ELEC Final Decision Targets Toms River Mayor Rodrick’s 2023 Filings

The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission has issued a consent order final decision against Daniel T. Rodrick, the mayor of Toms River, resolving an enforcement complaint tied to his 2023 mayoral campaign filings.

The final decision, issued February 17, 2026, matters because it is the Commission’s formal resolution of the enforcement case. It closes the pending complaint and sets the penalty amount, rather than presenting a preliminary allegation. The matter was handled as an administrative enforcement action under New Jersey’s campaign-finance law.

The Commission dismissed the Count One allegation that Rodrick failed to report three expenditures totaling $32,021.38, but imposed penalties for late reporting of contributions, accepting two excessive contributions, and incorrect reporting of a contribution. The final decision states the Commission reduced a $7,207.36 penalty to $5,765.89 and acknowledged receipt of the payment. The case is captioned as a “Consent Order Final Decision” in ELEC v. Daniel Rodrick, C-G 15080102-G2023.¹

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What ELEC alleged, and what the consent order resolved

According to the consent order, ELEC brought the complaint on September 17. The complaint alleged several categories of violations: failures to report contributions and expenditures, late reporting, accepting excessive contributions and failing to return the excessive portions within 48 hours, and incorrect reporting of a contributor.²

The consent order describes the complaint allegations as including “accepting excessive contributions and failing to return the excessive portions within 48 hours.”² :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

The original complaint identifies Rodrick as a candidate for mayor in the November 7, 2023 general election in Dover Township (Toms River), Ocean County, and states he served as both candidate and treasurer for his single-candidate committee. The complaint also asserts, “upon information and belief,” that between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024, Rodrick received contributions totaling $132,904.22 and made expenditures totaling $168,335.44, and that he had not reported certain contributions and expenditures, including contributions over $200 in the aggregate totaling $850.83 and expenditures totaling $32,637.38.³

Alleged excessive contributions

The complaint details one set of alleged excessive contributions. It states Rodrick reported one $2,600 contribution received July 20, 2023, then reported two additional contributions of $2,500 each from the same contributor on September 23, 2023 and October 2, 2023. It further alleges, again “upon information and belief,” that he received an additional $250 contribution around October 28, 2023 that was not reported, and that he had not returned any portion of the contributions described in that count.⁴

The records reviewed for this article list the contributor as Rothstein, Mandell, Halm & Cipriani, a Toms River-based law firm. In 2023, the contribution limit from an individual or corporation was $5,200 per election.

Alleged contributor misidentification

The complaint alleged that the respondent reported a $773.86 contribution on the second amended 20-day report as received on November 30, 2023. Based on the bank records, the complaint further alleged that the contributor identity listed in the filing did not match the actual source of the funds. A review of the filings shows the contribution was recorded as coming from a joint candidate committee representing Rodrick, along with three running for town council seats (Thomas Nvision, Lynn O’Toole, and Craig Coleman).

The final decision appears to sustain that discrepancy, but it does not identify the contributor reflected in the bank records.¹

Reporting deadlines and case procedure

In plain language, New Jersey’s campaign-finance rules require candidates and committees to file periodic reports disclosing contributions and expenditures on set schedules, including reports due 29 days and 11 days before an election and 20 days after the election. The complaint cites N.J.S.A. 19:44A-16 and related ELEC regulations as the basis for those reporting requirements, and it also describes a 48-hour requirement to return excessive contributions (as alleged in the case).³

The complaint told Rodrick he could request a hearing in writing, and warned that if he did not file a written answer within 20 days of service, the Commission could enter a final decision including monetary penalties under ELEC rules.⁵

The records reviewed for this article show Rodrick’s campaign committee filed a Form D-1 on August 15, 2023, and an amended D-1 on December 18, 2023, reporting the committee name “Save Toms River CTE Rodrick.” Those records also show multiple Form R-1 filings and amendments around the 2023 general election reporting deadlines, including a 29-day pre-election report filed October 10, 2023; an amended 29-day report filed October 14, 2023; a second amended 29-day report filed November 17, 2023; and a third amended 29-day report filed December 31, 2023, with later amendments filed in 2024.⁶

Penalties and closure

The consent order’s penalty breakdown references penalties tied to late reporting of contributions and expenditures, penalties tied to accepting excessive contributions and not returning the excessive portions within 48 hours, and a penalty for incorrect reporting of a contributor, before stating the Commission reduced the total penalty to $5,765.89.¹

With the Commission’s adoption of the consent order as its final decision and ELEC’s acknowledgment of payment, the enforcement matter appears procedurally closed at the agency level. The consent order also states that if the Commission had declined to adopt it, Rodrick would have retained the right to a hearing under the Administrative Procedure Act and any payment received prior to final decision action would be refunded.⁷

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Notes

1. New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, Consent Order Final Decision, ELEC v. Daniel Rodrick, C-G 15080102-G2023 (February 7, 2026), 1, 3-4 https://www.elec.nj.gov/
2. New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, Consent Order Final Decision, ELEC v. Daniel Rodrick, C-G 15080102-G2023 (February 7, 2026), 4
3. New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, New Jersey Election Law Complaint and Notice of Election Law Enforcement Commission, Opportunity for a Hearing, ELEC v. Daniel Rodrick, C-G 15080102-G2023 (September 17, 2025), 2–4
4. New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, New Jersey Election Law Complaint and Notice of Election Law Enforcement Commission, Opportunity for a Hearing, ELEC v. Daniel Rodrick, C-G 15080102-G2023 (September 17, 2025), 6
5. New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, New Jersey Election Law Complaint and Notice of Election Law Enforcement Commission, Opportunity for a Hearing, ELEC v. Daniel Rodrick, C-G 15080102-G2023 (September 17, 2025), 8
6. New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, Form D-1 and R-1 filings for “Save Toms River CTE Rodrick” (August 15, 2023; December 18, 2023; October 10, 2023; October 14, 2023; November 17, 2023; December 31, 2023; October 3, 2024)
7. New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, Consent Order Final Decision, ELEC v. Daniel Rodrick, C-G 15080102-G2023 (February 7, 2026), 2–3