the staff of the Ridgewood blog
PARK RIDGE, NJ — A recall effort against Park Ridge Board of Education member Robert Fisher has been officially rejected after the Bergen County Clerk’s Office ruled the petition was fatally flawed due to improper notarization.
Fisher, who made headlines in 2023 as one of New Jersey’s youngest school board members, filed the challenge on Friday, August 22, 2025, through his attorney Michael Collins.
Why the Recall Petition Was Thrown Out
In a letter dated August 20, Collins argued that the recall petitions did not comply with New Jersey’s strict recall election laws. Specifically, circulators are required to complete signatures under oath and affidavit before a notary.
“The Recall Petition fails to comply with the statutory requirement that the circulators complete a signature under oath and affidavit,” Collins wrote, calling the defect “uncurable.”
After reviewing the filing, the Bergen County Clerk agreed with Fisher’s objection and ruled the petitions invalid. Because none of the pages were notarized, the recall petition was declared legally defective and unenforceable.
What This Means for Park Ridge Schools
The decision effectively ends the recall campaign against Fisher—at least for now—keeping him on the Park Ridge Board of Education. Fisher, elected in 2023, has been a controversial figure at times but also represents a new generation of leadership in local education.
Supporters of the recall may attempt to restart the process with properly notarized petitions, but legal experts note that such efforts are time-consuming and rarely successful.
Looking Ahead
For now, Fisher remains in office, and the Clerk’s ruling reinforces the importance of strict compliance with New Jersey’s recall election procedures. The failed recall underscores how even technical missteps—like missing notarization—can derail efforts to remove elected officials.
Join the new Saddle River Valley, Ramapo and Pascack Valley Communities Facebook group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1931704860512551/
#news #follow #media #trending #viral #newsupdate #currentaffairs #BergenCountyNews #NJBreakingNews #NJHeadlines #NJTopStories
Scoff all you want but justice has been served and the system works. The education system on the other hand is totally broken and a new generation of leadership is just what we need. Congrats to Fisher.
This is not democracy. The voices of 2,141 voters and signers of the petition cannot and will not be ignored. A court will decide this based on fairness and equity, not on the basis of an unclear law, misinterpreted by county lawyers, and following misleading instructions from the County Clerk to the petition organizers. The people of Park Ridge are not done speaking.
sounds like this kid really wants to be on the board. Maybe he actually cares? He is trying to hold on to any tie to NJ he can. Maybe he really will move back?
This young man has his act together. Park Ridge is lucky to have him.