Editing Burlington, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
The City of Burlington is governed within the [[Faulkner Act]] (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) under the [[Faulkner Act (mayor–council)|Mayor-Council]] form of municipal government (Plan 4), implemented based on the recommendations of a [[Charter Study Commission]] as of January 1, 1992.<ref>[http://www.dudley-2010.com/Faulkner%20Act%2046pages.pdf "The Faulkner Act: New Jersey's Optional Municipal Charter Law"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012040522/http://www.dudley-2010.com/Faulkner%20Act%2046pages.pdf |date=October 12, 2013 }}, [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]], July 2007. Accessed November 22, 2013.</ref> The city is one of 42 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government.<ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf ''Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey''], [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the seven-member Common Council, all elected on a partisan basis in balloting held in odd-numbered years as part of the November general election.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 38.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=10 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 10. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The Mayor serves a four-year term of office. The Common Council is comprised of seven members, each serving four-year terms of office: three [[at-large]] Councilmembers are elected to represent the entire city, while four are elected from [[single-member districts]], known as [[Ward (United States)|wards]].<ref>[https://cms2files.revize.com/burlingtonnj/departments/city_council/docs/BurCity-ElectionDistrictMap-2022.pdf Burlington City Election Districts], City of Burlington. Accessed June 23, 2022.</ref> The three at-large and mayoral seats are up for election in one cycle, and the ward seats are elected together two years later.<ref>[https://www.burlingtonnj.us/departments/city_council/council_duties.php Council Function and Duties], City of Burlington. Accessed June 23, 2022. "The City of Burlington operates in accordance with the Mayor-Council form of government, as authorized in the Optional Municipal Charter Law (NJSA 40:69A). The Common Council consists of seven (7) members: three at-large Councilpersons and one from each of the four wards, who shall serve for a term of four years."</ref>

{{As of|2024}}, the [[Mayor]] of Burlington City is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Barry W. Conaway, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.<ref name=Mayor>[https://www.burlingtonnj.us/mayor/ Office of the Mayor], City of Burlington. Accessed May 3, 2024. "The City of Burlington operates in accordance with the Mayor-Council form of government, as authorized in the Optional Municipal Charter Law (NJSA 40:69A). The Mayor is the chief executive of the municipality, while the legislative powers of the City are exercised by the Common Council.... I am currently serving a third term as Mayor which began January 2024. My present four-year term expires on December 31, 2027."</ref> Members of the Common Council are David H. Ballard (at-large; D, 2027), Dawn Bergner-Thompson (Ward 3; D, 2025 - elected to an unexpired term), George Chachis (Ward 1; D, 2025), Geneva Rijs (Ward 2; D, 2025 - appointed to serve an unexpired term), Xavier Roque (Ward 4; D, 2025), Richard Spaulding (at-large; D, 2027) and Suzanne Johnson Woodard (at-large; D, 2027).<ref>[https://www.burlingtonnj.us/common-council/ Common Council], City of Burlington. Accessed May 3, 2024. "The Common Council consists of seven (7) members: three at-large Councilpersons and one from each of the four (4) wards, who shall serve for a term of four (4) years."</ref><ref>[http://www.burlingtonnj.us/departments/finance/docs/2019%20User%20Friendly%20Budget.pdf 2019 Municipal User Friendly Budget], City of Burlington. Accessed June 23, 2022.</ref><ref name=Burlington2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Burlington/119043/web.317647/#/summary 2023 General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results], [[Burlington County, New Jersey]], updated November 30, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Burlington2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Burlington/116176/web.307039/#/summary November 8, 2022 Summary Report Burlington County Official Results], [[Burlington County, New Jersey]], updated November 29, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Burlington2021>[https://press.co.burlington.nj.us/PRESS/ElectionArchive//2021/General//2021_G_OFFICIAL_Summary.pdf November 2, 2021 Summary Report Burlington County Official Results], [[Burlington County, New Jersey]], updated November 18, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

In February 2024, the common council appointed Geneva Rijs to fill the Ward 2 seat expiring in December 2025 that had been held by J. Roosevelt Smith until he resigned from office the previous month; Rijs will serve on an interim basis until the November 2024 general election, when voters will choose a candidate to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref>[https://www.burlingtonnj.us/download/257/2024/4449/councilminutes02-13-24-sp Common Council Meeting Minutes for February 13, 2024], City of Burlington. Accessed May 3, 2024. "WHEREAS, a vacancy exists on the City of Burlington Common Council upon the resignation of Ward 2 Councilman J. Roosevelt Smith effective January 31, 2024; and... NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Burlington that for the reasons set forth hereinabove, it hereby appoints Geneva Rijs to fill the vacancy as Council Member – Ward 2 filling the unexpired term of former Councilman J. Roosevelt Smith which expires December 31, 2025, and shall serve until his/her successor is elected at the next General Election on November 5, 2024, as provided by law."</ref>

In April 2022, Dawn Bergner-Thompson was appointed to the Ward 3 seat expiring in December 2025 that had been held by Helen Hatala until she died the previous month.<ref>[https://www.burlingtonnj.us/departments/city_council/ward_3.php Councilperson Ward 3], City of Burlington. Accessed April 24, 2023. "Dawn Bergner-Thompson (replacing Helen Hatala April 2022 and elected Nov 2022)... Appointed in April 2022 by Council to fill a seat left vacant when Helen Hatala passed away in March 2022, elected on November 2022 by the citizens of Ward 3 of the City of Burlington to serve as their Councilperson, and sworn in on January 3, 2023, for a term that expires on December 31, 2025."</ref> Bergner-Thompson served on an interim basis until the November 2022 general election, when she was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Burlington2022/>

In January 2016, the City Council appointed George Chachis to fill the Ward 1 seat expiring in 2017 that had been held by Barry Conaway until he was appointed as mayor.<ref>[http://www.burlingtonnj.us/departments/city_council/ward_1.php Ward One], City of Burlington. Accessed June 20, 2016. "Appointed and sworn in on January 19, 2016, by the Common Council to represent the citizens of Ward 1 of the City of Burlington and serve as their Councilperson to complete a vacated term that will expire on December 31, 2016."</ref>