Heather Cheesman, a long-time Bordentown City resident and public official, resigned from the Bordentown City Board of Commissioners on March 18, 2025, as she moved into a new role on the Burlington County Board of Elections.
Governor Phil Murphy appointed Cheesman to this county position, and city officials confirmed both her resignation and appointment on Wednesday.
Cheesman’s career includes over 15 years of service in the Burlington County Clerk’s Office. There, she held two main roles: Chief of Staff and Deputy County Clerk. Her experience overseeing elections at the county level makes her a fitting choice for the Board of Elections.
Before her resignation, Cheesman won a nonpartisan race for Bordentown City Commissioner in the November 5, 2024, Special Municipal Election.
She defeated two candidates, James Heupel and Edward Foley IV. This election took place because former Commissioner Jim Lynch resigned in March 2024 after serving since 1989.
After Lynch’s resignation, Mayor Jennifer Sciortino and Deputy Mayor Joe Myers appointed Cheesman on March 11, 2024, to fill the vacant seat until the November 2024 election.
Cheesman had prior experience on the Board of Commissioners, serving as Deputy Mayor and Director of Revenue and Finance from 2009 to 2013.
During her recent term in 2024–2025, she worked on specific issues in the city. She helped restart police department renovations, obtained funding for the volunteer fire department, and assisted in resolving police contract negotiations. These actions were completed within one year of her appointment.
In addition to her city commissioner duties, Cheesman held several other roles in Bordentown. She served on the Bordentown Regional School District Board of Education.
She also held seats on the Bordentown Planning Board, the Bordentown Sewerage Authority, and the Bordentown City Economic Development Advisory Committee. She stepped down from the Planning Board when rejoining the Board of Commissioners in March 2024.
Outside government, Cheesman became Director of Payroll for Capital Health System in December 2023. Earlier in her career, she worked as a teacher in New Jersey’s juvenile justice system.
With Cheesman’s seat now vacant, New Jersey state law requires that the remaining two commissioners, Mayor Sciortino and Deputy Mayor Myers, agree on a temporary replacement within 30 days of March 18, 2025.
This appointee will serve until the next non-partisan election for Bordentown City Commissioner on November 4, 2025. That election will include all three commissioner seats.
On February 10, 2025, the Board of Commissioners voted to move the city’s non-partisan elections from May to November.
This change begins in 2025 and follows a public vote. In the November 2024 General Election, Bordentown City voters approved this move by a margin of 69.39% in favor and 30.61% against. The change aligns city elections with state and national elections in November.
