Editing Raritan, New Jersey (section)

==Government==
[[File:Relief Hose Company No. 2, Raritan, NJ.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|The Raritan [[Relief Hose Company No. 2 Engine House|Relief Hose Company No. 2 Fire Engine House]] is on both the [[New Jersey Register of Historic Places]] and the [[U.S. National Register of Historic Places]].]]
===Local government===
Raritan is governed under the [[Borough (New Jersey)|borough]] form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<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 borough council, with all positions elected [[at-large]] on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected [[direct election|directly]] by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 77.</ref> The borough form of government used by Raritan is a "[[weak mayor]] / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can [[veto]] ordinances subject to an [[veto override|override]] by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. [http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924045019/http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html |date=2014-09-24 }}, [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]]. Accessed November 30, 2014.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=6 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 6. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

{{As of|2025}}, the [[mayor]] of the Borough of Raritan is [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Nicolas Carra, whose term of office expires December 31, 2027.<ref>{{cite web |title=MAYOR NICOLAS J. CARRA |url=https://www.raritanboro.org/Officials/Bio/mayor-nicolas-j-carra |website=The Official Website of the Borough of Raritan, NJ |access-date=1 March 2025}}</ref> Members of the Raritan Borough Council are Council President Donald Tozzi (R, 2026),<ref>{{cite web |title=Council President Don Tozzi |url=https://www.raritanboro.org/Officials/Bio/council-president-don-tozzi |website=The Official Website of the Borough of Raritan, NJ |access-date=1 March 2025}}</ref> Michael Patente (R, 2026),<ref>{{cite web |title=Councilman Michael Patente |url=https://www.raritanboro.org/Officials/Bio/councilman-michael-patente |website=The Official Website of the Borough of Raritan, NJ |access-date=1 March 2025}}</ref> Umesh Agrawal (R, 2025),<ref>{{cite web |title=Councilman Umesh Agrawal |url=https://www.raritanboro.org/Officials/Bio/councilman-umesh-agrawal |website=The Official Website of the Borough of Raritan, NJ |access-date=1 March 2025}}</ref><ref name=SomersetDirectory>[https://www.co.somerset.nj.us/home/showpublisheddocument/46227/638203671214730000#page=67 ''2023 Directory of County & Municipal Offices''], [[Somerset County, New Jersey]]. Accessed April 10, 2024.</ref>Adam Armahizer ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]], 2025),<ref>{{cite web |title=Councilman Adam Armahizer |url=https://www.raritanboro.org/Officials/Bio/councilman-adam-armahizer |website=The Official Website of the Borough of Raritan, NJ |access-date=1 March 2025}}</ref> Kenneth DiGraziano (R, 2027)<ref>{{cite web |title=Councilman Kenneth DiGraziano |url=https://www.raritanboro.org/Officials/Bio/councilman-kenneth-digraziano |website=The Official Website of the Borough of Raritan, NJ |access-date=1 March 2025}}</ref> and David Fritzinger (R, 2027).<ref>{{cite web |title=Councilman David Fritzinger |url=https://www.raritanboro.org/Officials/Bio/councilman-david-fritzinger |website=The Official Website of the Borough of Raritan, NJ |access-date=1 March 2025}}</ref>

In January 2024, the borough council appointed Republican Umesh Agrawal to fill the seat expiring in December 2025 that became vacant when Nicolas J. Carra took office as mayor earlier that month; Agrawal served on an interim basis until the November 2024 general election in which he won his election to serve the remainder of Carra's term.<ref>{{cite web |title=Councilman Umesh Agrawal |url=https://www.raritanboro.org/Officials/Bio/councilman-umesh-agrawal |website=The Official Website of the Borough of Raritan, NJ |access-date=7 January 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=And the Winners in Raritan Borough Are … |url=https://www.tapinto.net/towns/bridgewater-slash-raritan/sections/elections/articles/and-the-winners-in-raritan-borough-are-371e18b4-00c4-4a0f-b5f8-1673fc02befb |website=TAP into the BReeze |access-date=1 March 2025}}</ref>

In May 2024, the borough council appointed Republican Kenneth DiGraziano to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that became vacant when Joyce Melitsky resigned earlier that month; DiGraziano served on an interim basis until the November 2024 general election in which he won his election to serve a full three-year term. <ref>{{cite web |title=Raritan Swears in New Council Person, New Police Officer |url=https://www.tapinto.net/towns/bridgewater-slash-raritan/sections/police-and-fire/articles/raritan-swears-in-new-council-person-new-police-officer |website= TAPinto The Breeze |access-date=7 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=And the Winners in Raritan Borough Are … |url=https://www.tapinto.net/towns/bridgewater-slash-raritan/sections/elections/articles/and-the-winners-in-raritan-borough-are-371e18b4-00c4-4a0f-b5f8-1673fc02befb |website=TAP into the BReeze |access-date=1 March 2025}}</ref>

Rocco Miele was Raritan's first mayor, serving from its founding in 1948 to 1953.<ref>[http://www.raritan-online.com/mayors-of-raritan.htm Raritan's Mayors], Raritan Online. Accessed November 26, 2011.</ref>

===Federal, state and county representation===
Raritan is located in the 7th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2012-congressional-districts/njcd-2011-plan-components-county-mcd.pdf Plan Components Report], [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]], December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2011-legislative-districts/towns-districts.pdf Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District], [[New Jersey Department of State]]. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>[https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5bae63366fd2b2e5b9f87e5e/5d30f0a94a82c66427e564d2_2019_CitizensGuide.pdf ''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''], New Jersey [[League of Women Voters]]. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#23 Districts by Number for 2011-2020], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

{{NJ Congress 07}} {{NJ Senate}}

{{NJ Legislative 23}}

{{NJ Somerset County Commissioners}}

===Politics===
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin:1em; font-size:95%;"
|+ Raritan vote by party <br/> in presidential elections<ref>{{Cite web |title=NJ DOS - Division of Elections - Election Results Archive |url=https://nj.gov/state/elections/election-information-results.shtml |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=nj.gov}}</ref>
|- style="background:lightgrey;"
! Year
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Third party (United States)|Third Parties]]
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2024 United States presidential election|2024]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|48.7% ''1,835''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''49.5%''' ''1,865''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.8% ''56''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2020 United States presidential election|2020]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''52.3%''' ''1,985''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|45.1% ''1,712''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.9% ''73''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2016 United States presidential election|2016]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''49.0%''' ''1,559''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|46.9% ''1,500''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|3.9% ''124''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2012 United States presidential election|2012]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|48.7% ''1,323''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''50.0%''' ''1,360''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.3% ''35''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2008 United States presidential election|2008]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|44.7% ''1,287''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''52.6%''' ''1,514''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.5% ''42''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2004 United States presidential election|2004]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|44.2% ''1,239''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''53.4%''' ''1,497''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.2% ''33''
|-

|}
As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,926 registered voters in Raritan, of which 1,122 (28.6% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 882 (22.5% vs. 25.7%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 1,917 (48.8% vs. 48.2%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 5 voters registered as [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarians]] or [[Green Party (United States)|Greens]].<ref name=VoterRegistration>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-somerset-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Somerset], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed February 13, 2013.</ref> Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 57.1% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 74.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTP7.ST16?slice=GEO~0400000US34 GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20200212202223/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTP7.ST16?slice=GEO~0400000US34 |date=February 12, 2020 }}, [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed February 13, 2013.</ref>

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Republican [[Mitt Romney]] received 50.0% of the vote (1,360 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barack Obama]] with 48.7% (1,323 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (35 votes), among the 2,759 ballots cast by the borough's 4,159 registered voters (41 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 66.3%.<ref name=2012Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-somerset.pdf |title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Somerset County |date=March 15, 2013 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-somerset.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 6, 2012 - General Election Results - Somerset County|date=March 15, 2013 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008 presidential election]], Republican [[John McCain]] received 1,514 votes (52.6% vs. 46.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,287 votes (44.7% vs. 52.1%) and other candidates with 42 votes (1.5% vs. 1.1%), among the 2,879 ballots cast by the borough's 3,830 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.2% (vs. 78.7% in Somerset County).<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-somerset.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Somerset County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed February 13, 2013.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Republican [[George W. Bush]] received 1,497 votes (53.4% vs. 51.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[John Kerry]] with 1,239 votes (44.2% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 33 votes (1.2% vs. 0.9%), among the 2,802 ballots cast by the borough's 3,606 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.7% (vs. 81.7% in the whole county).<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_somerset_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Somerset County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed February 13, 2013.</ref>

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 72.0% of the vote (1,249 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 26.0% (451 votes), and other candidates with 2.0% (34 votes), among the 1,759 ballots cast by the borough's 4,253 registered voters (25 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.4%.<ref name=2013Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-somerset.pdf |title=Governor - Somerset County |date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-ballotscast-somerset.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Somerset County|date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|2009 gubernatorial election]], Republican Chris Christie received 1,292 votes (60.9% vs. 55.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] with 562 votes (26.5% vs. 34.1%), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 202 votes (9.5% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 22 votes (1.0% vs. 0.7%), among the 2,120 ballots cast by the borough's 3,948 registered voters, yielding a 53.7% turnout (vs. 52.5% in the county).<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-somerset.pdf 2009 Governor: Somerset County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202005801/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-somerset.pdf |date=February 2, 2015 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed February 13, 2013.</ref>