Editing Clinton, New Jersey (section)

==Government==
[[File:Clinton, NJ town hall, July 2023.jpg|thumb|right|Clinton Municipal Building]]

===Local government===
Clinton is governed under the [[Town (New Jersey)|Town]] form of municipal government. The town is one of nine municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this traditional form of government.<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 six-member Town Council, all of whom are chosen [[at-large]] in partisan elections held as part of the November general election. The Mayor is elected [[direct election|directly]] by the voters to a four-year term of office. Members of the Town Council are elected to three-year terms of office 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. 103.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=5 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 5. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The primary responsibilities of the council are to serve as the legislative body of the town, approve the annual budget presented by the Mayor, approve payment of bills and serve as Liaisons to several Boards and Committees.

{{As of|2024}}, the mayor of Clinton Town is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Janice Kovach, whose fourth term of office ends on December 31, 2027; she first took office as mayor in 2012.<ref>Kiriluk-Hill, Renée. [http://www.nj.com/hunterdon-county-democrat/index.ssf/2012/01/new_clinton_mayor_janice_kovac.html "New Clinton Mayor Janice Kovach is sworn in by state Sen. Barbara Buono"], ''[[Hunterdon County Democrat]]'', January 4, 2012. Accessed September 14, 2013. "Janice Kovach, a Democrat, was sworn into a four-year term as mayor at a standing-room-only Town Council reorganization meeting on Monday, Jan. 2."</ref> Members of the Clinton Town Council are Nick Bruno ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]], 2027), John Kashwick (D, 2026), Mary "Molly" Padmos (D, 2025), Kyle Perloff (R, 2027), Kim Stentz (D, 2026) and Ross Traphagen (R, 2025).<ref name=MayorCouncil>[https://www.clintonnj.gov/mayor-council Mayor and Council], Town of Clinton. Accessed February 17, 2024. "The Clinton Town Council is composed of 6 Council members that are elected by the community. Council terms of office are three years and two Council seats are up for election each year."</ref><ref>[https://www.clintonnj.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif411/f/uploads/2023_introduced_clinton_budget.pdf#page=12 2023 Municipal Data Sheet], Town of Clinton. Accessed June 23, 2022.</ref><ref name=HunterdonPage>[https://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/903/The-Town-of-Clinton Town of Clinton], [[Hunterdon County, New Jersey]]. Accessed February 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=HunterdonDirectory>[https://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/13706/2023-County-Directory?bidId=#page=51 ''2023 County and Municipal Directory''], [[Hunterdon County, New Jersey]]. Accessed February 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=Hunterdon2023>[https://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/13515/2023-General-Election-Official-Results-PDF?bidId= 2023 Official Statement of Results General Election November 7, 2023], [[Hunterdon County, New Jersey]], November 17, 2023. Accessed February 17, 2024.</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>

====Fire department====
Clinton Fire Department (CFD) is located on the corner of New Street / Old Route 22 in Clinton. About 15% of the department's calls annually involve actual fire, while the rest of the CFD's calls are roughly broken down to 15% motor vehicle accidents, 15% hazardous conditions, 5% service calls, 25% good intent calls with no fire found and 25% alarm activations/false alarms, averaging about 190 calls annually.<ref>[http://www.clintonfd.org/ Home page], Clinton Fire Department. Accessed July 21, 2011.</ref> The department offers three types of membership to prospective members: Active firefighter, Junior firefighter and Associate membership. The department runs mutual aid calls with Annandale Hose Company, High Bridge Fire Department, Quakertown Fire Company, Lebanon Fire Company and Pattenburg Fire Company and other fire departments in Hunterdon Country, which work together as part of the North Hunterdon Fire Alliance.<ref>[https://www.clintonfd.org/north-hunterdon-fire-alliance North Hunterdon Fire Alliance], Clinton Fire Department. Accessed September 2, 2020.</ref>

===Federal, state and county representation===
Clinton Town 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 16th 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 16}}

{{NJ Hunterdon County Freeholders}}

===Politics===
As of June 2023, there were a total of 2,283 registered voters in Clinton, of which 785 (34.4%) were registered as Democrats, 764 (33.5%) registered as Republicans, and 734 (32.2%) as unaffiliated or members of other parties.<ref>[https://nj-hunterdoncounty.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/12259/Official-P2023-by-Municipality-PDF?bidId= Summary Results Report Official Results June 6, 2023 Primary Election], [[Hunterdon County, New Jersey]], June 15, 2023. Accessed March 13, 2024.</ref> This compares to March 2011, when there were a total of 1,671 registered voters in Clinton, of which 439 (26.3%) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 529 (31.7%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 700 (41.9%) 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 14, 2012.</ref>

In the 2020 presidential election, Democrat Joe Biden received 959 votes (54%), Donald Trump received 774 votes (44%), and 41 votes going to others.<ref>[https://www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/8592/2020-Official-General-Election-Results-Municipality-PDF November 3, 2020 District Report], [[Hunterdon County, New Jersey]], November 20, 2020. Accessed March 13, 2024.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Republican [[Mitt Romney]] received 52.0% of the vote (693 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barack Obama]] with 46.7% (623 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (17 votes), among the 1,351 ballots cast by the town's 1,780 registered voters (18 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 75.9%.<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]], Democrat Barack Obama received 49.4% of the vote (704 cast), ahead of Republican [[John McCain]] with 48.7% (694 votes) and other candidates with 1.2% (17 votes), among the 1,426 ballots cast by the town's 1,732 registered voters, for a turnout of 82.3%.<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 14, 2012.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Republican [[George W. Bush]] received 54.8% of the vote (761 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat [[John Kerry]] with 44.0% (611 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (12 votes), among the 1,389 ballots cast by the town's 1,671 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 83.1.<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 14, 2012.</ref>

{{PresHead|place=Clinton|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>}}
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{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|774|959|41|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|647|666|82|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|693|623|17|New Jersey}}
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{{PresRow|2004|Republican|761|611|12|New Jersey}}
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In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 69.2% of the vote (577 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 28.1% (234 votes), and other candidates with 2.8% (23 votes), among the 840 ballots cast by the town's 1,757 registered voters (6 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 47.8%.<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 60.5% of the vote (620 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] with 27.7% (284 votes), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 9.5% (97 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (7 votes), among the 1,025 ballots cast by the town's 1,711 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=October 17, 2012 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 14, 2012.</ref>