Editing Bedminster, New Jersey (section)

== Government ==
=== Local government ===
Bedminster 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. 77.</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 held during the first week of January, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as mayor.<ref>[http://www.bedminster.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={692B2515-3C47-483E-A052-FA604149FFCE} Your Municipal Government] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126144734/http://www.bedminster.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B692B2515-3C47-483E-A052-FA604149FFCE%7D |date=January 26, 2018 }}, Bedminster Township. Accessed June 3, 2011.</ref>

{{As of|2024}}, members of the Bedminster Township Committee are [[Mayor]] Lawrence F. Jacobs ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]], term on township committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2024), R. Colin Hickey (R, 2026), Gina Lisa-Fernandez (R, 2025), Renee Mareski (R, 2024) and Douglas A. Stevinson (R, 2025).<ref name=TownshipCommittee>[https://www.bedminster.us/government/mayor_township_committee Township Committee], Bedminster Township. Accessed May 19, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.bedminster.us/common/pages/DownloadFileByUrl.aspx?key=m6FKvpn%2brEgYTW7UqAiLQTXNN1ldIhedrVbbkObtfWDQXwq8jAaRiy4j0rZUmLfKGFboA%2bNLKdwofCom%2bUPKsZMV8M1vLzZDbTZV%2ftEqwake5XL%2bFvypusW6hFItEx5ZfuJs1aaJwOtbF%2fz%2beQJhYrbuHRAP057uO0LhE9AhWZv3WAHAcnQelf%2bNd4cuKiS4YAWzM9vt%2bQ%2fRSy%2foNfPfawDeeqU%3d 2024 Municipal User Friendly Budget], Bedminster Township. Accessed May 19, 2024.</ref><ref name=SomersetDirectory>[https://www.co.somerset.nj.us/home/showpublisheddocument/46227/638203671214730000#page=52 ''2023 Directory of County & Municipal Offices''], [[Somerset County, New Jersey]]. Accessed April 10, 2024.</ref><ref name=Somerset2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Somerset/119024/web.317647/#/summary 2023 General Election November 7, 2023 Certified Official Results RESULTS], [[Somerset County, New Jersey]], November 29, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Somerset2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Somerset/116175/web.307039/#/summary General Election November 8, 2022 Final Certified Results], [[Somerset County, New Jersey]], updated November 23, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Somerset2021>[https://www.co.somerset.nj.us/home/showpublisheddocument/43891/637725959984900000 2021 General Election Winning Candidates], [[Somerset County, New Jersey]]. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref>

In 2018, the township had an average property tax bill of $6,182, the lowest in the county, compared to an average bill of $9,975 in Somerset County and $8,767 statewide.<ref>[https://www.state.nj.us/dca/divisions/dlgs/resources/property_docs/18_data/18taxes.xls 2018 Property Tax Information], [[New Jersey Department of Community Affairs]], updated January 16, 2019. Accessed November 7, 2019.</ref><ref>Marcus, Samantha. [https://www.nj.com/politics/2019/04/these-are-the-towns-with-the-lowest-property-taxes-in-each-of-njs-21-counties.html "These are the towns with the lowest property taxes in each of N.J.’s 21 counties"], NJ Advance Media for [[NJ.com]], April 30, 2019. Accessed November 7, 2019. "New Jersey’s average property tax bill may have hit $8,767 last year — a new record — but taxpayers in some parts of the state pay just a fraction of that.... The average property tax bill in Bedminster Township was $6,182 in 2018, the lowest in Somerset County."</ref>

==== Emergency services ====
Emergency services in the township are offered by the Far Hills-Bedminster Fire Department, Bedminster Township Police Department<ref>[https://www.bedminster.us/government/police Police], Bedminster Township. Accessed December 14, 2022.</ref> and Far Hills-Bedminster First Aid Squad.<ref>[https://fhbfas.org Home Page], Far Hills-Bedminster First Aid Squad. Accessed December 14, 2022.</ref>

Far Hills-Bedminster Fire Department roots back to the establishment of Union Hook & Ladder Company #1 in December 1900; The current name was adopted in 1998 to avoid confusion with other departments with similar names.<ref>[https://www.fhbfd.org/about About], Far Hills-Bedminster Fire Department. Accessed December 14, 2022. "The Far Hills-Bedminster Fire Department began in December, 1900 when a group of concerned men gathered to discuss the formation of a fire company to protect the fast-growing community of Far Hills and adjacent area.... In 1998, citing confusion of its name, decided to officially call itself The Far Hills-Bedminster Fire Department, changing from its original name of Union Hook & Ladder Company #1."</ref>

=== Federal, state and county representation ===
Bedminster 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>

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

{{NJ Legislative 23}}

{{NJ Somerset County Commissioners}}

===Politics===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 6,183 registered voters in Bedminster Township, of which 1,258 (20.3% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 2,238 (36.2% vs. 25.7%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 2,683 (43.4% vs. 48.2%) 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-somerset-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Somerset], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed February 10, 2013.</ref> Among the township's 2010 Census population, 75.7% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 92.0% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>[https://www.census.gov GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey], [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed February 10, 2013.</ref>

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Republican [[Mitt Romney]] received 55.4% of the vote (2,424 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barack Obama]] with 43.3% (1,895 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (54 votes), among the 4,406 ballots cast by the township's 6,514 registered voters (33 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 67.6%.<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 2,431 votes (51.7% vs. 46.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 2,203 votes (46.9% vs. 52.1%) and other candidates with 44 votes (0.9% vs. 1.1%), among the 4,702 ballots cast by the township's 6,102 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.1% (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 10, 2013.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Republican [[George W. Bush]] received 2,674 votes (59.0% vs. 51.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[John Kerry]] with 1,798 votes (39.7% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 42 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 4,529 ballots cast by the township's 5,736 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.0% (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 10, 2013.</ref>

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 74.1% of the vote (2,013 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 24.2% (658 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (44 votes), among the 2,752 ballots cast by the township's 6,580 registered voters (37 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 41.8%.<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 1,977 votes (61.2% vs. 55.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] with 928 votes (28.7% vs. 34.1%), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 280 votes (8.7% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 26 votes (0.8% vs. 0.7%), among the 3,228 ballots cast by the township's 6,266 registered voters, yielding a 51.5% 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=2015-02-02 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed February 10, 2013.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin:1em; font-size:95%;"
|+ Bedminster 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}}|48.6% ''2,527''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''49.6%''' ''2,575''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.8% ''94''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2020 United States presidential election|2020]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''52.3%''' ''2,797''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|45.7% ''2,440''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.5% ''147''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2016 United States presidential election|2016]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|48.0% ''2,250''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''48.2%''' ''2,258''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|3.8% ''104''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2012 United States presidential election|2012]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|43.3%''1,895''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''55.4%''' ''2,424''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.2% ''54''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2008 United States presidential election|2008]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|46.9% ''2,203''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''51.7%''' ''2,431''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.9% ''44''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2004 United States presidential election|2004]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|39.7% ''1,798''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''59.0%''' ''2,674''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.9% ''42''
|-

|}