Editing Bernards Township, New Jersey (section)

== Government ==

=== Local government ===
Bernards Township operates 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 and another as Deputy Mayor.<ref name=TownshipCommittee/>

{{As of|2025}}, members of the Bernards Township Committee are [[Mayor]] Janice M. Fields ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]], term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2025), Deputy Mayor Andrew J. McNally (R, term on commititee and as deputy mayor ends December 31, 2027), Gary S. Baumann (R, 2026), Ana Duarte McCarthy ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]], 2026) and Jennifer L. Asay (R, 2027).<ref name=TownshipCommittee>[https://www.bernards.org/government/mayor Township Committee], Bernards Township. Accessed May 19, 2024. "Bernards Township operates under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, elected by the public in partisan elections for three-year terms of office on a staggered schedule, with one or two seats coming up for election each year.... At the annual Reorganization meeting held in January, the Mayor is elected by the committee from among its members."</ref><ref>[https://www.bernards.org/government/budgets/2024/3945-2024-budget-introduced/file#page=10 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Bernards Township. Accessed May 19, 2024.</ref><ref name=SomersetDirectory>[https://www.co.somerset.nj.us/home/showpublisheddocument/46227/638203671214730000#page=53 ''2023 Directory of County & Municipal Offices''], [[Somerset County, New Jersey]]. Accessed September 18, 2023.</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 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>

=== Federal, state and county representation ===
Bernards 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 21st state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2023>[https://pub.njleg.gov/publications/pdf/2023-NJ-Leg-District-Map.pdf Municipalities Sorted by 2023-2031 Legislative District], [[New Jersey Department of State]]. Accessed September 1, 2023.</ref>

Prior to the 2010 Census, Bernards Township had been part of the {{ushr|NJ|11|11th 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=55 ''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=55 |date=2013-06-04 }}, p. 55, New Jersey [[League of Women Voters]]. Accessed May 22, 2015.</ref>

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

{{NJ Legislative 21}}

{{NJ Somerset County Commissioners}}

===Politics===
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 18,377 registered voters in Bernards Township, of which 3,544 (19.3% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 7,019 (38.2% vs. 25.7%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 7,803 (42.5% vs. 48.2%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 11 voters registered to 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, 69.0% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 96.9% 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 59.2% of the vote (7,879 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barack Obama]] with 40.1% (5,338 votes), and other candidates with 0.8% (101 votes), among the 13,383 ballots cast by the township's 19,555 registered voters (65 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 68.4%.<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 [[2008 United States presidential election|2008 presidential election]], Republican [[John McCain]] received 8,078 votes here (56.1% vs. 46.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 6,143 votes (42.6% vs. 52.1%) and other candidates with 99 votes (0.7% vs. 1.1%), among the 14,405 ballots cast by the township's 18,039 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.9% (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 [[2004 United States presidential election|2004 presidential election]], Republican [[George W. Bush]] received 8,364 votes here (60.6% vs. 51.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[John Kerry]] with 5,317 votes (38.5% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 84 votes (0.6% vs. 0.9%), among the 13,812 ballots cast by the township's 16,534 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.5% (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 77.1% of the vote (6,505 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 21.7% (1,829 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (105 votes), among the 8,547 ballots cast by the township's 19,701 registered voters (108 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 43.4%.<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 6,124 votes here (59.5% vs. 55.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] with 2,639 votes (25.6% vs. 34.1%), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 1,427 votes (13.9% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 33 votes (0.3% vs. 0.7%), among the 10,293 ballots cast by the township's 18,244 registered voters, yielding a 56.4% 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%;"
|+ Bernards 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/Democratic}}|[[2024 United States presidential election|2024]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''54.0%''' ''8,449''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|43.6% ''6,819''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|2.4% ''373''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2020 United States presidential election|2020]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''55.9%''' ''9,398''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|42.2% ''7,086''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.2% ''208''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2016 United States presidential election|2016]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''48.6%''' ''6,912''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|47.8% ''6,795''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|3.6% ''518''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2012 United States presidential election|2012]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|40.1% ''5,338''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''59.2%''' ''7,879''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.8% ''101''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2008 United States presidential election|2008]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|42.6% ''6,143''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''56.1%''' ''8,078''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.7% ''99''
|-
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2004 United States presidential election|2004]]
|align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|38.5% ''5,317''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''60.6%''' ''8,364''
|align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.6% ''84''
|-

|}