Editing Dennis Township, New Jersey (section)

=== Local government ===
Dennis 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. 8.</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 and another as Deputy Mayor. The Committee members serve in a part-time capacity and receive an annual salary.<ref name=History>[http://www.dennistwp.org/history.htm History and Organization of the Dennis Township Committee] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070726070419/http://www.dennistwp.org/history.htm |date=2007-07-26 }}, Dennis Township. Accessed March 6, 2007.</ref>

The governing body originally consisted of three elected officials, one of which would be elected by the membership to serve as the Mayor. In 1989 voters approved a ballot question to increase the membership from three members to five members, and in November 1990 the voters elected two additional Committee members. The first five-member committee took office in January 1991 at which time the governing body established the position of Township Administrator.<ref name=History/>

{{As of|2023}}, the members of the Dennis Township Committee are [[Mayor]] Zeth Anthony Matalucci ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]], term on committee ends December 31, 2025; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy Mayor Scott J. Turner (R, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2023), Matthew J. Cox (R, 2025), Frank L. Germanio Jr. (R, 2024) and Thomas Van Artsdalen III (R, 2023).<ref name=Personnel>[https://dennistwp.org/township-personnel/ Township Personnel], Township of Dennis. Accessed June 9, 2023.</ref><ref>[https://dennistwp.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023-Adopted-Budget-min.pdf 2023 Municipal Data Sheet], Dennis Township. Accessed July 26, 2022.</ref><ref name=CapeMayOfficials>[https://www.capemaycountyvotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2023-All-Elected-Officials-INTERNET-July.pdf 2023 County & Municipal Elected Officials Cape May County, NJ -- July 2023], [[Cape May County, New Jersey]], August 3, 2023. Accessed August 23, 2023.</ref><ref name=CapeMay2022>[https://www.capemaycountyvotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/1.-2022-GENERAL-SUMMARY-REPORT-OFFICIAL.pdf Summary Results Report 2022 November Cape May General Election November 8, 2022 Official Results], [[Cape May County, New Jersey]], updated November 17, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=CapeMay2021>[https://www.capemaycountyvotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/2021-General-Successful-Candidates.pdf 2021 General Election Successful Candidates], [[Cape May County, New Jersey]], updated November 16, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=CapeMay2020>[https://www.capemaycountyvotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-Successful-General-Candidates.pdf 2020 General Election Successful Candidates], [[Cape May County, New Jersey]], updated December 4, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref>

In October 2017, the Township Committee appointed Nicolas Elisano to fill the seat expiring December 2019 that became vacant following the resignation of Melanie Smith, who was moving out of the township.<ref>Sailer, Camille. [https://www.capemaycountyherald.com/news/government/article_f5838056-bdb3-11e7-8cc0-2bf4a46662d9.html "Elisano Replaces Smith on Dennis Committee"], ''[[Cape May County Herald]]'', October 30, 2017. Accessed September 16, 2019. "Dennis Township Committee approved a resolution Oct. 24 authorizing the appointment of Nicolas Elisano to fill a vacancy on the governing body. He was sworn in at the same session. The vacancy resulted from the resignation of Committee member Melanie Smith."</ref> In November 2018, Matthew J. Cox was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=CapeMay2018>[https://www.capemaycountyvotes.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/2018-General-Election-Statement-of-Vote.pdf 2018 General Election Statement of Vote], [[Cape May County, New Jersey]], updated November 26, 2018. Accessed January 1, 2019.</ref>