Editing Dunellen, New Jersey (section)

==Government==

===Local government===
Dunellen 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. A mayor is elected 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. 98.</ref> The borough form of government used by Dunellen 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. [https://www.njlm.org/809/3982/Forms-of-Govt-Magazine-Article "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask"], [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]], March 2007. Accessed January 1, 2025.</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|2024}}, the [[mayor]] of Dunellen is [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Jason F. Cilento, whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the borough council (with party and term-end year in parentheses) are Council President Teresa Albertson (R, 2024), Crisol-Iris Lantz (R, 2026), Joseph Paltjon (R, 2024), Trina G. Rios (R, 2025), Daniel Cole Sigmon (R, 2025) and Harold VanDermark (R, 2026).<ref name=MayorCouncil>[https://www.dunellen-nj.gov/government/mayor_and_council/index.php Mayor and Council], Borough of Dunellen. Accessed May 27, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://cms1files.revize.com/dunellennj/departments/finance/2024%20Intro%20Budget%20Final.pdf 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Dunellen. Accessed May 27, 2024.</ref><ref name=Middlesex2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Middlesex/119048/web.317647/#/summary November 7, 2023 General Election Official Results], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey]], December 7, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Middlesex2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Middlesex/116148/web.307039/#/summary November 8, 2022 General Election Official Results], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey]], updated November 22, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Middlesex2021>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Middlesex/110780/web.278093/#/summary General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey]], updated November 19, 2021. Accessed April 13, 2022.</ref>

In October 2021, the borough council selected Harold VanDermark from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Tremayne Reid until he resigned earlier that month. VanDermark will serve on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when voters will choose a candidate to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref>[https://cms1files.revize.com/dunellennj/document_center/CityCouncil/Minutes,%20October%2018,%202021.pdf Borough Council Meeting Minutes for October 18, 2021], Borough of Dunellen. Accessed May 23, 2022. "Whereas, Tremayne Reid resigned his position as Councilperson for the Borough of Dunellen on October 4, 2021; and WHEREAS, the Democratic Municipal Committee has presented to the Dunellen Borough Council the names of three eligible persons to fill the vacancy; and... NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Dunellen, that Harold Vandermark be selected to fill the vacancy of the Council seat held by Tremayne Reid, said term to expire on December 31, 2022, with the intervening General Election to be held on November 8, 2022 to select a candidate to fill the remaining term of Tremayne Reid that would have expired on December 31, 2023."</ref>

===Federal, state and county representation===
Dunellen is located in the 12th 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 21st state legislative district.<ref>[https://nj1015.com/whats-your-new-nj-legislative-district-20-moved-on-new-map/ Districts by Number for 2023-2031], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed September 18, 2023.</ref>

{{NJ Congress 12}} {{NJ Senate}}

{{NJ Legislative 21}}

{{NJ Middlesex County Commissioners}}

===Politics===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,775 registered voters in Dunellen, of which 1,063 (28.2%) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 726 (19.2%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 1,983 (52.5%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 3 voters registered as [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarians]] or [[Green Party (United States)|Greens]].<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-middlesex-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Middlesex], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 22, 2012.</ref>

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Democrat [[Barack Obama]] received 56.1% of the vote (1,387 cast), ahead of Republican [[Mitt Romney]] with 42.3% (1,047 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (39 votes), among the 2,488 ballots cast by the borough's 3,842 registered voters (15 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 64.8%.<ref name=2012Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-middlesex.pdf |title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Middlesex 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-middlesex.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 6, 2012 - General Election Results - Middlesex 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]], Democrat Barack Obama received 52.9% of the vote (1,478 cast), ahead of Republican [[John McCain]] with 44.5% (1,244 votes) and other candidates with 1.8% (50 votes), among the 2,794 ballots cast by the borough's 3,883 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.0%.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-middlesex.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Middlesex County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 22, 2012.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Republican [[George W. Bush]] received 50.0% of the vote (1,260 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat [[John Kerry]] with 48.0% (1,211 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (44 votes), among the 2,521 ballots cast by the borough's 3,666 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 68.8.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_middlesex_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Middlesex County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 22, 2012.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Presidential Elections Results
!Year
![[Republican Party (New Jersey)|Republican]]
![[Democratic Party (New Jersey)|Democratic]]
![[Third Party (United States)|Third Parties]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2024 United States presidential election in New Jersey|2024]]<ref name="2024Elections">{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2024/2024-official-general-results-president-middlesex.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 5, 2024 - Middlesex County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2024}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|43.5% ''1,409''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.6%'''  ''1,733''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |2.9% ''81''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2020|2020]]<ref name="2020Elections">{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2020/2020-official-general-results-president-middlesex.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 3, 2020 - Middlesex County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2020}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|38.2% ''1,256''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''59.4%'''  ''1,953''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |2.4% ''58''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2016|2016]]<ref name="2016Elections">{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.gov/state/elections/2016-results/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-middlesex.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 8, 2016 - Middlesex County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2017}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|41.4% ''1,170''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''52.1%''' ''1,472''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |5.2% ''148''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2012/2012-presidential-middlesex.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Middlesex County|date=March 15, 2013|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=January 9, 2025}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|42.3% ''1,047''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''56.1%'''  ''1,387''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.6% ''39''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008]]'''<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-middlesex.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Middlesex County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130722203923/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-middlesex.pdf |date=July 22, 2013}}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed January 9, 2025.</ref>
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|44.5% ''1,244''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''52.9%'''  ''1,478''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.8% ''50''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004]]'''<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_middlesex_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Middlesex County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130722204150/http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_middlesex_co_2004.pdf |date=July 22, 2013}}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed January 9, 2025.</ref>
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''50.0%''' ''1,260''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|48.0%   ''1,211''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.2% ''44''
|-
|}

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 64.7% of the vote (982 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 33.2% (503 votes), and other candidates with 2.1% (32 votes), among the 1,540 ballots cast by the borough's 3,894 registered voters (23 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 39.5%.<ref name=2013Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-middlesex.pdf |title=Governor - Middlesex 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-middlesex.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Middlesex 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 54.6% of the vote (944 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] with 34.1% (589 votes), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 8.9% (153 votes) and other candidates with 1.9% (33 votes), among the 1,728 ballots cast by the borough's 3,744 registered voters, yielding a 46.2% turnout.<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-middlesex.pdf 2009 Governor: Middlesex County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017230558/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-middlesex.pdf |date=2012-10-17 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 22, 2012.</ref>