Editing Cranbury, New Jersey (section)

== Government ==

=== Local government ===
[[File:23 North Main Street, Cranbury, NJ.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Cranbury Town Hall, the [[Old Cranbury School]]]]
Cranbury Township is governed under the [[Township (New Jersey)|township]] form of government, one of 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide governed under this form.<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; all terms of office end on December 31.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 70.</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. In 1990, the Cranbury Township Committee was expanded from three to five members and the position of Township Administrator was established by ordinance.<ref name=Committee/>

{{As of|2025}}, members of the Cranbury Township Committee are Mayor Lisa Knierim ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]], term on committee and as mayor ends December 31, 2025), Deputy Mayor Eman El-Badawi (D, term on committee ends 2027; term as deputy mayor ends 2025), Robert Christopher (D, 2027), Barbara F. Rogers (D, 2025) and Matthew A. Scott (D, 2026).<ref name=Committee>[https://www.cranburytownship.org/township-committee Township Committee], Cranbury Township. Accessed January 5, 2025. "The Township Committee is the governing body established by State law for the Township form of government. The membership of the Cranbury Township Committee was expanded from three to five in January 1990. The terms of the members are for three years, staggered, so that at least one member is up for election every year. The membership annually chooses one of the members as Mayor."</ref><ref>[https://www.cranburytownship.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif4296/f/uploads/municipal_budget_2024.pdf 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Cranbury Township. Accessed April 21, 2024.</ref><ref name=Middlesex2024>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Middlesex/122847/web.345435/#/summary Tuesday, November 5 General Election Official Results], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey]], updated November 27, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Middlesex2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Middlesex/119048/web.317647/#/summary November 7, 2023 General Election Official Results], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey]], December 7, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Middlesex2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Middlesex/116148/web.307039/#/summary November 8, 2022 General Election Official Results], [[Middlesex County, New Jersey]], updated November 22, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref>

In 2023, the township had the lowest effective property tax rate in Middlesex County at 1.621%.<ref>[https://www.nj.gov/njbonds/treasury/taxation/pdf/lpt/gtr/2023taxrates.pdf 2023 General Tax Rates], [[New Jersey Department of Treasury]]. Accessed January 5, 2025</ref> In 2018, the township had an average property tax bill of $11,960, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $8,767 statewide.<ref>Marcus, Samantha. [https://www.nj.com/politics/2019/04/these-are-the-towns-with-the-highest-property-taxes-in-each-of-njs-21-counties.html "These are the towns with the highest property taxes in each of N.J.’s 21 counties"], NJ Advance Media for [[NJ.com]], April 22, 2019. Accessed November 5, 2019. "The average property tax bill in New Jersey was $8,767 last year. But there can be big swings from town to town and county to county.... The average property tax bill in Cranbury Township was $11,960 in 2018, the highest in Middlesex County."</ref>

=== Federal, state and county representation ===
Cranbury Township is located in the 12th 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 14th 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#14 Districts by Number for 2011-2020], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

{{NJ Congress 12}} {{NJ Senate}}

{{NJ Legislative 14}}

{{NJ Middlesex County Commissioners}}

===Politics===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 2,768 registered voters in Cranbury Township, of which 836 (30.2%) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 684 (24.7%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 1,246 (45.0%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 2 voters registered as either [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarians]] or [[Green Party (United States)|Greens]].<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-middlesex-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Middlesex], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 22, 2012.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Presidential election results
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
![[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
![[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
![[Third Party (United States)|Third parties]]
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2024 United States presidential election in New Jersey|2024]]<ref name="2024Elections">{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2024/2024-official-general-results-president-middlesex.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 5, 2024 - Middlesex County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=January 9, 2025}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|36.2% ''892''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''60.7%'''  ''1,497''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |3.1% ''61''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2020|2020]]<ref name="2020Elections">{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2020/2020-official-general-results-president-middlesex.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 3, 2020 - Middlesex County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2022}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|34.5% ''872''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''63.2%'''  ''1,596''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |2.2% ''55''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2016|2016]]<ref name="2016Elections">{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.gov/state/elections/2016-results/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-middlesex.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 8, 2016 - Middlesex County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2017}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|37.1% ''794''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''55.9%'''  ''1,196''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |7.0% ''150''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.gov/state/elections/2016-results/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-middlesex.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Middlesex County|date=March 15, 2013|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 23, 2014}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|46.9% ''971''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''52.0%'''  ''1,076''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.1% ''22''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008]]'''<ref name="state.nj.us">[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-middlesex.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Middlesex County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 22, 2012.</ref>
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|45.3% ''986''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.0%'''  ''1,153''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.3% ''29''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004]]'''<ref name="Presidential Election 2004">[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_middlesex_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Middlesex County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 22, 2012.</ref>
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''50.8%''' ''1,044''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|48.0%  ''987''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.9% ''23''
|-
|}

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Democrat [[Barack Obama]] received 52.0% of the vote (1,076 cast), ahead of Republican [[Mitt Romney]] with 46.9% (971 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (22 votes), among the 2,082 ballots cast by the township's 2,839 registered voters (13 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 73.3%.<ref name=2012Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-middlesex.pdf |title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Middlesex 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-middlesex.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 6, 2012 - General Election Results - Middlesex 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]], Democrat Barack Obama received 53.0% of the vote (1,153 cast), ahead of Republican [[John McCain]] with 45.3% (986 votes) and other candidates with 1.3% (29 votes), among the 2,176 ballots cast by the township's 2,777 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.4%.<ref name="state.nj.us"/> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Republican [[George W. Bush]] received 50.8% of the vote (1,044 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat [[John Kerry]] with 48.0% (987 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (23 votes), among the 2,055 ballots cast by the township's 2,510 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 81.9.<ref name="Presidential Election 2004"/>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Gubernatorial Election results
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
![[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
![[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
![[Third Party (United States)|Third parties]]
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2021|2021]]<ref name="2021Elections">{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2021/2021-general-election-results-governor-middlesex.pdf|title=Governor - Middlesex County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2022}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|41.6% ''727''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''57.3%''' ''999''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.1% ''18''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2017|2017]]<ref name="2017Elections">{{cite web|url=http://www.njelections.org/2017-results/2017-general-election-results-governor-middlesex.pdf|title=Governor - Middlesex County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180101082423/http://www.njelections.org/2017-results/2017-general-election-results-governor-middlesex.pdf|archive-date=January 1, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|47.2% ''655''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''51.6%'''  ''716''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.2% ''17''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013]]<ref name="2013Elections">{{cite web|url=http://nj.gov/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-middlesex.pdf|title=Governor - Middlesex County|date=January 29, 2014|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 24, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910072807/http://www.nj.gov/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-middlesex.pdf|archive-date=September 10, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''67.1%''' ''941''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|31.3%  ''439''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.6% ''22''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|2009]]'''<ref name="2009Elections">{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.gov/state/elections/election-results/2009-governor_results-middlesex.pdf|title=Governor - Middlesex County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=January 2, 2018}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''54.6%''' ''901''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|35.5%  ''585''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |9.4% ''155''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2005|2005]]'''<ref name="2005Elections">{{cite web|url=http://www.nj.gov/state/elections/election-results/2005governor's_results-middlesex.pdf|title=Governor - Middlesex County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=January 2, 2018}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''50.9%''' ''787''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|44.7%  ''691''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |3.2% ''49''
|}

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 67.1% of the vote (941 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 31.3% (439 votes), and other candidates with 1.6% (22 votes), among the 1,421 ballots cast by the township's 2,850 registered voters (19 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 49.9%.<ref name=2013Elections/><ref name=2013VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-ballotscast-middlesex.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Middlesex 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 54.6% of the vote (901 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] with 35.5% (585 votes), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 8.7% (144 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (11 votes), among the 1,649 ballots cast by the township's 2,711 registered voters, yielding a 60.8% turnout.<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-middlesex.pdf 2009 Governor: Middlesex County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017230558/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-middlesex.pdf |date=2012-10-17 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 22, 2012.</ref>