also an office that operates alongside City Council, the budget and the law.

Trenton's future starts with understanding, and please make sure you register to vote!

01

Two roles, one city

Trenton uses the mayor-council form of government. Power is split between two branches that check each other.

Legislative

City Council

Council writes the city’s laws, called ordinances, and adopts the budget.

  • Drafts and passes ordinances
  • Adopts and amends the city budget
  • Can override a mayoral veto with a two-thirds vote

Executive

The Mayor

The mayor runs the city day to day and enforces its laws.

  • Approves or vetoes ordinances passed by council
  • Appoints the business administrator and department heads
  • Can declare an emergency during a civil disturbance

02

What the mayor’s office reaches

Through the business administrator and city departments, the administration touches nearly every service residents use.

  • Finance
  • Law
  • Housing and economic development
  • Recreation
  • Public works
  • Water and sewer
  • Health and human services
  • Fire
  • Emergency services
  • Police

03

Residents hold power too

The Faulkner Act gives Trenton voters direct ways to shape local law.

15%

Initiative

Write and propose an ordinance. With signatures from 15% of the voters in the last General Assembly election, it moves forward.

20 days

Referendum

After council passes an ordinance, residents have 20 days to petition and put it on hold until council or the voters decide.

2/3

Veto override

The mayor can veto an ordinance. Council can still pass it with a two-thirds vote.

04

Questions, answered

Plain answers about how Trenton’s government works. Have a question we missed? Sign up and reply to any email.

What is the Faulkner Act?

The Faulkner Act is a New Jersey law from 1950 that lets towns choose from a set of modern forms of local government. It is formally called the Optional Municipal Charter Law.

Trenton chose the mayor-council form, which splits city government into a legislative branch (City Council) and an executive branch (the Mayor).

What is the mayor-council form of government?

It is one of the forms of local government New Jersey towns can choose under the Faulkner Act. Voters elect a mayor who runs the executive side of the city and a separate city council that writes local laws and adopts the budget.

Trenton uses this form today. The split gives each branch a check on the other: the mayor can veto ordinances, and council can override a veto with a two-thirds vote.

What does Trenton’s mayor control?

The mayor is the city’s chief executive. The mayor runs the city day to day, enforces its laws, and oversees city departments through a business administrator the mayor appoints.

That reaches finance, law, housing and economic development, recreation, public works, water and sewer, health and human services, and emergency services including police.

What does City Council control?

Council is the legislative branch. It writes and passes the city’s laws, called ordinances, and adopts the annual budget. Council also confirms many of the mayor’s appointments.

Can the mayor veto a council decision?

Yes. The mayor can approve or veto ordinances that council passes. Council can override a veto with a two-thirds vote of its members.

What is the business administrator?

The business administrator is appointed by the mayor and helps run the administration. The BA prepares the budget for council, handles contracts and labor relations, and manages city operations.

How can residents propose a new law?

Through initiative. A resident can write an ordinance and file it with a petition signed by 15% of the voters who cast ballots in the last General Assembly election in Trenton.

Council then votes on it. If council declines to pass it, the proposal can go to the voters.

How can residents stop a law council just passed?

Through referendum. Within 20 days after council gives an ordinance final passage, residents can file a petition that suspends it. Council must then repeal it, or the question goes to the voters.

When is the election?

Trenton’s mayoral election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. City elections here are nonpartisan. If no candidate wins a majority, the top two meet in a runoff on December 8, 2026.

Source: Ballotpedia: Trenton mayoral election 2026

How do I register to vote, and by when?

New Jersey residents can register online, by mail, or in person. The deadline is 21 days before Election Day, which is Tuesday, October 13, 2026 for the November 3 election.

Source: NJ Division of Elections

Who made this video and who funded it?

The video was written and produced by Joey Rivera and presented by Leod Onitari. It was funded by iPutOn Agency, a Trenton creative studio, and Mercer County Community College. The site is nonpartisan civic education and endorses no candidate.