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==Government== ===Local government=== Bernardsville 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. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes of 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. 77.</ref> The borough form of government used by Bernardsville 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=2014-09-24 }}, [[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|2024}}, the [[mayor]] of Bernardsville is [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] Mary Jane Canose, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Jena McCredie (R, 2025), Jay Ambelang (R, 2024), Chad McQueen (R, 2025), Albert Ribeiro (R, 2024), Jeffrey Roos ([[Democratic Party (United States)|D]], 2026) and Christine Zamarra (D, 2026).<ref name=Officials>[https://www.bernardsvilleboro.org/government/mayor Elected Officials], Bernardsville Borough. Accessed May 19, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.bernardsvilleboro.org/government/budgets/2024-1/1347-2024-introduced-budget-public-hearing-may-28th-7-00pm/file 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Bernardsville Borough. Accessed May 19, 2024.</ref><ref name=SomersetDirectory>[https://www.co.somerset.nj.us/home/showpublisheddocument/46227/638203671214730000#page=54 ''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 June 2021, Democrat Thomas O'Dea Jr. resigned from office from a seat expiring in December 2023.<ref>Kipp, Guy. [https://www.tapinto.net/towns/bernardsville-and-bedminster/sections/government/articles/tom-o-dea-takes-part-in-his-final-bernardsville-council-meeting "Tom O'Dea Takes Part in His Final Bernardsville Council Meeting"], [[TAPinto]] Bernardsville and Bedminster, June 29, 2021. Accessed April 25, 2022. "Bernardsville Councilman Thomas O'Dea Jr. attended his final Borough Council meeting as a member of the town's governing body on Monday night. O'Dea announced earlier in June that he would be resigning his seat on the Borough Council effective June 30."</ref> In July 2021, the borough council selected Matthew Marino from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the vacant seat on an interim basis.<ref>[https://www.bernardsvilleboro.org/meetings/meeting-documents/mayor-council-meeting/2021-mayor-council-meeting-documents/2021-minutes-mayor-council/330-07-12-2021-mayor-council-meeting-minutes/file Meeting Minutes for July 12, 2021], Borough of Bernardsville. Accessed April 25, 2022. "Council Appointment to Vacancy Mr. Donahue moved to appoint Matthew Marino to fill a vacancy on the Borough Council from July 12th to when the General Election results are certified. Mr. McQueen seconded. Mr. Donahue, Mr. Hammond, Ms. McCredie, Mr. McQueen, and Ms. Zamarra voted yes."</ref> In November 2021, Republican Diane Greenfield was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Somerset2021/> In December 2018, the borough council selected Diane Greenfield from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the balance of the unexpired term of office ending in December 2019 that had been held by Michael C. Sullivan until he resigned from office earlier that month.<ref>Zavalick, Charlie. [https://www.newjerseyhills.com/bernardsville_news/news/diane-greenfield-appointed-to-bernardsville-council/article_e3826ae4-627e-5bae-8125-c9207615fd92.html "Diane Greenfield appointed to Bernardsville Council"], ''The Bernardsville News'', December 29, 2018. Accessed September 10, 2019. "In a selection process that involved three borough Republican leaders, Diane Greenfield was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Borough Council on Thursday morning, Dec. 27. A resident of Old Wood Road, Greenfield was unanimously chosen by the council to fill the final year of a three-year term vacated by former Republican Councilman Mike Sullivan, who resigned for business reasons."</ref> In February 2018, Republican John Donahue was selected by the borough council from three candidates nominated by the local party committee and appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2018 that had been held by Michael dePoortere until he resigned from office earlier that month; Donohue will serve on an interim basis until the November 2018 general election.<ref>Polakiewicz, David. [http://www.newjerseyhills.com/bernardsville_news/news/donahue-to-fill-bernardsville-council-vacancy/article_caf59724-1097-5385-8a72-b409671c994f.html "Donahue to fill Bernardsville Council vacancy Sparring, criticism mark selection process"], ''The Bernardsville News'', February 28, 2018. Accessed June 29, 2018. "South Street resident John Donahue was chosen from among three nominees proposed by the Republican Municipal Committee (RMC) to fill 10 months remaining on the vacant council term of Michael dePoortere, a Republican who resigned in early February for job-related reasons."</ref> In March 2018, Mayor Kevin Sooy, elected as a Republican, announced that he was switching parties and would run for re-election as a Democrat, saying that he was in sync with the platform of the local Democratic Party on issues facing the town.<ref>Deak, Mike. [https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/politics/2018/03/23/bernardsville-mayor-kevin-sooy-democrat/453567002/ "Bernardsville Mayor Kevin Sooy switches parties, will run as Democrat"], ''[[Courier News]]'', March 23, 2018. Accessed June 29, 2018. "For the first time in decades, Bernardsville, where Democrats were once considered an endangered species, has a Democratic mayor. Mayor Kevin Sooy has declared he is switching parties and will run for re-election as a Democrat.... Sooy said he is 'fully aligned' with the issues Bernardsville Democrats have championed in their last few campaigns, including infrastructure development, recreational facilities, downtown revitalization, open space and walkability, aquifer protection, safe housing in all neighborhoods, and fiscal responsibility."</ref> He would be defeated in the primary by Thomas O'Dea Jr. who was defeated in the general election by Republican Mary Jane Canose.<ref>Tarrazi, Alexis. [https://patch.com/new-jersey/bernardsville-bedminster/real-time-results-bernardsville-bedminster-election-2018 "Real-Time Results: Bernardsville, Bedminster Election 2018"], [[Patch Media|Bernardsville-Bedminster, NJ Patch]], November 7, 2018. Accessed April 11, 2023. There are two candidates vying for the four-year mayor seat including: Democratic Councilman Thomas O'Dea, Jr. and Republican Mary Jane Canose.... Bernardsville Borough Mayor Votes; Thomas O'Dea, Jr. - D 1,729; Mary Jane Canose - R; 1,882"</ref> In 2018, the borough had an average property tax bill of $15,362, 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.βs 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 Bernardsville Borough was $15,362 in 2018, the highest in Somerset County."</ref> ===Federal, state and county representation=== Bernardsville 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> {{NJ Congress 07}} {{NJ Senate}} {{NJ Legislative 21}} {{NJ Somerset County Commissioners}} ===Politics=== [[File:2018.Fenwick.Bernardsville.jpg|thumb|Millicent Fenwick, the "grand dame"<ref>{{cite book| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sE35ojk2ECQC&q=millicent+fenwick+grande+dame&pg=PA219 |author=Amy Shapiro| title=Millicent Fenwick: Her Way |year=2003|publisher=[[Rutgers University Press]], New Brunswick, New Jersey, 2003| page=217| isbn=0-8135-3231-0}}</ref> of Bernardsville]] As of March 2011, there were a total of 5,341 registered voters in Bernardsville, of which 955 (17.9% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 2,472 (46.3% vs. 25.7%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 1,913 (35.8% vs. 48.2%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|unaffiliated]]. There was one voter registered to another party.<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 borough's 2010 Census population, 69.3% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 97.1% 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 61.5% of the vote (2,318 cast), ahead of incumbent [[President of the United States|President]] [[Barack Obama]], a Democrat, with 37.3% (1,408 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (44 votes), among the 3,788 ballots cast by the borough's 5,673 registered voters (18 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 66.8%.<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 2,295 votes (55.8% vs. 46.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Obama with 1,753 votes (42.6% vs. 52.1%) and other candidates with 41 votes (1.0% vs. 1.1%), among the 4,113 ballots cast by the borough's 5,208 registered voters, for a turnout of 79.0% (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 2,495 votes (61.0% vs. 51.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[John Kerry]] with 1,543 votes (37.7% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 37 votes (0.9% vs. 0.9%), among the 4,093 ballots cast by the borough's 4,909 registered voters, for a turnout of 83.4% (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 77.9% of the vote (2,118 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 20.7% (564 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (37 votes), among the 2,762 ballots cast by the borough's 5,728 registered voters (43 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 48.2%.<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 Christie received 1,867 votes (60.2% vs. 55.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] with 747 votes (24.1% vs. 34.1%), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 463 votes (14.9% vs. 8.7%) and other candidates with 13 votes (0.4% vs. 0.7%), among the 3,099 ballots cast by the borough's 5,304 registered voters, yielding a 58.4% 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%;" |+ Bernardsville 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}}|'''50.5%''' ''2,371'' |align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|47.5% ''2,231'' |align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|2.0% ''93'' |- |align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|[[2020 United States presidential election|2020]] |align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''53.8%''' ''2,608'' |align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|43.7% ''2,116'' |align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.7% ''84'' |- |align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2016 United States presidential election|2016]] |align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|45.2% ''1,860'' |align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''50.4%''' ''2,071'' |align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|4.4% ''180'' |- |align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2012 United States presidential election|2012]] |align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|37.3%''1,408'' |align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''61.5%''' ''2,318'' |align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.2% ''54'' |- |align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2008 United States presidential election|2008]] |align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|42.6% ''1,753'' |align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''55.8%''' ''2,295'' |align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|1.0% ''41'' |- |align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|[[2004 United States presidential election|2004]] |align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|37.7% ''1,543'' |align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''61.0%''' ''2,495'' |align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}}|0.9% ''37'' |- |}
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