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Manchester Township, New Jersey

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Template:Short description Template:For Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Manchester Township is a township in Ocean County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township is noted for containing the Lakehurst Naval Air Station, the site of the infamous Hindenburg disaster of May 6, 1937. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 45,115,<ref name=Census2020/><ref name=LWD2020/> the highest recorded in any decennial count and an increase of 2,045 (+4.7%) from the 2010 census count of 43,070,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 4,142 (+10.6%) from the 38,928 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref>

Manchester Township was incorporated as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 6, 1865, from portions of Dover Township (now Toms River Township). The township was named by William Torrey for Manchester, England.<ref>Manchester Township History, Manchester Township. Accessed September 4, 2015. "Founded by William Torrey for its namesake, a British manufacturing city, Manchester Township was formed through an Act of CongressTemplate:Sic on April 5, 1865."</ref><ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed September 4, 2015.</ref> Portions of the township were taken to form Lakehurst on April 7, 1921.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 204. Accessed May 29, 2024.</ref>

Geography

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According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 82.51 square miles (213.70 km2), including 81.42 square miles (210.87 km2) of land and 1.09 square miles (2.83 km2) of water (1.32%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 />

Cedar Glen Lakes (with a 2010 Census population of 1,421<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Cedar Glen Lakes CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>), Cedar Glen West (1,267<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Cedar Glen West CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>), Crestwood Village (7,907<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Crestwood Village CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>), Leisure Knoll (2,490<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Leisure Knoll CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>), Leisure Village West (3,493<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Leisure Village West CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>), Pine Lake Park (8,707<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Pine Lake Park CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>) and Pine Ridge at Crestwood (2,369<ref>DP-1 - Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data for Pine Ridge at Crestwood CDP, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>) are all unincorporated communities and census-designated places (CDPs) located within Manchester Township.<ref>GCT-PH1 - Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County -- County Subdivision and Place from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 for Ocean County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref><ref>2006-2010 American Community Survey Geography for New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref><ref name=CPH232>New Jersey: 2010 - Population and Housing Unit Counts - 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32), p. III-4. United States Census Bureau, August 2012. Accessed December 30, 2012. "New CDPs: Leisure Village West (formed from part of deleted Leisure Village West-Pine Lake Park CDP); Pine Lake Park (formed from part of deleted Leisure Village West-Pine Lake Park CDP and additional area); Deleted CDPs: Leisure Village West-Pine Lake Park (split to form Leisure Village West CDP and part of Pine Lake Park CDP)"</ref> Leisure Village West-Pine Lake Park had been a combined CDP through the 2000 United States Census and was split as of the 2010 enumeration.<ref name=CPH232/>

Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Beckerville, Boyds Hotel, Brainards, Brick Yards, Buckingham, Giberson, Goose Pond, Horican, Keswick Grove, Old Halfway, Pasadena, Pine Lake Park Estates, Ridgeway, Roosevelt City and Whiting.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.</ref> Cedar Glen Lakes, Cedar Glen West, Crestwood Village, Pine Ridge, Fox Hollow, Lakewood Heights, Keswick Grove, Winwood, Timbergreen, and Roosevelt City are all within Whiting which makes up the largest territory in Manchester in geography and demographics with 33,180 out of 45,115 people.

The township borders Berkeley Township, Jackson Township, Lacey Township, Plumsted Township and Toms River Township in Ocean County; and both Pemberton Township and Woodland Township in Burlington County.<ref>Areas touching Manchester Township, MapIt. Accessed February 26, 2020.</ref><ref>Ocean County Map, Coalition for a Healthy NJ. Accessed February 26, 2020.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 15, 2019.</ref> The township completely surrounds the independent borough of Lakehurst, making it part of 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" in the state, where one municipality entirely surrounds another.<ref>DeMarco, Megan. "Voters to decide whether to merge two Princetons into one", The Star-Ledger, November 3, 2011. Accessed January 8, 2017. "There are 22 sets of 'doughnut towns' in New Jersey, those where one town wraps around the other town". Note that following voter approval of the Princeton merger, 21 pairs of "doughnut towns" remain.</ref>

Manchester's largest development, Pine Lake Park, is known for its man-made lake, Pine Lake, built in the 1970s.<ref>"Big town or small borough: Both offer lots of living", Asbury Park Press, November 10, 2005. Accessed May 12, 2007.</ref>

The township is one of 11 municipalities in Ocean County that are part of the Toms River watershed.<ref>Toms River Watershed, Barnegat Bay Partnership. Accessed July 3, 2022.</ref>

Demographics

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Template:US Census population

2020 census

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The 2020 United States census counted 45,115 people in the township.<ref name=Census2020/>

2010 census

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The 2010 United States census counted 43,070 people, 22,840 households, and 11,694 families in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 25,886 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 92.00% (39,623) White, 3.84% (1,654) Black or African American, 0.09% (38) Native American, 1.78% (768) Asian, 0.02% (10) Pacific Islander, 1.11% (479) from other races, and 1.16% (498) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.79% (2,062) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 22,840 households, 9.7% had children under the age of 18; 42.5% were married couples living together; 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present and 48.8% were non-families. Of all households, 45.4% were made up of individuals and 36.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.85 and the average family size was 2.55.<ref name=Census2010/>

10.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 12.6% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 50.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 65.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 74.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 71.9 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $37,942 (with a margin of error of +/− $1,492) and the median family income was $54,114 (+/− $1,831). Males had a median income of $51,366 (+/− $2,772) versus $39,427 (+/− $3,352) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,264 (+/− $754). About 4.2% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Manchester township, Ocean County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>

2000 census

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As of the 2000 United States census<ref name="GR2" /> there were 38,928 people, 20,688 households, and 10,819 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 22,681 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the township was 94.34% White, 3.06% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.87% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.69% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.63% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Manchester township, Ocean County, New JerseyTemplate:Dead link, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Manchester township, Ocean County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>

There were 20,688 households, out of which 9.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.8% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 47.7% were non-families. 45.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 39.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.85 and the average family size was 2.53.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

In the township the population was spread out, with 10.7% under the age of 18, 3.5% from 18 to 24, 13.4% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 54.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 68 years. For every 100 females, there were 73.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 70.1 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

The median income for a household in the township was $29,525, and the median income for a family was $43,363. Males had a median income of $41,181 versus $30,523 for females. The per capita income for the township was $22,409. About 3.0% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Government

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Local government

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Manchester Township is governed within the Faulkner Act, formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law, under the Mayor-Council (Plan 6) system of municipal government, as enacted by direct petition as of July 1, 1990.<ref>"The Faulkner Act: New Jersey's Optional Municipal Charter Law" Template:Webarchive, New Jersey State League of Municipalities, July 2007. Accessed October 21, 2013.</ref> The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government.<ref>Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey, Rutgers University Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The Township's governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the five-member Township Council. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term. Councilmembers are elected at-large on a non-partisan basis to serve four-year staggered terms with either two or three council seats up for election in even-numbered years, with the mayoral seat up for vote at the same time that two council seats are up for vote.<ref name=DataBook>2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book, Rutgers University, April 2006, p. 49.</ref><ref>"Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey", p. 10. Rutgers University Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The township's municipal elections were shifted from May to November, with estimates of savings of $50,000 each election cycle and greater voter participation cited as justifications.<ref>Kyriakakis, Gregory. "As Town Council Considers Election Date Change, Local Club Will Petition For Move; The Manchester Town Council held a workshop to discuss moving municipal elections from May to November, while a local club leader said he will begin petitioning residents for the change", Manchester Patch, November 27, 2011. Accessed January 24, 2015. "Though the Manchester Township Council is just beginning to publicly address whether municipal elections should move from May to November as a cost-saving measure, a local Republican club leader said that he is not willing to wait any longer."</ref><ref>Meeting Minutes June 27, 2011, Manchester Township. Accessed January 24, 2015. "#11-016 - An Ordinance Of The Township Of Manchester, County Of Ocean, State Of New Jersey, Authorizing A Referendum On The Question To Amend The Municipal Charter To Move The Township's Municipal Election To The November General Election Date Pursuant To N.J.S.A. 40:69A-25.1 Et Seq And N.J.S.A. 40:69A-192 While Retaining Such Election As Non-Partisan Pursuant To The Provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:45-7.1... The above ordinance was offered upon a motion by Mr. Vanderziel seconded by Mr. Reiter and adopted by the following roll call vote: Councilmen Trutkoff, Weiner, Reiter, Vanderziel and Wallis; yea."</ref> A referendum on the ballot in November 2011 to shift the election date passed by a margin of 5,875 to 3,429.<ref>Staff. "2011 Ocean County election results", Asbury Park Press, November 8, 2011. Accessed January 24, 2015. "Manchester: Local Question -'Shall the municipal, nonpartisan elections be held in November instead of May?' Yes 5,875, No 3,429."</ref>

Template:As of, the Mayor of Manchester Township is Robert Arace, who was elected in the run-off election of December 13, 2022.<ref name=Mayor>Mayor, Manchester Township. Accessed July 8, 2024.</ref> Members of the Township Council are Council President Roxy Conniff (2027), Council Vice President James A. Vaccaro Sr. (2024), Joseph Hankins (2026), Craig A. Wallis (2024; elected to serve an unexpired term) and Michele Zolezi (2026).<ref>Town Council, Manchester Township. Accessed July 8, 2024.</ref><ref>2024 Municipal Data Sheet, Manchester Township. Accessed July 8, 2024.</ref><ref name=OceanProfile>Township of Manchester, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed July 8, 2024.</ref><ref name=OceanOfficials>2024 Ocean County & Municipal Elected Officials, Ocean County, New Jersey Clerk, updated April 2, 2024. Accessed April 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=Ocean2023>General Election Results November 7, 2023 Official Results, Ocean County, New Jersey, updated November 22, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Ocean2022>2022 General Election Official Results November 8, 2022, Ocean County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Ocean2021>2021 General Election Official Results, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Ocean2020>2020 General Election November 3, 2020 Official results, Ocean County, New Jersey, updated December 2, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref>

in February 2023, former councilmember Crag Wallis was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that had been held by Samuel F. Fusaro until he resigned from office after moving out of the township.<ref>Vosseller, Bob. "Former Manchester Councilman Sworn In Again", Jersey Shore Online, March 3, 2023. Accessed July 8, 2024. "A familiar face returned to the dais during a recent Township Council meeting – Craig Wallis was sworn in by Mayor Robert Arace. Wallis, who chose not to run for reelection last fall, was chosen by the Council to fill the unexpired term of retiring Councilman Sam Fusaro. Fusaro resigned last month after having served on the governing body since 1990. He and his wife moved to Toms River."</ref> Wallis served on an interim basis until the November 2023 general election, when he was chosen to serve the balance of the ter.<ref name=Ocean2023/>

The Township Council appointed Robert Hudak in June 2021 to fill the seat as mayor expiring in December 2022 that became vacant after Kenneth Palmer stepped down to take a seat as a judge on the New Jersey Superior Court.<ref>Manchester Councilman Robert Hudak Appointed Mayor, Manchester Township, June 2021. Accessed July 28, 2022. "Councilman Robert Hudak was appointed Manchester Township’s new mayor following the recent resignation of former Mayor Kenneth Palmer, who was appointed to a superior court judgeship."</ref> In turn, Michele Zolezi was appointed to fill the council seat expiring in December 2024 that was vacated by Robert Hudak.<ref>Council Fills Vacant Seat: Michele Zolezi Appointed, Manchester Township. Accessed July 28, 2022. "Michele Zolezi was appointed and sworn in on July 26, 2021, to assume the Manchester Township Council vacancy created when Robert Hudak resigned his seat to accept his appointment as Mayor on June 28, 2021."</ref> In the November 2021 general election, Hudak was elected as mayor and Zolezi as councilmember to serve the remainder of the terms of office.<ref name=Ocean2021/>

In May 2019, the Township Council appointed Robert Hudak to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by Charles Frattini Sr. until he resigned from office the previous month.<ref>Peacock, Jennifer. "Council Welcomes New Member", The Manchester Times, June 7, 2019. Accessed April 14, 2020. "The Manchester Township Council appointed a replacement for Charles Frattini Sr., who resigned at the end of April. Robert Hudak, 42, a resident of Pine Lake Park and member of the township’s planning board, was sworn in May 28."</ref> In November 2019, Hudak was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Ocean2019>2019 General Election Official Results November 5, 2019, Ocean County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 15, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref>

In March 2017, Joan Brush was selected by the township council to fill the seat expiring in 2018 that had been held by Brendan Weiner, who was moving out of the township; Brush will serve on an interim basis until the November 2017 general election, when voters will select a candidate to serve the balance of the term.<ref>Peacock, Jennifer. "New Councilwoman Appointed In Manchester", The Manchester Times, March 31, 2017. Accessed May 7, 2017. "With her husband, three of her four sons who still reside in town, and two grandchildren with her, Joan Brush was sworn in March 27 as councilwoman. She replaces Brendan Weiner, who resigned in February due to his family's relocation to Lacey."</ref>

In 2018, the township had an average property tax bill of $4,093, the lowest in the county, compared to an average bill of $6,313 in Ocean County and $8,767 statewide.<ref>2018 Property Tax Information, New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, updated January 16, 2019. Accessed November 7, 2019.</ref><ref>Marcus, Samantha. "These are the towns with the lowest property taxes in each of N.J.’s 21 counties", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, April 30, 2019. Accessed November 7, 2019. "New Jersey’s average property tax bill may have hit $8,767 last year — a new record — but taxpayers in some parts of the state pay just a fraction of that.... The average property tax bill in Manchester Township was $4,093 in 2018, the lowest in Ocean County."</ref>

Federal, state and county representation

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Manchester Township is located in the 4th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 9th state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

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Politics

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As of March 2011, there were a total of 31,380 registered voters in Manchester Township, of which 8,336 (26.6%) were registered as Democrats, 9,606 (30.6%) were registered as Republicans and 13,424 (42.8%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 14 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.<ref name=VoterRegistration>Voter Registration Summary - Ocean, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref> Among the township's 2010 Census population, 72.9% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 81.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 55.9% of the vote (12,970 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 43.3% (10,041 votes), and other candidates with 0.8% (186 votes), among the 23,439 ballots cast by the township's 32,513 registered voters (242 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 72.1%.<ref name="2012Elections" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 56.2% of the vote (14,368 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.2% (10,533 votes) and other candidates with 1.5% (372 votes), among the 25,569 ballots cast by the township's 33,796 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.7%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Ocean County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 55.6% of the vote (13,652 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 42.9% (10,537 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (235 votes), among the 24,572 ballots cast by the township's 32,133 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.5.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Ocean County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>

Presidential Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2024<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|60.0% 17,286 style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|38.6% 11,123 1.4% 341
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2020<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|58.8% 17,720 style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|40.0% 12,058 1.2% 273
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2016<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|62.4% 15,278 style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|35.3% 8,639 2.3% 556
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2012<ref name="2012Elections">Template:Cite web</ref> style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|55.9% 12,970 style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|43.3% 10,041 0.8% 186
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2008<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Ocean County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 24, 2012.</ref> style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|56.2% 14,368 style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|41.2% 10,533 1.5% 372
style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2004<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Ocean County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed December 24, 2012.</ref> style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|55.6% 13,652 style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|42.9% 10,537 0.7% 235

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 77.5% of the vote (12,678 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 21.4% (3,500 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (182 votes), among the 16,709 ballots cast by the township's 32,442 registered voters (349 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 51.5%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 62.9% of the vote (11,988 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 30.4% (5,796 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 4.7% (896 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (177 votes), among the 19,070 ballots cast by the township's 32,422 registered voters, yielding a 58.8% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Ocean County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed December 30, 2012.</ref>

Education

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File:Front View of MTHS.jpg
Manchester Township High School

The Manchester Township School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. As of the 2020–21 school year, the district, comprised of six schools, had an enrollment of 2,922 students and 277.7 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.5:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Manchester Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2022.</ref> Schools in the district (with 2020–21 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Manchester Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 15, 2021.</ref>) are Manchester Township Elementary School<ref>Manchester Township Elementary School, Manchester Township School District. Accessed March 7, 2022.</ref> with 565 students in grades K–5, Ridgeway Elementary School<ref>Ridgeway Elementary School, Manchester Township School District. Accessed March 7, 2022.</ref> with 415 students in grades Pre-K–5, Whiting Elementary School<ref>Whiting Elementary School, Manchester Township School District. Accessed March 7, 2022.</ref> with 248 students in grades Pre-K–5, Manchester Township Middle School<ref>Manchester Township Middle School, Manchester Township School District. Accessed March 7, 2022.</ref> with 643 students in grades 6–8, Manchester Township High School<ref>Manchester Township High School, Manchester Township School District. Accessed March 7, 2022.</ref> with 1,000 students in grades 9–12 and Regional Day School<ref>Regional Day School, Manchester Township School District. Accessed March 7, 2022.</ref> with 54 students in grades Pre-K–12, which serves low incidence handicapped children.<ref>About Our District - Our Schools, Manchester Township School District. Accessed March 7, 2022. "We have three elementary schools: Ridgeway Elementary School (Gr. Pre-K-5), Whiting Elementary School (Gr. Pre-K-5), and Manchester Township Elementary School (Gr. K-5). These three schools feed into Manchester Township Middle School (Gr. 6-8), and then to Manchester Township High School (Gr. 9-12). We are also the receiving district for approximately 150 high school students from neighboring Lakehurst Borough. In addition, the district has administrative responsibility for the state Regional Day School (Special Education) located in Jackson, New Jersey."</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Manchester Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed April 1, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Manchester Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> Students from neighboring Lakehurst attend the district's high school as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Lakehurst School District.<ref>Manchester Township High School 2016 Report Card Narrative, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed November 19, 2017. "Manchester Township High School is a four-year comprehensive high school that serves the students of Manchester Township and Lakehurst."</ref> As of 2012, Lakehurst has been considering the possibility of sending its students to Jackson Liberty High School, as part of a prospective agreement with the Jackson School District under which students would gain access to a broader range of academic programs and which could result in annual savings of $400,000 per year off of the $2 million that the Lakehurst district spends annually for the 150 students it sends to the Manchester district.<ref>A Feasibility Study on the Termination of the Sending-Receiving Agreement Between the Lakehurst Borough Board of Education and the Manchester Township Board of Education, Lakehurst School District, October 26, 2012. Accessed October 21, 2013.</ref><ref>Kyriakakis, Gregory. "Report: High School Switch Would Bring Tax Savings to Lakehurst, Potential Hike to Manchester; Study, which says Lakehurst students would have more educational opportunities, now available on Lakehurst Board of Education website", Manchester Patch, October 16, 2012. Accessed October 21, 2013. "The report estimates that over five years Lakehurst would pay Jackson $2,078,170 less in tuition compared to Manchester. If the switch were to happen, Lakehurst, which typically sends about 150 high school students to Manchester, would save $415,634 per year. That would reduce taxes $0.17 per $100 of assessed valuation, according to the report."</ref>

St. Mary Academy in Manahawkin, a K–8 school of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton, is in the area. From 1997,<ref name=MaryRenameArch>Template:Cite web</ref> until 2019 it operated as All Saints Regional Catholic School and was collectively managed by five churches,<ref name=Heyboerall>Template:Cite web</ref> with one being St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Whiting.<ref name=MaryRenameArch/> In 2019 St. Mary Church in Barnegat took entire control of the school, which remained on the same Manahawkin campus, and changed its name. The other churches no longer operate the school but still may send students there.<ref name=Heyboerall/>

Media

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The Asbury Park Press provides daily news coverage of the township, as does WOBM-FM radio. The township provides materials and commentary to The Manchester Times, which also covers Lakehurst as one of seven weekly papers from Micromedia Publications.<ref>The Manchester Times Template:Webarchive, Micromedia Publications. "First published in 1995. Serving Lakehurst, Whiting and all of Manchester in Ocean County, New Jersey"</ref>

Transportation

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File:2018-09-19 14 05 09 View east along New Jersey State Route 37 (Lakehurst Road) just east of Bone Hill Road and Buckingham Drive in Manchester Township, Ocean County, New Jersey.jpg
Route 37 eastbound in Manchester Township

Roads and highways

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Template:As of, the township had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Ocean County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Ocean County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.</ref>

Route 70 passes through the heart of the township<ref>Route 70 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2017. Accessed December 26, 2022.</ref> while Route 37 goes through in the east.<ref>Route 37 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated May 2017. Accessed December 26, 2022.</ref> CR 530 travels along Route 70 and then veers off to the east,<ref>County Route 530 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2012. Accessed December 26, 2022.</ref> while CR 539 goes from north to south.<ref>County Route 539 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated October 2012. Accessed December 26, 2022.</ref> In addition, both CR 547<ref>County Route 547 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated November 2012. Accessed December 26, 2022.</ref> and CR 571<ref>County Route 571 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated October 2012. Accessed December 26, 2022.</ref> run through the northeastern part.

No limited access roads run through the municipality, but the closest ones are accessible in neighboring communities such as the Garden State Parkway in Toms River, Berkeley and Lacey townships and Interstate 195 in Jackson Township.

Public transportation

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Ocean Ride local service is provided on the OC1 Whiting, OC1A Whiting Express and OC2 Manchester routes.<ref>Ocean County Bus Service Template:Webarchive, Greater Mercer TMA. Accessed August 10, 2015.</ref><ref>Ocean Ride Rider's Guide Template:Webarchive, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed August 10, 2015.</ref><ref>Ocean County Transit Guide Template:Webarchive, Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed August 10, 2015.</ref>

Notable people

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Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Manchester Township include:

References

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Template:Reflist

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Template:Commons categoryTemplate:Portal

Template:Ocean County, New Jersey Template:Delaware Valley

Template:Geographic Location Template:Jersey Shore region Template:Authority control