Editing Westville, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
Westville 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 a mayor and a 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. 28.</ref> The borough form of government used by Westville 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 name=Officials/><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|2025}}, the [[mayor]] of Westville is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Fritz H. Sims Jr., whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Westville Borough Council are Council President Bruce Nordaby (D, 2027), Donna M. Domico (D, 2026), Travis R. Lawrence (D, 2025), Paul C. Mailley (D, 2025), Charles D. Murtaugh (D, 2026), Tracy Van Acker (D, 2025; appointed to serve an unexpired term) and Timothy Young (D, 2027).<ref name=Officials>[https://westville-nj.com/borough-government/elected-officials/ Elected Officials], Borough of Westville. Accessed January 26, 2025. "The Borough of Westville is classified as a weak Mayor, strong Council form of Government. While the Mayor does not vote on issues unless there is a tie with the Council members, he is the Administrative Head of the Government, calling and governing all meetings of the Council and making appointments to the various Boards and Commissions. Council Members are elected in the November General Election for three year terms. The Mayor is elected for a four year term."</ref><ref>[https://westville-nj.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-Certified-Adopted-Budget.pdf#page=15 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Westville. Accessed January 26, 2025.</ref><ref name=GloucesterDirectory>[https://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7330/2024-Directory?bidId= ''Gloucester County 2024 Official Directory''], [[Gloucester County, New Jersey]]. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Gloucester2024>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Gloucester/122580/web.345435/#/summary General Election November 5, 2024 Unofficial Results], [[Gloucester County, New Jersey]], updated November 18, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Gloucester2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Gloucester/118787/web.317647/#/summary General Election November 7, 2023 Unofficial Results], [[Gloucester County, New Jersey]], November 20, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Gloucester2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Gloucester/115746/web.307039/#/summary General Election November 8, 2022 Summary Report Unofficial Results], [[Gloucester County, New Jersey]] Clerk, November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref>

In December 2024, Tracy Van Acker was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2025 that had been held by Matthew Gayle until he resigned from office.<ref>[https://westville-nj.com/2024/12/24/new-council-member/ "New Council Member Sworn In"], Borough of Westville, December 24, 2024. Accessed January 26, 2025. "At the December 23rd Special Council Meeting, a majority vote authorized the appointment of Tracy Van Acker to fill the Council position left vacant by the resignation of Matthew Gayle."</ref>

In June 2020, Fritz H. Sims Jr. was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that became vacant following the resignation of Russell W. Welsh Jr. after moving out of Westville.<ref>[https://westville-nj.com/new-mayor/ New Mayor], Borough of Westville, June 2, 2020. Accessed October 25, 2020. "Congratulations to Councilman Fritz H. Sims, Jr. who was elected to the position of Mayor at the June 1, 2020 council meeting as a result of former Mayor Welsh moving out of the Borough."</ref>