Editing Riverside Township, New Jersey (section)

=== Local government ===
[[File:Riverside, NJ municipal building (2), Dec. 2023.jpg|thumb|right|Riverside Township municipal building]]
Riverside Township is governed under the [[Township (New Jersey)|Township]] form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.<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 Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are elected directly by the voters [[at-large]] in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election 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. 38.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=7 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 7. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor, each for a term of one year.

{{As of|2023}}, members of the Riverside Township Committee are [[Mayor]] Michael Higgins ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]], term on committee ends December 31, 2023; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy Mayor Corey S. Kimble ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]], term on committee ends December 31, 2023; term as deputy mayor ends 2023), Robert Giovanetti (D, 2024), Matthew Kirk (R, 2024) and Joseph Peditto (R, 2025).<ref name=Government>[https://riversidetwp.org/elected-officials/ Elected Officials], Township of Riverside. Accessed March 26, 2023. "The Riverside Township Committee is comprised of five (5) members that are elected at large during the annual elections. These elections are partisan and each committee member serves a staggered three-year term upon election.... The members of the committee select the Mayor and Deputy Mayor to serve for a one-year term."</ref><ref>[https://riversidetwp.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/0330_riverside_certifiedadoptbudget_2022.pdf#page=16 2022 Municipal Data Sheet], Township of Riverside. Accessed August 29, 2022.</ref><ref name=Burlington2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Burlington/116176/web.307039/#/summary General Election November 8, 2022 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><ref name=Burlington2020>[https://press.co.burlington.nj.us/PRESS/ElectionArchive//2020//2020_GEN_Official_Summary_Report.pdf November 3, 2020 Summary Report Burlington County Official Results], [[Burlington County, New Jersey]], updated November 23, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref>

In March 2023, Higgins switched parties and announce that he would run as a Republican in November 2023; the switch gave Republicans a 3-2 majority on the council.<ref>[https://www.insidernj.com/press-release/mayor-of-riverside-switches-parties-will-run-for-reelection-as-a-republican/ "Mayor of Riverside Switches Parties – Will Run for Reelection as a Republican"], Insider NJ, March 24, 2023. Accessed March 26, 2023. "Democrats lost control of Riverside Township Committee this week when Mayor Mike Higgins (aka John M. Higgins) changed his party affiliation to Republican. Higgins joins fellow GOP Committee members Matt Kirk and Joe Peditto. He will run for reelection this year on the Republican slate alongside newcomer Christy Veasy."</ref>

In March 2019, the Township Committee chose Michael Higgins from a list of three candidates nominated by the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2020 that became vacant when Michael D. Miller submitted his resignation.<ref>[http://www.riversidetwp.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/RTM-3-18-2019.pdf Township Committee Meeting Minutes for March 18, 2019], Riverside Township. Accessed May 14, 2020.</ref> In the November 2019 general election, Republican Matthew Kirk defeated Higgins by a single vote and was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Burlington2019>[https://press.co.burlington.nj.us/PRESS/ElectionArchive//2019//Summary%20Report_OFFICIAL_R_w_ADD.pdf November 5, 2019 Summary Report Burlington County Official Results], [[Burlington County, New Jersey]], updated November 16, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020.</ref><ref>Woolston, George. [https://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/20191114/gop-holds-on-by-one-vote-for-riverside-seat "GOP holds on by one vote for Riverside seat"], ''[[Burlington County Times]]'', November 14, 2019. Accessed May 14, 2020. "The Republican challenger for a one-year, unexpired seat on the Riverside Township Committee has defeated the Democrat incumbent by one vote. Matthew Kirk just barely held on to his lead over Michael Higgins on Thursday after provisional ballots were tallied at the Burlington County Board of Elections in Mount Holly.... The final tally was Kirk 582, Higgins 581."</ref>

In January 2018, Republican F. Michael Hart was selected by the Township Committee from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2019 that was vacated by Robert R. Prisco after he resigned to accept a Judicial appointment to a New Jersey Workers' Compensation Judgeship; Hart served on an interim basis until the November 2018 general election,<ref>[http://www.riversidetwp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/RTM-1-22-18.pdf January 22, 2018, Regular Meeting Minutes], Riverside Township. Accessed August 24, 2018. "Robert R. Prisco - Letter of Resignation from the Township Committee due to an appointment as a Workers' Compensation Judge.... Motion made by Messrs. Frey and Miller to appoint Frederick Michael Hart to the Township Committee to fill a vacancy which was created by the resignation of Robert R. Prisco."</ref> when voters elected Democrat Michelle Weaver to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Burlington2018>[http://press.co.burlington.nj.us/PRESS/EResults//2018/2018G_Summary.pdf November 6, 2018 General Election Summary Report Official Results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191017034900/http://press.co.burlington.nj.us/PRESS/EResults//2018/2018G_Summary.pdf |date=October 17, 2019 }}, [[Burlington County, New Jersey]], updated November 17, 2018. Accessed January 1, 2019.</ref>

In July 2016, Jason Frey was selected by the Township Committee to fill the seat expiring in December 2018 that was vacated by Timothy LeConey when he announced that he was resigning and moving out of the township.<ref>McHale, Todd. [http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/ab66d3be-4de9-11e6-974a-17e6f7674926.html "Riverside Township Committee appoints new member"], ''[[Burlington County Times]]'', July 19, 2016. Accessed November p, 2017. "A software developer has been named the newest member of the Township Committee. Jason Frey was appointed at Monday’s meeting to fill the vacancy left by Timothy LeConey.... Deputy Mayor Lorraine Hatcher, who ran with LeConey twice, said her former running mate had to step down because he plans to relocate out of town."</ref> Frey served on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Burlington2016>[http://press.co.burlington.nj.us/PRESS/EResults//2016/2016%20General%20Summary.pdf November 8, 2016 General Election Summary Report Official Results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110005713/http://press.co.burlington.nj.us/PRESS/EResults//2016/2016%20General%20Summary.pdf |date=November 10, 2017 }}, [[Burlington County, New Jersey]], updated November 30, 2016. Accessed January 1, 2017.</ref>

On Election Day, November 7, 2006, Mayor Chuck Hilton and fellow Republican incumbent James Ott were defeated by their Democratic opponents, newcomers Lorraine Hatcher and Thomas Polino. An anti-immigration [[Local ordinance|ordinance]] passed by the Township Committee that imposed fines on any business that hires or any landlord who rents to an illegal immigrant was a major issue in the campaign.<ref>[http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061115/NEWS01/611150364/1006 Latinos praise election results in Riverside], ''[[Courier-Post]]'', November 15, 2006.</ref>