The first female mayor of Milford Borough, Candace Mahala, was elected to her initial four-year term in November 2025.
The borough was able to vote for mayor on Nov. 4 between Republican Peter Cooney and Democrat Candace Mahala. Mahala was declared the winner with 63.59% of the vote. Sworn in on Jan. 2, her first term will expire at the end of 2029.
Mahala grew up in Milford and attended Delaware Valley High School where she graduated from in 2002. After attending college in Massachusetts and working around the Boston area, Mahala and her husband moved to Europe and then back to Milford about three years ago.
After coming back to Milford, Mahala did not initially intend on being involved in local politics.
“I started to notice a lot of things in Milford that frustrated me about public safety, so I attended council meetings and talked to representatives,” she said.
After the incumbent mayor Sean Strub decided to step down after his two elected terms, Mahala decided to run for mayor to be able to have direct influence on the community.
“I didn’t picture myself entering the political world, so I feel honored that the [Milford Borough] residents trusted me as the first female mayor and one of the youngest,” she said.
The mayor’s main responsibilities are to deal with community concerns and maintain oversight of the local police department. The Milford Borough’s police department specifically is independent, meaning it has no connection to any regional police division.
Mahala’s main goals in her role is to assist the police department and keep it independent through review and communication plans. Along with oversight of the police, Mahala intends to keep focus on prioritizing pedestrian safety in town, as well as implementing welcome packages for residents to give them more information about the borough.
“I want to make Milford a place where people can be safe and come together whether they live here, work here or own a business here,” she said.
She relayed how important it is for community members to attend meetings and see how they can influence decisions.
“I don’t think I even realized until very recently how much goes into the decisions that are made,” she said.
After her four-year term ends, Mahala will have the opportunity to run for reelection indefinitely.
“It’s humbling to feel the responsibility that was entrusted to me, and I am excited to make as much of a positive impact as I can,” she said.
