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==Government== ===Local government=== Chester 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 the mayor and the borough 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 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. 110.</ref> The borough form of government used by Chester 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>Cerra, Michael F. [http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924045019/http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html |date=September 24, 2014 }}, [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]]. Accessed November 30, 2014.</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|2023}}, the [[mayor]] of Chester is [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Janet G. Hoven, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Chester Borough Council are Karen L. Ferrone (R, 2025), Russell Goodwin (R, 2025), Elizabeth Gugliemini (R, 2023), Christopher K. Heil (R, 2024), Kyle J. Holman (R, 2024) and Gary W. Marshuetz (R, 2023).<ref name=MayorCouncil>[https://chesterborough.org/government/mayor Mayor and Town Council], Borough of Chester. Accessed April 26, 2023.</ref><ref>[https://chesterborough.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/1406_introbudget_2022.pdf#page=11 2022 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Chester. Accessed May 16, 2022.</ref><ref name=MorrisManual>[https://www.morriscountyclerk.org/files/sharedassets/clerk/v/3/manual/mc-manual-2024-web-040924.pdf#page=29 ''Morris County Manual 2024''], [[Morris County, New Jersey]] Clerk. Accessed May 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=MorrisOfficials>[https://www.morriscountyclerk.org/files/sharedassets/clerk/v/9/elections/2024-municipal-elected-officials-032224.pdf ''Morris County Municipal Elected Officials For The Year 2024''], [[Morris County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated March 20, 2024. Accessed May 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Morris2022>[https://www.morriscountyclerk.org/files/sharedassets/clerk/elections/past-results/2022-general-municipality-report-official.pdf General Election November 8, 2022, Official Results], [[Morris County, New Jersey]], updated November 28, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Morris2021>[https://www.morriscountyclerk.org/files/sharedassets/clerk/elections/past-results/2021-general-winners-121421.pdf General Election Winners For November 2, 2021], [[Morris County, New Jersey]] Clerk. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Morris2020>[https://www.morriscountyclerk.org/files/sharedassets/clerk/elections/past-results/2020-general-winners.pdf General Election Winners List For November 3, 2020], [[Morris County, New Jersey]] Clerk. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref> ===Merger discussion with Chester Township=== In 2007, New Jersey Governor [[Jon Corzine]] created incentives for small towns of less than 10,000 inhabitants to combine with other cities. The goal was to reduce the overall cost of government and thereby offer some tax relief. "New Jersey has 21 counties, 566 municipalities and 616 school districts, and property taxes average $6,800 per homeowner, or twice the national average."<ref name="VanDyke">{{cite news | last=Van Dyke | first=Meghan | url=http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080501/COMMUNITIES11/805010324 | title=The Chesters look at forming one community | year=2008 | newspaper= The Daily Record | access-date=June 4, 2008}}</ref><ref>Porter, David via [[Associated Press]]. [http://www.newsobserver.com/2009/05/17/43270/strapped-towns-eye-mergers-but.html "Strapped towns eye mergers, but few reach the altar"], ''[[The News & Observer]]'', May 17, 2009. Accessed January 15, 2015.</ref> Chester Borough had originally split from Chester Township in 1930 over the creation of sewer and water infrastructure in the more densely settled center of the municipality. The residents of the rural portions of the Township did not wish to financially support the construction and maintenance of a public sewer or water utility. Since that time rural Chester Township has relied upon individual private wells for water and septic systems for wastewater treatment while the borough is primarily, although not entirely, served by public sewer and water. Concerns over the extension of utilities into the rural Township with the resultant potential for large scale growth served as an impediment to consolidation. The prohibition of utility extensions supported by the New Jersey state plan and codified in the Highlands Water Protection Act, along with the development restrictions contained in the Highlands Act have lessened those concerns. Additionally, an aggressive land conservation program in the Township has resulted in over 40% of the {{convert|29|sqmi|km2|adj=on}} Township being placed into permanent preservation, further lessening worries about potential overdevelopment. The two municipalities currently share a common K–8 school district, volunteer fire department, library, first aid squad and other municipal services. Some residents are concerned about the unknown costs of a merger and a disproportionate allocation of those costs.<ref name="VanDyke"/> The two mayors had publicly endorsed a [[cost–benefit analysis]] of a merger. As two previous efforts had failed, the two municipalities have taken and deliberate approach to determine the savings, if any.<ref name="VanDyke"/> A merger vote planned for November 2010 was delayed for at least a year after Governor Christie's elimination of equalization funds that would ensure some taxpayers do not pay more due to the merger, as an analysis by the [[New Jersey Department of Community Affairs]] estimated that township residents would see an annual increase of $128 on their property taxes while those in the borough would see an average decline of $570 in their taxes.<ref>Goldberg, an. [http://www.nj.com/news/local/index.ssf/2010/10/chesters_merger_panel_puts_off.html "Chester merger panel puts off meeting until next year"], ''[[The Star-Ledger]]'', October 5, 2010. Accessed January 15, 2015. "Progress toward merging the two Chesters has slowed to a crawl, and the consolidation commission charged with studying the feasibility of it has decided not to meet again until 2011.... A DCA report delivered in May showed that the merger, based on 2009 data, would reduce borough taxes by approximately $570 on a home assessed at the borough average of $528,000. It would increase township taxes $128 on a home assessed at $826,000, the township average."</ref> ===Federal, state and county representation=== Chester Borough 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 24th state legislative district.<ref>[https://nj1015.com/whats-your-new-nj-legislative-district-20-moved-on-new-map/ Districts by Number for 2023-2031], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed September 18, 2023.</ref> {{NJ Congress 07}} {{NJ Senate}} {{NJ Legislative 24}} {{NJ Morris County Commissioners}} ===Politics==={{PresHead|place=Chester Borough|source=<br>2024<ref>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2024/2024-official-general-results-president-morris.pdf Presidential November 5, 2024 General Election Results Morris County], [[New Jersey Department of State]]. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref> 2020<ref>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2020/2020-official-general-results-president-morris.pdf Presidential November 3, 2020 General Election Results Morris County], [[New Jersey Department of State]], updated December 18, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref> 2016<ref>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2016/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-morris.pdf Presidential November 8, 2016 General Election Results Morris County], [[New Jersey Department of State]], updated December 14, 2016. Accessed January 1, 2015.</ref> 2012<ref>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2012/2012-presidential-morris.pdf Presidential November 6, 2012 General Election Results Morris County], [[New Jersey Department of State]], updated March 15, 2013. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref> 2008<ref>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2008/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-morris.pdf Presidential General Election Results Morris County for 2008], [[New Jersey Department of State]], updated December 23, 2008. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref> 2004<ref>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2004/2004-presidential_morris_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election Morris County Official Results], [[New Jersey Department of State]], updated December 13, 2004. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref>}} <!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} --> {{PresRow|2024|Republican|510|433|21|New Jersey}} {{PresRow|2020|Republican|572|453|14|New Jersey}} {{PresRow|2016|Republican|471|335|22|New Jersey}} {{PresRow|2012|Republican|506|273|7|New Jersey}} {{PresRow|2008|Republican|517|322|10|New Jersey}} {{PresRow|2004|Republican|570|271|13|New Jersey}} |} As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,038 registered voters in Chester, of which 188 (18.1%) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 500 (48.2%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 350 (33.7%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were no voters registered to other parties.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-morris-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Morris], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 18, 2012.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Republican [[Mitt Romney]] received 64.4% of the vote (506 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barack Obama]] with 34.7% (273 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (7 votes), among the 789 ballots cast by the borough's 1,092 registered voters (3 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 72.3%.<ref name=2012Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-morris.pdf |title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Morris 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-morris.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 6, 2012 - General Election Results - Morris 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 60.6% of the vote (517 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.7% (322 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (10 votes), among the 853 ballots cast by the borough's 1,102 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.4%.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-morris.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Morris County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 18, 2012.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Republican [[George W. Bush]] received 66.7% of the vote (570 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat [[John Kerry]] with 31.7% (271 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (13 votes), among the 855 ballots cast by the borough's 1,122 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 76.2.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_morris_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Morris County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed December 18, 2012.</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 79.9% of the vote (437 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 18.8% (103 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (7 votes), among the 556 ballots cast by the borough's 1,110 registered voters (9 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 50.1%.<ref name=2013Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-morris.pdf |title=Governor - Morris 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-morris.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Morris 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 69.7% of the vote (439 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] with 21.6% (136 votes), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 7.1% (45 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (6 votes), among the 630 ballots cast by the borough's 1,079 registered voters, yielding a 58.4% turnout.<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-morris.pdf 2009 Governor: Morris County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017231210/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-morris.pdf |date=October 17, 2012 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed December 18, 2012.</ref>
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