Paul Kiernan

Paul Kiernan (November 6, 1906 – May 21, 1989) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as mayor of Long Branch, and as sheriff of Monmouth County, New Jersey.

Background

Paul Kiernan grew up in Long Branch, New Jersey. He attended Lyceum Parochial School and Chattle High School. About 1925 he joined the real estate firm of Joseph J. Kiernan and Sons.

Kiernan began work in the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office in 1932, when he was appointed as an undersheriff by Sheriff Howard W. Height. He would serve through 1938 under both Height and Sheriff George H. Roberts. In 1938, Morris J. Woodring, a Republican, was elected sheriff, and Kiernan was replaced as undersheriff.

In 1940, he was elected to the Long Branch City Commission, and served as mayor from 1944 to 1948.

Paul Kiernan also served as Long Branch Democratic City Leader, as Democratic State Committeeman from Monmouth County, a Monmouth County Jury Commissioner and as a member of the Monmouth County Board of Taxation.^[1] He would eventually serve as president of the tax board.

In the 1950 general election, Kiernan unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Republican Sheriff Ira E. Wolcott.^[2] In 1962, he again ran for sheriff and was defeated by Joseph A. Shafto. Three years later, Kiernan defeated Shafto and was elected to his first of five, three-year terms.

Paul Kiernan was defeated for a sixth term in the 1980 general election by Republican William M. Lanzaro. He died on May 21, 1989 in Long Branch.

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