Former Township Mayor and Borough Council President Richard C. Woodbridge, a Republican, has announced his candidacy for mayor of the consolidated Princeton. Mr. Woodbridge joins current Council member Kevin Wilkes and Township Committee Deputy Mayor Liz Lempert, both Democrats, in the race. Ms. Lempert was endorsed last month by the Princeton Community Democratic Organization {PCDO}.

Current Borough Mayor Yina Moore, who had opted to run for Council rather than mayor, did not file a petition by the April 2 deadline to be a candidate in the Democratic primary. At press time, Ms. Moore had not commented on whether she is dropping out or will choose to run as an Independent.

In the Council race, Republican Geoff Aton announced his candidacy this week and is running unopposed. Mr. Woodbridge has been endorsed by the local Republican Municipal Committee, and will run unopposed in the Republican mayoral primary.

“After hearing from many on both sides of the political aisle and listening to numerous citizen concerns, I have decided to enter the race for mayor,” Mr. Woodbridge wrote in a press release issued last Friday. “I believe now is the time for Princeton to elect someone with experience and fresh thinking, who believes in true inclusiveness and non-partisan cooperation.”

On Monday, Mr. Woodbridge spoke further about his decision to run. “I’m doing this largely because of friends suggesting I do so,” he said. “It probably was inspired by some editorials that were out there in early February. People said, ‘Hey, wouldn’t it be nice if we had a really contested race here?’”

A 1965 graduate of Princeton University, Mr. Woodbridge became a patent attorney and has maintained a patent and trademark practice in Princeton since 1973. He is currently a partner with Fox Rothschild LLP. Raised here, he attended the Nassau Street and Valley Road schools before graduating from The Lawrenceville School.

“I’m probably the only candidate who has seen Albert Einstein in the flesh,” he said, recalling the time his father -pointed out the famed scientist walking across the Harrison Street bridge.

His familiarity with the two municipalities is among his qualifications for the job, Mr. Woodbridge said. “I grew up here. I went to local schools. I know the town and have seen a lot of changes,” he said. “I think change is good and change is inevitable, but this period of change with consolidation is really as dramatic as we’ve ever seen. There are a huge number of special issues that go along with this kind of change in government.”

Consolidation is not the only challenge that would come with the role of mayor. “You can’t spend all your time just fighting fires,” Mr. Woodbridge said. “You have to think beyond that. There are financial challenges as well. The town has gotten so expensive that it’s hard for families to stay here. Taxes and expenses are so high. But we also have to look forward to where we want to be. So it’s dealing with the day-to-day stuff as well as looking to the future.”

Mr. Woodbridge is a 20-year veteran of the Princeton Fire Department. He has served as Police, Public Works and Fire Commissioner, among other municipal posts. “I have had the pleasure of working for both towns, seeing changes and knowing the context of all those changes,” he said. “My interest is trying to take us to the next level.”

Mr. Aton, a member of the Township Zoning Board, was a candidate for Township Committee in 2011. Married to a Democrat, he said in a statement, “It is a new era in Princeton. It is also time for a new approach to government. It is time for an end to partisanship. pettiness, and bickering. It is time for a responsible government that puts the people of Princeton above politics.”

The candidates running in the Democratic primary for six seats on the new Council are current Council members Jenny Crumiller, Jo Butler, Heather Howard, and Roger Martindell; Township Committee members Bernie Miller and Lance Liverman, and newcomers Tamera Matteo, Scott Sillars, and Patrick Simon.