Editing Lebanon Township, New Jersey (section)

== Government ==

===Local government===
Lebanon Township is governed under the [[Township (New Jersey)|Township]] form of government, a form used by 141 municipalities (of the 564) statewide.<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, comprised of five members, is 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. 103.</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=Committee/>

{{As of|2022}}, the Lebanon Township Committee consists of [[Mayor]] Beverly Koehler ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]], term on committee ends December 31, 2025; term as mayor ends 2023), Deputy Mayor Thomas R. McKee (R, term on committee and as deputy mayor ends 2023), Abe Abuchowski (R, 2023; appointed to serve an unexpired term), Michael Schmidt (R, 2024) and Brian K. Wunder (R, 2025).<ref name=Committee>[https://lebanontownship.net/township-committee/ Township Committee], Lebanon Township. Accessed May 4, 2023. "The Township of Lebanon is governed by a five member Township Committee consisting of township residents elected for three year terms. The committee organizes annually during the first week in January, at which time it elects a Mayor and Deputy Mayor from among its members.... In addition to the Township Committee, a number of boards, commissions, and committees, comprised of township residents, are established."</ref><ref>[https://lebanontownship.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/1019_certifiedintrobudget_2023.pdf#page=14 2023 Municipal Data Sheet], Lebanon Township. Accessed May 4, 2023.</ref><ref name=HunterdonPage>[https://co.hunterdon.nj.us/921/Lebanon-Township Township of Lebanon], [[Hunterdon County, New Jersey]]. Accessed May 4, 2023.</ref><ref name=HunterdonDirectory>[https://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/5487/2022-Hunterdon-County-and-Municipal-Officials-Directory-PDF#page=81 ''2022 County and Municipal Directory''], [[Hunterdon County, New Jersey]]. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Hunterdon2022>[https://co.hunterdon.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/9118/G2022-Official-SOV-PDF Hunterdon County District Canvass November 8, 2022, General Election], [[Hunterdon County, New Jersey]], updated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Hunterdon2021>[https://co.hunterdon.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/6226/2021-General-Election-Official-Results-by-Municipality-PDF November 2, 2021 District Report Hunterdon County Official Results], [[Hunterdon County, New Jersey]], updated November 12, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Hunterdon2020>[https://co.hunterdon.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/8592/2020-Official-General-Election-Results-Municipality-PDF November 3, 2020 District Report Hunterdon County Official Results], [[Hunterdon County, New Jersey]], updated November 20, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref>

In January 2021, the Township Committee appointed Abe Abuchowski to fill the seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Brian Wunder who resigned from office the previous month.<ref>Resnick, Marin. [https://www.newjerseyhills.com/hunterdon_review/news/audio-lebanon-township-swears-in-two-returning-one-new-committee-member/article_6589fa96-ee1b-59ea-bc96-1c91005ab5b5.html "Lebanon Township swears in two returning, one new committee member"], ''Hunterdon Review'', January 11, 2021. Accessed June 26, 2022. "The Township Committee swore in returning members Tom McKee and Marc Laul and welcomed newest member Abe Abuchowski during its annual reorganization meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 6.... Abuchowski fills the one-year, unexpired term of Brian Wunder who resigned in December."</ref> Abuchowski served on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when Guy Wilson was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref>Primerano, Jane. [https://www.newjerseyhills.com/hunterdon_review/news/video-lebanon-township-swears-guy-wilson-onto-committee-clarifies-medical-cannabis-license/article_328c8121-c0e6-5b1a-a7e2-4c74fb27c51d.html "Lebanon Township swears Guy Wilson onto committee; clarifies medical cannabis license"], ''New Jersey Hills'', November 21, 2021. "Republican Guy Wilson was sworn in as the newest member of the Township Committee at its Wednesday, Nov. 17, meeting. He replaces Republican Abe Abuchowski, who was appointed in January of this year to fill the unexpired term of Republican Brian Wunder, who resigned last year."</ref>

=== Federal, state and county representation ===
Lebanon 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 23rd 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#23 Districts by Number for 2011-2020], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

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

{{NJ Legislative 23}}

{{NJ Hunterdon County Freeholders}}

===Politics===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 4,366 registered voters in Lebanon Township, of which 723 (16.6%) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 1,759 (40.3%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 1,881 (43.1%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 3 voters registered as [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarians]] or [[Green Party (United States)|Greens]].<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-hunterdon-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Hunterdon], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 15, 2012.</ref>

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Republican [[Mitt Romney]] received 63.3% of the vote (2,048 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barack Obama]] with 35.3% (1,140 votes), and other candidates with 1.4% (46 votes), among the 3,250 ballots cast by the township's 4,543 registered voters (16 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 71.5%.<ref name=2012Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-hunterdon.pdf |title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Hunterdon 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-hunterdon.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 6, 2012 - General Election Results - Hunterdon 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 60.4% of the vote (2,119 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.2% (1,305 votes) and other candidates with 1.7% (59 votes), among the 3,507 ballots cast by the township's 4,450 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.8%.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-hunterdon.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Hunterdon County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 15, 2012.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Republican [[George W. Bush]] received 63.9% of the vote (2,152 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat [[John Kerry]] with 34.7% (1,170 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (49 votes), among the 3,370 ballots cast by the township's 4,249 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 79.3.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_hunterdon_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Hunterdon County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 15, 2012.</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Lebanon Township|source=<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>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
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{{PresRow|2020|Republican|2,462|1,651|99|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,127|1,170|169|New Jersey}}
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{{PresRow|2004|Republican|2,152|1,170|49|New Jersey}}
|}

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 74.6% of the vote (1,547 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 23.0% (477 votes), and other candidates with 2.5% (51 votes), among the 2,118 ballots cast by the township's 4,499 registered voters (43 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 47.1%.<ref name=2013Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-hunterdon.pdf |title=Governor - Hunterdon 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-hunterdon.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Hunterdon 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 70.3% of the vote (1,851 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] with 20.5% (539 votes), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 7.9% (208 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (15 votes), among the 2,633 ballots cast by the township's 4,396 registered voters, yielding a 59.9% turnout.<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-hunterdon.pdf 2009 Governor: Hunterdon County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017230346/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-hunterdon.pdf |date=2012-10-17 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 15, 2012.</ref>