Editing Lopatcong Township, New Jersey (section)

==Government==
===Local government===
Lopatcong Township is governed by the [[Faulkner Act (small municipality)|Small Municipality]] form of government, which is available under the terms of the [[Faulkner Act]] only for those municipalities with a population below 12,000 at the time of adoption. The township is one of 18 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 four-member Township Council, with all positions elected [[at-large]] on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The Mayor is elected directly by the voters to a three-year term of office. Council members are elected to serve a term of three years on a staggered basis, so that two seats come up for election in the two years that the mayor is not up for 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. 103.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=14 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 14. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

{{As of|2022}}, members of the Lopatcong Township Council are [[Mayor]] James Mengucci ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]], term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2020), Council President William D. Wright (R, 2022), Louis Belcaro (R, 2024), Richard McQuade (R, 2024) and James Palitto (R, 2022).<ref name=Council>[https://www.lopatcongtwp.com/government/council Council], Lopatcong Township. Accessed March 2, 2022.</ref><ref>[https://www.lopatcongtwp.com/home/showpublisheddocument/1253/637854386262447268#page=14 2022 Municipal Data Sheet], Lopatcong Township. Accessed June 21, 2022.</ref><ref name=Warren2021>[https://www.warrencountyvotes.com/home/showpublisheddocument/3284/637729175316070000 Summary Results Report 2021 General Election November 2, 2021 Official Results], Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Warren2020>[https://www.warrencountyvotes.com/home/showpublisheddocument/2484/637648299297000000 Warren County 2020 General Election November 20, 2020 Official Results], Warren County, New Jersey, updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref><ref name=Warren2019>[https://www.warrencountyvotes.com/home/showpublisheddocument/2470/637642013517370000 General Election November 5, 2019, Warren County Official Tally], [[Warren County, New Jersey]], updated November 12, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref>

In June 2016, the Township Council unanimously selected Yvonne Reitemeyer from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2016 that became vacant following the resignation of Donna Schneider.<ref>Novak, Steve. [http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/phillipsburg/index.ssf/2016/06/meet_lopatcong_townships_newes.html "Meet Lopatcong Township's newest councilwoman"], ''[[The Express-Times]]'', June 28, 2016. Accessed August 8, 2016. "Lopatcong Township has a new councilwoman, though only for the next six months. Yvonne Reitemeyer, 46, was unanimously selected by the council Monday night to fill the rest of the term left by Councilwoman Donna Schneider's resignation this month."</ref><ref>[http://www.lopatcongtwp.com/joomla/pdf/2016/mm/20160627cmm.pdf Special Meeting Minutes June 27, 2016], Township of Lopatcong. Accessed August 8, 2016. "Council Vacancy: - Council President Pryor made a motion to appoint Yvonne Reitemeyer to fill the Council vacancy, seconded by Councilman Belcaro. Roll call vote: AYES: Councilman Belcaro, Councilwoman McCabe, Council President Pryor, Mayor McKay; NAYS: None. Yvonne Reitemeyer was sworn in as Councilwoman."</ref>

In the November 2012 general election, Lori Ciesla, who ran as part of the independent slate of Responsible Lopatcong Leadership, won election, as did Maureen McCabe who won an unexpired one-year term when she defeated Republican incumbent Andrew Horun who had been appointed earlier in the year to fill the vacant seat of H. Matthew Curry.<ref>Foster, David. [http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/phillipsburg/index.ssf/2012/11/lopatcong_township_council.html "Independents take two seats, Republican one on Lopatcong Township Council, according to unofficial results"], ''[[The Express-Times]]'', November 7, 2012. Accessed June 10, 2013. "Independent candidate Lori Ciesla secured a nod for the three-year seat along with Republican Louis Belcaro.... Independent Maureen McCabe squeaked out a win by four votes over incumbent Andrew Horun for the one-year term. Horun was appointed by council in April to fill a vacancy left by H. Matthew Curry."</ref>

===Federal, state and county representation===
Lopatcong Township 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> Prior to the 2010 Census, Lopatcong Township had been part of the {{ushr|NJ|5|5th Congressional District}}, a change made by the [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]] that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.<ref name=LWV2011>[http://www.lwvnj.org/images/cg_2011.pdf#page=60 ''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604153059/http://www.lwvnj.org/images/cg_2011.pdf#page=60 |date=2013-06-04 }}, p. 60, New Jersey [[League of Women Voters]]. Accessed May 22, 2015.</ref>

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

{{NJ Legislative 23}}

{{NJ Warren County Freeholders}}

===Politics===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 5,153 registered voters in Lopatcong Township, of which 1,391 (27.0% vs. 21.5% countywide) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 1,470 (28.5% vs. 35.3%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 2,288 (44.4% vs. 43.1%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 4 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-warren-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Warren], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed June 8, 2013.</ref> Among the township's 2010 Census population, 64.3% (vs. 62.3% in Warren County) were registered to vote, including 83.6% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 81.5% 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=2020-02-12 }}, [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed June 8, 2013.</ref>

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Republican [[Mitt Romney]] received 1,964 votes (52.8% vs. 56.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[Barack Obama]] with 1,638 votes (44.0% vs. 40.8%) and other candidates with 51 votes (1.4% vs. 1.7%), among the 3,720 ballots cast by the township's 5,386 registered voters, for a turnout of 69.1% (vs. 66.7% in Warren County).<ref>[http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-presidential-warren.pdf Presidential November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Warren County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118065243/http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-presidential-warren.pdf |date=January 18, 2014 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed June 8, 2013.</ref><ref>[http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-warren.pdf Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Warren County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140118065245/http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-warren.pdf |date=January 18, 2014 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed June 8, 2013.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008 presidential election]], Republican [[John McCain]] received 1,985 votes (51.9% vs. 55.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,730 votes (45.2% vs. 41.4%) and other candidates with 46 votes (1.2% vs. 1.6%), among the 3,827 ballots cast by the township's 5,090 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.2% (vs. 73.4% in Warren County).<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-warren.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Warren County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed June 8, 2013.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Republican [[George W. Bush]] received 1,994 votes (57.5% vs. 61.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[John Kerry]] with 1,419 votes (40.9% vs. 37.2%) and other candidates with 30 votes (0.9% vs. 1.3%), among the 3,467 ballots cast by the township's 4,536 registered voters, for a turnout of 76.4% (vs. 76.3% in the whole county).<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_warren_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Warren County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed June 8, 2013.</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Lopatcong Township|source=<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>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|2,862|2,257|101|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|2,718|2,337|80|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,248|1,600|155|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|1,964|1,638|51|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|1,985|1,730|46|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|1,994|1,419|30|New Jersey}}
|}

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 70.4% of the vote (1,615 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 27.6% (634 votes), and other candidates with 2.0% (45 votes), among the 2,345 ballots cast by the township's 5,506 registered voters (51 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 42.6%.<ref name=2013Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-warren.pdf |title=Governor - Warren County |date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |accessdate=December 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-ballotscast-warren.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Warren County|date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |accessdate=December 24, 2014}}</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|2009 gubernatorial election]], Republican Chris Christie received 1,455 votes (58.6% vs. 61.3% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] with 736 votes (29.6% vs. 25.7%), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 228 votes (9.2% vs. 9.8%) and other candidates with 35 votes (1.4% vs. 1.5%), among the 2,484 ballots cast by the township's 4,981 registered voters, yielding a 49.9% turnout (vs. 49.6% in the county).<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-warren.pdf 2009 Governor: Warren County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017230758/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-warren.pdf |date=2012-10-17 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed June 8, 2013.</ref>