Elk Township, New Jersey

Elk Township is a township in Gloucester County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 4,424,<ref name=LWD2020/> an increase of 208 (+4.9%) from the 2010 census count of 4,216,<ref name=Census2010/><ref name=LWD2010/> which in turn reflected an increase of 702 (+20.0%) from the 3,514 counted in the 2000 census.<ref>Table 7. Population for the Counties and Municipalities in New Jersey: 1990, 2000 and 2010, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, February 2011. Accessed May 1, 2023.</ref>

Elk Township was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 17, 1891, from portions of Clayton Township, Glassboro Township, and South Harrison Township.<ref name=Story>Snyder, John P. The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 138. Accessed October 25, 2012.</ref> The township was named for elk hunted in the area.<ref>Hutchinson, Viola L. The Origin of New Jersey Place Names, New Jersey Public Library Commission, May 1945. Accessed August 30, 2015.</ref>

Until 2016, Elk Township had been a dry township where alcohol could not be sold.<ref>New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control. New Jersey ABC list of dry towns (May 1, 2013)</ref><ref>Giordano, Rita. "More towns catching liquor-license buzz; Moorestown considers ending its dry spell", The Philadelphia Inquirer, June 24, 2007. Accessed February 16, 2014.</ref> That year, the township sold a package goods license for $300,000 which allows the sale of alcohol for off-premise consumption.<ref>O'Brien, Kathleen. "What it means to be one of N.J.'s 32 'dry' towns", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, December 21, 2016. Accessed August 2, 2017. "'You can't very well sell alcohol to the beavers and the squirrels,' said Debbie Pine, township clerk for Elk Township in Gloucester County. The township recently put its first consumption out to bid in a sealed bid auction - and got no takers. It did, however, sell its first package goods license for $300,033, which is why she described the town as 'kinda-sorta' dry."</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 19.34 square miles (50.08 km²), including 19.16 square miles (49.61 km²) of land and 0.18 square miles (0.47 km²) of water (0.93%).<ref name=CensusArea/><ref name=GR1 /> Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Aura, Ferrell, Harding, Hardingville and Monroeville.<ref>Locality Search, State of New Jersey. Accessed May 21, 2015.</ref>

The township borders the municipalities of Clayton, Franklin Township, Glassboro, Harrison Township and South Harrison Township in Gloucester County; and Upper Pittsgrove Township in Salem County.<ref>Municipalities within Gloucester County, NJ, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Accessed November 7, 2019.</ref><ref>New Jersey Municipal Boundaries, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed November 7, 2019.</ref>

Demographics

2010 census

The 2010 United States census counted 4,216 people, 1,474 households, and 1,117 families in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 1,576 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup was 79.74% (3,362) White, 14.78% (623) Black or African American, 0.52% (22) Native American, 0.64% (27) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 1.71% (72) from other races, and 2.61% (110) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.10% (215) of the population.<ref name=Census2010/>

Of the 1,474 households, 30.3% had children under the age of 18; 59.1% were married couples living together; 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present and 24.2% were non-families. Of all households, 17.9% were made up of individuals and 8.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.20.<ref name=Census2010/>

23.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females, the population had 95.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 96.8 males.<ref name=Census2010/>

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $63,194 (with a margin of error of +/− $18,724) and the median family income was $74,412 (+/− $15,399). Males had a median income of $56,786 (+/− $16,223) versus $39,900 (+/− $15,570) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,707 (+/− $3,616). About 9.3% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.<ref>DP03: Selected Economic Characteristics from the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates for Elk township, Gloucester County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 7, 2012.</ref>

2000 census

As of the 2000 U.S. census,<ref name="GR2" /> there were 3,514 people, 1,263 households, and 958 families residing in the township. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 1,347 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the township was 82.07% White, 14.26% African American, 0.57% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 1.37% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.93% of the population.<ref name=Census2000>Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Elk township, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed October 31, 2016.</ref><ref name=Census2000SF1>DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 - Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Elk township, Gloucester County, New Jersey Template:Webarchive, United States Census Bureau. Accessed November 7, 2012.</ref>

There were 1,263 households, out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.9% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.16.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

In the township, the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

The median income for a household in the township was $51,047, and the median income for a family was $55,472. Males had a median income of $41,604 versus $27,407 for females. The per capita income for the township was $18,621. About 8.3% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 15.7% of those age 65 or over.<ref name=Census2000/><ref name=Census2000SF1/>

Government

Local government

Elk Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 of the 564 municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state.<ref>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. 19.</ref><ref>"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.

Template:As of, the members of the Elk Township Committee are Mayor Carolyn King-Sammons (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2026; term as mayor ends 2025), Antonio Cammarata (R, 2027), Christine "Chrisy" Cowan (R, 2027), Nathaniel G. Lucas III (R, 2025) and James Rambo (R, 2026).<ref name=Committee>Township Committee, Elk Township. Accessed January 23, 2025.</ref><ref>2024 Municipal Data Sheet, Elk Township. Accessed January 23, 2025.</ref><ref name=GloucesterDirectory>Gloucester County 2024 Official Directory, Gloucester County, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Gloucester2024>General Election November 5, 2024 Unofficial Results, Gloucester County, New Jersey, updated November 18, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Gloucester2023>General Election November 7, 2023 Unofficial Results, Gloucester County, New Jersey, November 20, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Gloucester2022>General Election November 8, 2022 Summary Report Unofficial Results, Gloucester County, New Jersey Clerk, November 12, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref>

After the November 2014 general election, Elk Township Republicans declined to file for a recount with John J. Norris coming in third place (with 672 votes), six votes behind Republican Carolyn D. King-Sammons (678) and Democrat James Rambo (685).<ref>Pritchett, Kristina. "Elk Township Republicans, Democrat decline to challenge election results", South Jersey Times, November 11, 2014. Accessed January 16, 2015. "Elk Township Republicans have decided not to pursue a recount after provisional ballots were counted and determined there wouldn't be a change in results, according to Republican Chairwoman Donna Nicholson.... Republican Carolyn D. King-Sammons (678) and Democrat James Rambo (685) defeated John J. Norris (672) and Spring (668) by a handful of votes, according to unofficial results updated with provisional ballots on Monday afternoon."</ref>

Federal, state and county representation

Elk Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>Plan Components Report, New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government, New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>Districts by Number for 2011-2020, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

Politics

Template:PresHead Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow Template:PresRow |} As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,005 registered voters in Elk, of which 1,031 (34.3%) were registered as Democrats, 604 (20.1%) were registered as Republicans and 1,369 (45.6%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.<ref>Voter Registration Summary - Gloucester, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 7, 2012.</ref>

In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 51.2% of the vote (1,116 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 47.6% (1,039 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (26 votes), among the 2,201 ballots cast by the township's 3,208 registered voters (20 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 68.6%.<ref name=2012Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 51.3% of the vote (1,187 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain with 46.7% (1,080 votes) and other candidates with 1.1% (25 votes), among the 2,312 ballots cast by the township's 3,204 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.2%.<ref>2008 Presidential General Election Results: Gloucester County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 7, 2012.</ref> In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 50.9% of the vote (1,016 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 47.8% (955 votes) and other candidates with 0.5% (14 votes), among the 1,997 ballots cast by the township's 2,727 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 73.2.<ref>2004 Presidential Election: Gloucester County, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 7, 2012.</ref>

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 65.7% of the vote (962 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 33.1% (484 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (18 votes), among the 1,503 ballots cast by the township's 3,083 registered voters (39 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 48.8%.<ref name=2013Elections>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 50.7% of the vote (784 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 39.2% (607 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.2% (112 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (12 votes), among the 1,547 ballots cast by the township's 3,105 registered voters, yielding a 49.8% turnout.<ref>2009 Governor: Gloucester County Template:Webarchive, New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 7, 2012.</ref>

Education

The Elk Township School District serves students in public school for pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at Aura School.<ref>Township of Elk Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Elk Township School District. Accessed March 10, 2024. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades Pre-K through 6 in the Elk Township School District. Composition: The Elk Township School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Elk Township."</ref><ref name="gloucestercountynj.gov">2023-24 Gloucester County Office of Education Public School Directory, Gloucester County, New Jersey. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref><ref>School Performance Reports for the Elk Township School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed December 5, 2023.</ref> As of the 2022–23 school year, the district, comprised of one school, had an enrollment of 336 students and 32.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 10.3:1.<ref name=NCES>District information for Elk Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> Aura School was built in 1927 and rededicated in 1949 after a fire the previous year, with the newest addition built in 2002.<ref>History of Schools, Elk Township. Accessed February 10, 2022. "A new school was built on its present site in 1927, and in 1944 the Ferrell and Hardingville Schools were consolidated with the Aura School. In 1960 the Lawns School was closed and the pupils and teachers were transferred to the Aura School."</ref>

For seventh through twelfth grades, public school students attend the Delsea Regional School District, which serves students from both Elk Township and Franklin Township.<ref>Delsea Regional Board of Education District Policy 0110 - Identification, Delsea Regional School District. Accessed March 10, 2024. "Purpose: The Board of Education exists for the purpose of providing a thorough and efficient system of free public education in grades 7 through 12 in the Delsea Regional High School District. Composition: The Delsea Regional High School District is comprised of all the area within the municipal boundaries of Elk Township and Franklin Township."</ref><ref>Community, Delsea Regional School District. Accessed March 10, 2024. "Sending Districts: Aura Elementary School, Franklin Township Schools"</ref> Students from Newfield attend the district's schools as part of a sending/receiving relationship begun in September 2010 after Newfield ended its prior relationship with the Buena Regional School District.<ref>Romalino, Carly Q. "Newfield's 'no' could hurt other districts", Courier-Post, November 4, 2015. Accessed March 10, 2024. "In 2012, Newfield ended its send-receive agreement with Buena schools in Atlantic County, instead sending its 400 elementary and 120 high school students to districts in neighboring Franklin Township. The send-receive agreement with Franklin Township Public Schools and Delsea Regional School District — which also educated Elk Township high schoolers — was touted as cheaper tuition than Buena."</ref> Schools in the district (with 2022–23 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics<ref>School Data for the Delsea Regional School District, National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref>) are Delsea Regional Middle School<ref>Delsea Regional Middle School, Delsea Regional School District. Accessed March 10, 2024.</ref> with 518 students in grades 7-8 and Delsea Regional High School<ref>Delsea High Middle School, Delsea Regional School District. Accessed March 10, 2024.</ref> with 1,074 students in grades 9-12.<ref name="gloucestercountynj.gov"/><ref>School Performance Reports for the Delsea Regional High School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed March 10, 2024.</ref><ref>New Jersey School Directory for the Delsea Regional School District, New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed February 1, 2024.</ref> The seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated to the constituent municipalities based on population, with two seats assigned to Elk Township.<ref>Annual Comprehensive Financial Report of the Delsea Regional School District, New Jersey Department of Education, for year ending June 30, 2018. Accessed April 1, 2020. "The nine-member Board of Education is an elected body consisting of seven representatives from Franklin Township and two from Elk Township.... The Delsea Regional High School District is a Type II district located in the County of Gloucester, State of New Jersey. As a Type II District, the School District functions independently through a Board of Education. The Board is comprised of nine members elected to three-year terms."</ref>

The New Jersey Department of Education considered a vote by the Board of Education of the Franklin Township Public Schools in June 2010, requesting that the district withdraw from the Delsea Regional School District, which would require that the Delsea region be dissolved since about 80% of the regional district's students come from Franklin. With the withdrawal of Franklin Township, two options considered were to either have Franklin and Elk Townships create a new regional district with Newfield students attending on a send-receive basis, or having Franklin Township establish its own Pre-K–12 district which would receive students from both Elk Township and Newfield.<ref>Bumpus, Robert L. "Report of the Interim Executive County Superintendent of Schools on the Withdrawal of Franklin Township School District from Delsea Regional School District, a Limited Purpose Regional School District"Template:Dead link, New Jersey Department of Education, March 30, 2012. Accessed September 8, 2013.</ref><ref>Cooney, Joe. "Vote could end Delsea district; Franklin board seeks K-12 system", Asbury Park Press, July 13, 2012. Accessed December 24, 2014. "Franklin — The township's school board is seeking approval for a referendum that could lead to dissolution of the Delsea Regional School District. Franklin and Elk currently make up the regional district for students in grades 7 to 12. If a vote takes place, residents in those communities would decide on whether to create a new district for both municipalities' students in prekindergarten through 12th grade.... Newfield, which previously sent its kids to Buena Regional schools, now sends its students to Franklin and Delsea."</ref>

Students from across the county are eligible to apply to attend Gloucester County Institute of Technology, a four-year high school in Deptford Township that provides technical and vocational education. As a public school, students do not pay tuition to attend the school.<ref>Admissions, Gloucester County Institute of Technology. Accessed November 7, 2019. "There is no charge to attend. GCIT is a public school.... GCIT is the vocational-technical school for Gloucester County residents. You must live in Gloucester County to apply and attend."</ref>

Transportation

File:2021-08-09 11 07 35 View north along New Jersey State Route 55 (Cape May Expressway) from the overpass for Gloucester County Route 619 (Whig Lane Road) in Elk Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey.jpg

Route 55 northbound in Elk Township

Roads and highways

Template:As of, the township had a total of Template:Convert of roadways, of which Template:Convert were maintained by the municipality, Template:Convert by Gloucester County and Template:Convert by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.<ref>Gloucester County Mileage by Municipality and Jurisdiction, New Jersey Department of Transportation, May 2010. Accessed July 18, 2014.</ref>

Major state routes that pass through include Route 77<ref>Route 77 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated March 2017. Accessed February 22, 2023.</ref> and the limited access Route 55.<ref>Route 55 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated March 2017. Accessed February 22, 2023.</ref> The two main county routes that are accessible include County Route 538<ref>County Route 538 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2012. Accessed February 22, 2023.</ref> and County Route 553.<ref>County Route 553 Straight Line Diagram, New Jersey Department of Transportation, updated June 2012. Accessed February 22, 2023.</ref> The New Jersey Turnpike passes through in neighboring Harrison Township with an exit two towns away.<ref>Gloucester County Highway Map, New Jersey Department of Transportation. Accessed February 22, 2023.</ref>

Public transportation

NJ Transit offers bus service on the 410 route between Bridgeton and Philadelphia.<ref>Gloucester County Bus / Rail Connections, NJ Transit, backed up by the Internet Archive as of July 26, 2010. Accessed November 6, 2012.</ref><ref>Gloucester County's Transit Guide, Gloucester County, New Jersey. Accessed November 7, 2019.</ref>

Notable people

Template:Category see also People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Elk Township include:

• Sean F. Dalton (born 1962), politician who served as the prosecutor of Gloucester County and served two terms in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he represented the 4th Legislative District<ref>Assemblyman Sean F. Dalton, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 5, 1997. Accessed June 17, 2010.</ref>

External links

• Elk Township official website
• Elk Township School District
• Template:NJReportCard
• School Data for the Elk Township School District, National Center for Education Statistics
• Delsea Regional School District
• Template:NJReportCard
• School Data for the Delsea Regional School District, National Center for Education Statistics