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Township (New Jersey)
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{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{Use American English|date=October 2023}} {{short description|Administrative unit in New Jersey}} {{NJmunigov}} A '''township''', in the context of [[local government in New Jersey|New Jersey local government]], refers to one of five ''types'' and one of eleven ''forms'' of [[local government|municipal government]]. As a political entity, a township in [[New Jersey]] is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any [[Town (New Jersey)|town]], [[City (New Jersey)|city]], [[Borough (New Jersey)|borough]], or [[Village (New Jersey)|village]]. They collect property taxes and provide services such as maintaining roads, garbage collection, water, sewer, schools, police and fire protection. The township form of local government is used by 27% of New Jersey municipalities; however, slightly over 50% of the state's population resides within them. Townships in New Jersey differ from [[Civil township|townships]] elsewhere in the United States. In many states, townships can be an intermediate form of government, between county government and municipalities that are subordinate parts of the township, with different government responsibilities allocated at each level. In New Jersey, there are no subordinate municipalities located within a township, as townships are equivalent to all other forms of local municipalities. Municipalities in New Jersey may be classified into one of five ''types'', of which townships are one. Townships may retain the township ''form'' of government, or adopt one of the modern forms of government, which are not restricted to a particular type of municipality. In New Jersey, a municipality's name (such as X Township) is not necessarily an indication of its form of government. In New Jersey, the township form of government consists of a three to five-member township committee usually elected at-large in partisan elections. At its organization meeting, held after an election, the committee selects one of its elected members to serve as mayor and preside at meetings. The other members of the township committee serve as commissioners of various township departments, overseeing the work of those areas along with overall legislative issues. Some mayors in this form of government also oversee specific departments. The mayor in this form of government is primarily ceremonial and has the same power as other township committee members. The mayor does hold the powers vested in all mayors under state law One township committee member is elected [[deputy mayor]] each year. Some towns with this form of government rotate the mayor's office each year, while others elect the same mayor for 2β3 consecutive years. Out of the 240 townships in the state, the township form of government is used by 140. On road signs, township is often abbreviated '''TWP''' or '''Twp'''. Some official documents abbreviate it as "Twsp." ==History== Historically, a variety of legislation has been passed by the state legislature that has defined and refined the township ''form'' of municipal government: '''[[The Township Act of 1798]]''' was the first state legislation to incorporate municipalities. The government defined was a form of [[direct democracy]], similar to the New England [[town meeting]], in which the vote was available to all white males, at least 21 years old, who were citizens of New Jersey, and residents of the township for at least six months; and who paid taxes in the township, or who owned land, or rented a home in the township for a rent of at least five dollars a year. A group of five freeholders was elected to one-year terms on the Township Committee, which was responsible to oversee the expenditure of revenue in between town meetings. '''The Township Act of 1899''' abolished the town meeting and strengthened the role of the Township Committee, which was initially set at three and amended to allow for expansion to five members. Members were elected for staggered three-year terms. '''The Home Rule Act of 1917''' legally defined the term "municipality" and recognized five ''types'' of government: [[Borough (New Jersey)|borough]], township, [[City (New Jersey)|city]], [[Town (New Jersey)|town]], and [[Village (New Jersey)|village]] and granted each equal legal standing. '''The Township Act of 1989''' simplified the much-amended Act of 1899. It retains a three or five member township committee serving staggered terms, whose members are generally elected at-large. The committee elects a [[mayor]] from among its members to serve a one-year term. Partisan elections are allowed under this law. Voters may initiate a referendum to change the membership to consist of either 3 or 5 members. While many township committees directly supervise the operation of their municipality, the revised act allows the committee to delegate all or a portion of its responsibilities to an appointed municipal administrator. A number of municipalities changed to the Township type, or the Township form of government, between 1979 and 1982.<ref name="karcher">{{cite book|last=Karcher|first=Alan J.|author-link=Alan Karcher|title=New Jersey's Multiple Municipal Madness|publisher=[[Rutgers University Press]]|location=[[New Brunswick, New Jersey]]|date=1998|isbn=978-0-8135-2566-2|page=120}}</ref> A federal law, ''The State and Local Fiscal Assistance Act of 1972'' provided funding to the states to be divided between state and municipal governments. In 1981, states were removed from the program and the law was amended to provide direct grants to the most popular form of local government in the United States - townships.<ref name="karcher"/> In [[Essex County, New Jersey|Essex County]] alone, 11 municipal governments changed their form or name to take advantage of the program.<ref name="karcher"/> ==List of Townships== There are a total of 240 townships in the state, including:<ref name="2023gaz">{{Cite web |title=2023 census gazetteer - New Jersey county subdivisions |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2023_Gazetteer/2023_gaz_cousubs_34.txt |access-date=July 19, 2024 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}}</ref> {{div col|colwidth=20em}} *[[Aberdeen Township, New Jersey|Aberdeen Township]] *[[Alexandria Township, New Jersey|Alexandria Township]] *[[Allamuchy Township, New Jersey|Allamuchy Township]] *[[Alloway Township, New Jersey|Alloway Township]] *[[Andover Township, New Jersey|Andover Township]] *[[Barnegat Township, New Jersey|Barnegat Township]] *[[Bass River Township, New Jersey|Bass River Township]] *[[Bedminster, New Jersey|Bedminster]] *[[Belleville, New Jersey|Belleville]] *[[Berkeley Heights, New Jersey|Berkeley Heights]] *[[Berkeley Township, New Jersey|Berkeley Township]] *[[Berlin Township, New Jersey|Berlin Township]] *[[Bernards Township, New Jersey|Bernards Township]] *[[Bethlehem Township, New Jersey|Bethlehem Township]] *[[Blairstown, New Jersey|Blairstown]] *[[Bloomfield, New Jersey|Bloomfield]] *[[Boonton Township, New Jersey|Boonton Township]] *[[Bordentown Township, New Jersey|Bordentown Township]] *[[Branchburg, New Jersey|Branchburg]] *[[Brick Township, New Jersey|Brick Township]] *[[Bridgewater Township, New Jersey|Bridgewater Township]] *[[Buena Vista Township, New Jersey|Buena Vista Township]] *[[Burlington Township, New Jersey|Burlington Township]] *[[Byram Township, New Jersey|Byram Township]] *[[Carneys Point Township, New Jersey|Carneys Point Township]] *[[Cedar Grove, New Jersey|Cedar Grove]] *[[Chatham Township, New Jersey|Chatham Township]] *[[Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey|Cherry Hill Township]] *[[Chester Township, New Jersey|Chester Township]] *[[Chesterfield Township, New Jersey|Chesterfield Township]] *[[Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey|Cinnaminson Township]] *[[Clark, New Jersey|Clark]] *[[Clinton Township, New Jersey|Clinton Township]] *[[Colts Neck Township, New Jersey|Colts Neck Township]] *[[Commercial Township, New Jersey|Commercial Township]] *[[Cranbury, New Jersey|Cranbury]] *[[Cranford, New Jersey|Cranford]] *[[Deerfield Township, New Jersey|Deerfield Township]] *[[Delanco Township, New Jersey|Delanco Township]] *[[Delaware Township, New Jersey|Delaware Township]] *[[Delran Township, New Jersey|Delran Township]] *[[Dennis Township, New Jersey|Dennis Township]] *[[Denville Township, New Jersey|Denville Township]] *[[Deptford Township, New Jersey|Deptford Township]] *[[Downe Township, New Jersey|Downe Township]] *[[Eagleswood Township, New Jersey|Eagleswood Township]] *[[East Amwell Township, New Jersey|East Amwell Township]] *[[East Brunswick, New Jersey|East Brunswick]] *[[East Greenwich Township, New Jersey|East Greenwich Township]] *[[East Hanover Township, New Jersey|East Hanover Township]] *[[East Windsor, New Jersey|East Windsor]] *[[Eastampton Township, New Jersey|Eastampton Township]] *[[Edgewater Park, New Jersey|Edgewater Park]] *[[Edison, New Jersey|Edison]] *[[Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey|Egg Harbor Township]] *[[Elk Township, New Jersey|Elk Township]] *[[Elsinboro Township, New Jersey|Elsinboro Township]] *[[Evesham, New Jersey|Evesham]] *[[Ewing Township, New Jersey|Ewing Township]] *[[Fairfield Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey|Fairfield Township]], Cumberland County *[[Fairfield Township, Essex County, New Jersey|Fairfield Township]], Essex County *[[Florence Township, New Jersey|Florence Township]] *[[Frankford Township, New Jersey|Frankford Township]] *[[Franklin Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey|Franklin Township]], Gloucester County *[[Franklin Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey|Franklin Township]], Hunterdon County *[[Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey|Franklin Township]], Somerset County *[[Franklin Township, Warren County, New Jersey|Franklin Township]], Warren County *[[Fredon Township, New Jersey|Fredon Township]] *[[Freehold Township, New Jersey|Freehold Township]] *[[Frelinghuysen Township, New Jersey|Frelinghuysen Township]] *[[Galloway Township, New Jersey|Galloway Township]] *[[Gloucester Township, New Jersey|Gloucester Township]] *[[Green Brook Township, New Jersey|Green Brook Township]] *[[Green Township, New Jersey|Green Township]] *[[Greenwich Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey|Greenwich Township]], Cumberland County *[[Greenwich Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey|Greenwich Township]], Gloucester County *[[Greenwich Township, Warren County, New Jersey|Greenwich Township]], Warren County *[[Haddon Township, New Jersey|Haddon Township]] *[[Hainesport Township, New Jersey|Hainesport Township]] *[[Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey|Hamilton Township]], Atlantic County *[[Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey|Hamilton Township]], Mercer County *[[Hampton Township, New Jersey|Hampton Township]] *[[Hanover Township, New Jersey|Hanover Township]] *[[Harding Township, New Jersey|Harding Township]] *[[Hardwick Township, New Jersey|Hardwick Township]] *[[Hardyston Township, New Jersey|Hardyston Township]] *[[Harmony Township, New Jersey|Harmony Township]] *[[Harrison Township, New Jersey|Harrison Township]] *[[Hazlet, New Jersey|Hazlet]] *[[Hillsborough Township, New Jersey|Hillsborough Township]] *[[Hillside, New Jersey|Hillside]] *[[Holland Township, New Jersey|Holland Township]] *[[Holmdel Township, New Jersey|Holmdel Township]] *[[Hope Township, New Jersey|Hope Township]] *[[Hopewell Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey|Hopewell Township]], Cumberland County *[[Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey|Hopewell Township]], Mercer County *[[Howell Township, New Jersey|Howell Township]] *[[Independence Township, New Jersey|Independence Township]] *[[Irvington, New Jersey|Irvington]] *[[Jackson Township, New Jersey|Jackson Township]] *[[Jefferson, New Jersey|Jefferson]] *[[Kingwood Township, New Jersey|Kingwood Township]] *[[Knowlton Township, New Jersey|Knowlton Township]] *[[Lacey Township, New Jersey|Lacey Township]] *[[Lafayette Township, New Jersey|Lafayette Township]] *[[Lakewood Township, New Jersey|Lakewood Township]] *[[Lawrence Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey|Lawrence Township]], Cumberland County *[[Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey|Lawrence Township]], Mercer County *[[Lebanon Township, New Jersey|Lebanon Township]] *[[Liberty Township, New Jersey|Liberty Township]] *[[Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey|Little Egg Harbor Township]] *[[Little Falls, New Jersey|Little Falls]] *[[Livingston, New Jersey|Livingston]] *[[Logan Township, New Jersey|Logan Township]] *[[Long Beach Township, New Jersey|Long Beach Township]] *[[Long Hill Township, New Jersey|Long Hill Township]] *[[Lopatcong Township, New Jersey|Lopatcong Township]] *[[Lower Alloways Creek Township, New Jersey|Lower Alloways Creek Township]] *[[Lower Township, New Jersey|Lower Township]] *[[Lumberton, New Jersey|Lumberton]] *[[Lyndhurst, New Jersey|Lyndhurst]] *[[Mahwah, New Jersey|Mahwah]] *[[Manalapan Township, New Jersey|Manalapan Township]] *[[Manchester Township, New Jersey|Manchester Township]] *[[Mannington Township, New Jersey|Mannington Township]] *[[Mansfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey|Mansfield Township]], Burlington County *[[Mansfield Township, Warren County, New Jersey|Mansfield Township]], Warren County *[[Mantua Township, New Jersey|Mantua Township]] *[[Maple Shade Township, New Jersey|Maple Shade Township]] *[[Maplewood, New Jersey|Maplewood]] *[[Marlboro Township, New Jersey|Marlboro Township]] *[[Maurice River Township, New Jersey|Maurice River Township]] *[[Medford, New Jersey|Medford]] *[[Mendham Township, New Jersey|Mendham Township]] *[[Middle Township, New Jersey|Middle Township]] *[[Middletown Township, New Jersey|Middletown Township]] *[[Millburn, New Jersey|Millburn]] *[[Millstone Township, New Jersey|Millstone Township]] *[[Mine Hill Township, New Jersey|Mine Hill Township]] *[[Monroe Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey|Monroe Township]], Gloucester County *[[Monroe Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey|Monroe Township]], Middlesex County *[[Montague Township, New Jersey|Montague Township]] *[[Montclair, New Jersey|Montclair]] *[[Montgomery Township, New Jersey|Montgomery Township]] *[[Montville, New Jersey|Montville]] *[[Moorestown, New Jersey|Moorestown]] *[[Morris Township, New Jersey|Morris Township]] *[[Mount Holly Township, New Jersey|Mount Holly Township]] *[[Mount Laurel, New Jersey|Mount Laurel]] *[[Mount Olive Township, New Jersey|Mount Olive Township]] *[[Mullica Township, New Jersey|Mullica Township]] *[[Neptune Township, New Jersey|Neptune Township]] *[[New Hanover Township, New Jersey|New Hanover Township]] *[[North Bergen, New Jersey|North Bergen]] *[[North Brunswick, New Jersey|North Brunswick]] *[[North Hanover Township, New Jersey|North Hanover Township]] *[[Nutley, New Jersey|Nutley]] *[[Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey|Ocean Township]], Monmouth County *[[Ocean Township, Ocean County, New Jersey|Ocean Township]], Ocean County *[[Old Bridge Township, New Jersey|Old Bridge Township]] *[[Oldmans Township, New Jersey|Oldmans Township]] *[[Orange, New Jersey|Orange]] *[[Oxford Township, New Jersey|Oxford Township]] *[[Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey|Parsippany-Troy Hills]] *[[Pemberton Township, New Jersey|Pemberton Township]] *[[Pennsauken Township, New Jersey|Pennsauken Township]] *[[Pennsville Township, New Jersey|Pennsville Township]] *[[Pequannock Township, New Jersey|Pequannock Township]] *[[Pilesgrove Township, New Jersey|Pilesgrove Township]] *[[Piscataway, New Jersey|Piscataway]] *[[Pittsgrove Township, New Jersey|Pittsgrove Township]] *[[Plainsboro Township, New Jersey|Plainsboro Township]] *[[Plumsted Township, New Jersey|Plumsted Township]] *[[Pohatcong Township, New Jersey|Pohatcong Township]] *[[Quinton Township, New Jersey|Quinton Township]] *[[Randolph, New Jersey|Randolph]] *[[Raritan Township, New Jersey|Raritan Township]] *[[Readington Township, New Jersey|Readington Township]] *[[River Vale, New Jersey|River Vale]] *[[Riverside Township, New Jersey|Riverside Township]] *[[Robbinsville Township, New Jersey|Robbinsville Township]] *[[Rochelle Park, New Jersey|Rochelle Park]] *[[Rockaway Township, New Jersey|Rockaway Township]] *[[Roxbury, New Jersey|Roxbury]] *[[Saddle Brook, New Jersey|Saddle Brook]] *[[Sandyston Township, New Jersey|Sandyston Township]] *[[Scotch Plains, New Jersey|Scotch Plains]] *[[Shamong Township, New Jersey|Shamong Township]] *[[Shrewsbury Township, New Jersey|Shrewsbury Township]] *[[South Brunswick, New Jersey|South Brunswick]] *[[South Hackensack, New Jersey|South Hackensack]] *[[South Harrison Township, New Jersey|South Harrison Township]] *[[Southampton Township, New Jersey|Southampton Township]] *[[Sparta, New Jersey|Sparta]] *[[Springfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey|Springfield Township]], Burlington County *[[Springfield Township, Union County, New Jersey|Springfield Township]], Union County *[[Stafford Township, New Jersey|Stafford Township]] *[[Stillwater Township, New Jersey|Stillwater Township]] *[[Stow Creek Township, New Jersey|Stow Creek Township]] *[[Tabernacle Township, New Jersey|Tabernacle Township]] *[[Teaneck, New Jersey|Teaneck]] *[[Tewksbury Township, New Jersey|Tewksbury Township]] *[[Toms River, New Jersey|Toms River]] *[[Union Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey|Union Township]], Hunterdon County *[[Union Township, Union County, New Jersey|Union Township]], Union County *[[Upper Deerfield Township, New Jersey|Upper Deerfield Township]] *[[Upper Freehold Township, New Jersey|Upper Freehold Township]] *[[Upper Pittsgrove Township, New Jersey|Upper Pittsgrove Township]] *[[Upper Township, New Jersey|Upper Township]] *[[Vernon Township, New Jersey|Vernon Township]] *[[Verona, New Jersey|Verona]] *[[Voorhees Township, New Jersey|Voorhees Township]] *[[Wall Township, New Jersey|Wall Township]] *[[Walpack Township, New Jersey|Walpack Township]] *[[Wantage Township, New Jersey|Wantage Township]] *[[Warren Township, New Jersey|Warren Township]] *[[Washington Township, Bergen County, New Jersey|Washington Township]], Bergen County *[[Washington Township, Burlington County, New Jersey|Washington Township]], Burlington County *[[Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey|Washington Township]], Gloucester County *[[Washington Township, Morris County, New Jersey|Washington Township]], Morris County *[[Washington Township, Warren County, New Jersey|Washington Township]], Warren County *[[Waterford Township, New Jersey|Waterford Township]] *[[Wayne, New Jersey|Wayne]] *[[Weehawken, New Jersey|Weehawken]] *[[West Amwell Township, New Jersey|West Amwell Township]] *[[West Caldwell, New Jersey|West Caldwell]] *[[West Deptford Township, New Jersey|West Deptford Township]] *[[West Milford, New Jersey|West Milford]] *[[West Orange, New Jersey|West Orange]] *[[West Windsor, New Jersey|West Windsor]] *[[Westampton, New Jersey|Westampton]] *[[Weymouth Township, New Jersey|Weymouth Township]] *[[White Township, New Jersey|White Township]] *[[Willingboro Township, New Jersey|Willingboro Township]] *[[Winfield Township, New Jersey|Winfield Township]] *[[Winslow Township, New Jersey|Winslow Township]] *[[Woodbridge Township, New Jersey|Woodbridge Township]] *[[Woodland Township, New Jersey|Woodland Township]] *[[Woolwich Township, New Jersey|Woolwich Township]] *[[Wyckoff, New Jersey|Wyckoff]] {{end div col}} ==See also== {{Portal|New Jersey}} * [[Township]] * [[Township (United States)]] * [[List of municipalities in New Jersey]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110114163158/http://www.njslom.org/types.html#Township New Jersey State League of Municipalities ] {{authority control}} [[Category:Townships in New Jersey|*]] [[Category:Local government in New Jersey]]
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