Township (New Jersey) in the context of "Hopewell Township, Mercer County, New Jersey"

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⭐ Core Definition: Township (New Jersey)

A township, in the context of New Jersey local government, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. As a political entity, a township in New Jersey is a full-fledged municipality, on par with any town, city, borough, or 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 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.

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Township (New Jersey) in the context of List of municipalities in New Jersey

New Jersey is a state located in the Northeastern United States. According to the 2020 United States Census, New Jersey is the 11th most populous state with 9,288,994 inhabitants but the fifth smallest by land area, spanning 7,354.76 square miles (19,048.7 km). As of 2024, New Jersey is divided into 21 counties and contains 564 municipalities consisting of five types: 253 boroughs, 52 cities, 15 towns, 240 townships, and four villages. The largest municipality by population in New Jersey is Newark, with 311,549 residents, whereas the smallest is Walpack Township, with seven residents. New Jersey is the most populous U.S. state with no cities ranked in the top 50 most populous United States cities, with the next most populous being South Carolina.

As in most Northeastern states, all territories within New Jersey are incorporated.

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Township (New Jersey) in the context of Civil township

A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States that is subordinate to a county, most often in the northern and midwestern parts of the country. The term town is used in New England, New York, as well as Wisconsin to refer to the equivalent of the civil township in these states; Minnesota uses "town" officially but often uses it and "township" interchangeably. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary in each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both, the boundaries often coincide, especially in Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois, and may completely geographically subdivide a county. The U.S. Census Bureau classifies civil townships as minor civil divisions. Currently, there are 20 states with civil townships, including Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia (in certain areas).

Township functions are generally overseen by a governing board (the name varies from state to state) and a clerk, trustee, or mayor (in New Jersey and the metro townships of Utah). Township officers frequently include justice of the peace, road commissioner, assessor, and constable, in addition to surveyor. In the 20th century, many townships also added a township administrator or supervisor to the officers as an executive for the board. In some cases, townships run local libraries, senior citizen services, youth services, disabled citizen services, and cemetery services, besides emergency assistance. In some states, a township and a municipality that is coterminous with that township may wholly or partially consolidate their operations.

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Township (New Jersey) in the context of Bayonne, New Jersey

Bayonne (/bˈ(j)n/ bay-(Y)OHN) is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey, in the Gateway Region on Bergen Neck, a peninsula between Newark Bay to the west, the Kill Van Kull to the south, and New York Bay to the east. At the 2020 United States census, it was North Jersey's fifth largest city, and the state's 15th-most-populous municipality, surpassing Passaic, with a population of 71,686, an increase of 8,662 (+13.7%) from the 2010 census count of 63,024, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,182 (+1.9%) from the 61,842 counted in the 2000 census. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated a population of 74,532 for 2024, making it the 517th-most populous municipality in the nation.

Bayonne was formed as a township in 1861, from portions of Bergen Township, and reincorporated as a city by an act of the New Jersey Legislature in 1869. At the time it was formed, Bayonne included the communities of Bergen Point, Constable Hook, Centreville, Pamrapo and Saltersville.

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Township (New Jersey) in the context of Maplewood (NJT station)

40°43′52″N 74°16′32″W / 40.73111°N 74.27556°W / 40.73111; -74.27556

Maplewood is a train station that serves New Jersey Transit's Morristown Line and Gladstone Branch (commonly known as the Morris and Essex Lines) in the township of Maplewood, Essex County, New Jersey. Located in "The Village" in Maplewood at 145 Dunnell Road (near the intersection with Maplewood Avenue), the station services trains from New York Penn Station and Hoboken Terminal to the east along with trains to Summit, Dover, Hackettstown and Gladstone to the west.

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Township (New Jersey) in the context of Borough (New Jersey)

A borough (also spelled boro), in the context of local government in the U.S. state of New Jersey, refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government (in addition to those established under a special charter).

Among New Jersey's 564 municipalities, the borough is the most common form of local government, though the majority of state residents actually reside in townships. In 2023 there were 253 boroughs in New Jersey.However, boroughs were not always so common. In 1875 only 17 boroughs had been created, all by special acts of the legislature. These original boroughs were subdivisions of townships, established by state charter; Elizabeth was the first, established by royal charter in 1740, within the now defunct Elizabeth Township. About half of them had been dissolved, or changed into other forms of government—often cities. In 1875, a constitutional amendment prohibited such local or special legislation. Bergen County is home to the highest number of boroughs of any New Jersey county, at 56.

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Township (New Jersey) in the context of List of counties in New Jersey

There are 21 counties in the U.S. state of New Jersey. These counties together contain 564 municipalities, or administrative entities composed of clearly defined territory; 253 boroughs, 52 cities, 15 towns, 240 townships, and 4 villages. In New Jersey, a county is a local level of government between the state and municipalities. County government in New Jersey includes a Board of County Commissioners, sheriff, clerk, and surrogate (responsible for uncontested and routine probate), all of which are elected positions. Counties organized under the Optional County Charter Law may also have an elected county executive. Counties traditionally perform state-mandated duties such as the maintenance of jails, parks, and certain roads. The site of a county's administration and courts is called the county seat.

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Township (New Jersey) in the context of Lyndhurst, New Jersey

Lyndhurst is a township in Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 22,519, an increase of 1,965 (+9.6%) from the 2010 census count of 20,554, which in turn reflected an increase of 1,171 (+6.0%) from the 19,383 counted in the 2000 census.

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Township (New Jersey) in the context of Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Cherry Hill is a township within Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As a suburb of Philadelphia, the township is part of the South Jersey and Delaware Valley regions. Cherry Hill Township grew during the mid-20th century suburbanization, becoming one of the Delaware Valley's main commercial centers, including the Cherry Hill Mall. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 74,553, making it the largest municipality of any type by population in the South Jersey region.

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Township (New Jersey) in the context of Town (New Jersey)

A town in the context of New Jersey local government refers to one of five types and one of eleven forms of municipal government. While town is often used as a shorthand to refer to a township, the two are not the same.

The Town Act of 1895 allowed any municipality or area with a population exceeding 5,000 to become a town through a petition and referendum process. Under the 1895 act, a newly incorporated town was divided into at least three wards, with two councilmen per ward serving staggered two-year terms, and one councilman at large, who also served a two-year term. The councilman at large served as chairman of the town council.

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