Shawn Potillo is a Republican municipal official serving as Mayor of Roxbury Township in Morris County. First appointed to the Township Council in 2021 to fill a vacancy, he was subsequently elected to represent Ward 1 (Landing, Port Morris and portions of Ledgewood) and selected by his colleagues to serve as Mayor for consecutive terms in 2025 and 2026.

A lifelong resident of the township's First Ward, Potillo grew up in Port Morris and now raises his family in Landing. Prior to his council service, he spent nearly twelve years volunteering on municipal boards and committees, including the Planning Board, Master Plan Committee, Economic Development Committee and Recreation Advisory Committee.

In early 2026, Potillo gained statewide attention for leading bipartisan opposition to a proposed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Roxbury. Despite the township's Republican governance and strong support for President Trump in the 2024 election, Potillo organized local resistance and joined Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill's administration in filing a federal lawsuit to block the $130 million facility, citing infrastructure inadequacies and public safety concerns. The dispute centered on a 470,000-square-foot warehouse lacking sufficient water, sewer and toilet facilities to support 1,500 detainees and 1,000 staff.

Political Career

• Member, Roxbury Township Planning Board and Master Plan, Economic Development, and Recreation Advisory Committees 
• Councilman-at-Large/Ward 1, Roxbury Township Council (July 2021–present); appointed to fill unexpired term following death of Councilman Richard Zoschak
• Elected to four-year term, Ward 1 (November 2021)
• Mayor, Roxbury Township (January 7, 2025–present); selected by Township Council for consecutive one-year terms in 2025 and 2026

Key Policy Areas

• Municipal fiscal management (advocates for 0% municipal tax increases)
• Infrastructure maintenance (road paving and improvement prioritization)
• Commercial development (supports "smart commercial expansion")
• Parks and recreation (prioritizes maintenance of parks and lake areas)
• Immigration enforcement limitations (opposed ICE detention facility siting in Roxbury)
• Public safety and emergency services (cited strain on local resources in opposition to federal detention facility)

Notable Actions / Initiatives

• Organized bipartisan opposition to proposed ICE detention facility at 1879 Route 46, joining state lawsuit against Department of Homeland Security; facility would have housed 1,500 detainees but warehouse contained only four toilets and inadequate water/sewer infrastructure for 2,500 daily occupants
• Served as lead municipal spokesperson in high-profile conflict with federal immigration authorities, coordinating with Democratic Governor Mikie Sherrill and Attorney General Jennifer Davenport while representing Republican-majority township that voted 60% for President Trump in 2024
• Unanimously selected by Township Council to serve consecutive terms as Mayor (2025–2027), breaking from typical rotation practice among council members

Education

Not publicly available

Personal

• Birth date: Not publicly available (approximately 47 years old)
• Residence: Roxbury Township, New Jersey