Frequently Asked Questions

Voters Elect

Township Committee 3 or 5 members, elected at-large. Staggered, 3 year terms. Partisan 

Organization of Governing Body

First week in January 

Mayor

Elected by Township Committee for 1 year term. Chairs Committee with voice and vote. Head of municipal government. Has all powers vested in mayor by general law. 

Committee

Legislative body of municipality. Has all executive responsibilities of the municipality not placed in office of mayor. 

Administration

Executive responsibility not vested in mayor belongs to Township Committee. May delegate, by ordinance, all or a portion of executive responsibilities to an administrator. Township Committee may adopt an administrative code.

VOTERS ELECT 

Mayor and 6 Council. Elected at-large. Mayor has a 4 year term. Council has staggered 3 year terms. Partisan 

ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNING BODY 

First week in January 

MAYOR 

Head of municipal government. Sees that state laws and borough ordinances are faithfully executed. Presides over Council. Votes only to break ties. Can veto ordinances subject to override by 2/3 majority of Council. Appoints subordinate officers with Council approval; after 30 days or upon Council disapproval, Council fills posts. 

COUNCIL 

Legislative body of municipality. Overrides mayor's veto by 2/3 majority of all members. Confirms mayor's appointments. Gains appointment power upon failure to confirm mayor's appointee or after office vacant for 30 days. Has all executive responsibility not placed in office of mayor. 

ADMINISTRATION 

Mayor is head of municipal government and sees that state laws and borough ordinances are faithfully executed. Council has all executive responsibility not placed in office of mayor. Council may delegate, by ordinance, all or a portion of executive responsibility to an administrator. Council may adopt an administrative code.

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OTERS ELECT 
Mayor and Council. Partisan

ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNING BODY 
First week in January

MAYOR 
Chief Executive. May participate in Council deliberations. May vote to break ties on ordinances or resolutions. Can veto ordinances subject to a 2/3 override by Council. Heads police department. Appoints police chief, captains and sergeants with Council approval.

COUNCIL 
Legislative body of municipality. Overrides mayor's veto by 2/3 majority of all members. Appoints subordinate officials of municipality, except as provided elsewhere by law.

ADMINISTRATION 
Mayor is chief executive. City may delegate, by ordinance, all or a portion of executive responsibility to an administrator. City may adopt administrative code.

VOTERS ELECT 
Mayor and Council. Partisan

ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNING BODY 
First week in January

MAYOR 
Head of municipal government. Chairs Council with voice and vote. Can veto ordinances subject to a 2/3 override by Council.

COUNCIL 
Legislative body of municipality. Overrides mayor's veto by 2/3 majority of all members. Appoints all subordinate officers, except municipal clerk, tax assessor and tax collector, who are appointed by mayor and council. Has all executive responsibility not placed in office of mayor.

ADMINISTRATION 
Mayor is head of municipal government and has all powers vested in mayor by general law. Council has all executive responsibility of municipality not placed in office of mayor. Council may delegate, by ordinance, all or a portion of executive responsibilities to an administrator. Council may adopt an administrative code.

VOTERS ELECT 
Board of Trustees. 5 members, elected at-large. Staggered, 3 year terms.

ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNING BODY 
First week in January

VILLAGE PRESIDENT 
President of the Board. Elected by Board for 1 year term. Has voice and vote. Head of municipal government has all powers vested in Mayor by general law.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 
Legislative body of municipality. Has all executive responsibilities of the municipality not placed in office of Village President.

ADMINISTRATION 
Executive responsibilities not vested in Village President belong to Board of Trustees. May delegate, by ordinance, all or a portion of executive responsibilities to an administrator. Board of Trustees may adopt an administrative code.

VOTERS ELECT 

3 or 5 Commissioners. At-large, nonpartisan, 4 year concurrent terms. 

ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNING BODY 

Third Tuesday of May following election. 

MAYOR 

Elected by Board of Commissioners for 4 year term. Presides over Board of Commissioners. No veto power. 

COUNCIL 

Board of Commissioners exercises legislative power of the municipality. 

ADMINISTRATION 

Each Commissioner acts as department head. No single chief executive.

VOTERS ELECT 

3,5,7 or 9 Council members. At-large nonpartisan. 4 year concurrent or staggered terms. 

ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNING BODY 

July 1 

MAYOR 

Elected by Council. Presides over Council. Serves 4 year term if concurrent elections. Serves 2 year term if staggered elections. 

COUNCIL 

Council exercises legislative and policy power of the municipality. 

ADMINISTRATION 

Manager is chief executive and administrative official of the municipality. Prepares budget. Manager appoints and removes department heads. Attends Council meetings with voice, but no vote. Manager appoints and removes department heads.

VOTERS ELECT 

Mayor and 5,7 or 9 Council members. Council: all at-large or combination of wards and at-large. Partisan or nonpartisan. 4 year concurrent or staggered terms. 

ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNING BODY 

Partisan: January 1 

Nonpartisan: July 1 

MAYOR 

Exercises executive power of the municipality, appoints department heads with Council approval. Removes department heads subject to Council disapproval by 2/3 of all members. Prepares budget. Has veto over ordinances subject to override by 2/3 of all members of Council. 

COUNCIL 

Exercises legislative power of municipality, approves appointment of department heads. Disapproves removal of department heads by 2/3 vote of all members. Overrides Mayor's veto by 2/3 of all members. 

ADMINISTRATION 

Mayor exercises executive power of the municipality. Up to 10 departments under Mayor's direction. Business Administrator assists Mayor in budget preparation and administers purchasing and personnel systems. By ordinance, Business Administrator may supervise administration of departments, subject to Mayor's direction.

VOTERS ELECT 

5,7 or 9 Council members or Mayor and 4, 6 or 8 Council members. Mayor elected at-large. Council elected all at-large or combination of wards and at-large. Partisan or nonpartisan. 4 year concurrent or staggered terms. 

ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNING BODY 

Partisan: January 1 

Nonpartisan: July 1 

MAYOR 

Elected by council or voters. Presides over Council. Council elected mayor serves a term of 1, 2 or 4 years depending on whether elections are staggered or concurrent. Voter elected mayor serves 4 year term. 

COUNCIL 

Council exercises legislative and policy power of the municipality. 

ADMINISTRATION 

Manager is chief executive and administrative official of municipality. Prepares budget. Appoints and removes department heads. Attends Council meetings with voice, but no vote.

VOTERS ELECT 

3, 5 or 7 Council members or Mayor and 2, 4 or 6 Council members. Elected at-large. Council: 3 year concurrent or staggered term. Voter elected mayor serves 4 year term. Partisan or nonpartisan elections. 

ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNING BODY 

Partisan: January 1 

Nonpartisan: July 1 

MAYOR 

Elected by voters or Council. Presides over Council with voice and vote, but no veto. Exercises executive power of the municipality. Appoints Council committees. Appoints municipal clerk, attorney, tax assessor, tax collector, treasurer with Council confirmation. Council elected mayor serves 1 or 3 years, depending on whether terms are staggered or concurrent. 

COUNCIL 

Exercises legislative power of the municipality. Approves Mayor's appointees for municipal clerk, attorney, tax assessor, tax collector and treasurer. 

ADMINISTRATION 

Mayor exercises executive power of municipality. Council may create an administrator by ordinance.

VOTERS ELECT 

Mayor and 6 council members. At-large, staggered terms, partisan elections. Mayor: 4 year term. Council: 3 year term. 

ORGANIZATION OF GOVERNING BODY 

January 1 

MAYOR 

Presides over Council. Exercises the executive power of municipality. Votes only to break ties. Has veto subject to override by 2/3 of all Council members. Appoints municipal clerk, administrator, attorney, tax collector, tax assessor, treasurer, and department heads with Council approval. May remove department heads upon written notice to Council. 

COUNCIL 

Exercises legislative power of the municipality. Approves Mayor's appointees for municipal clerk, administrator, attorney, tax collector, tax assessor, treasurer and department heads. May remove department heads for cause after a hearing. Prepares budget with assistance of municipal administrator and treasurer. 

ADMINISTRATION 

Mayor exercises executive power of the municipality. Up to six departments may be created by ordinance. Administrator supervises administration of each department.

There are two types of special charters in New Jersey: 1) "Orphan" charters issued by the state legislature in the 19th century prior to the major constitutional revision of 1875, which prohibited "special" or locality specific legislation. Most "orphan" charters are a variation of the weak mayor-council type. 2) Special charters issued by the state legislature under the provisions of the state Constitution of 1947 and NJSA 1:6-10 et seq. These special charters defy simple classification, and include variations of the weak mayor-council form, council-manager form, township committee form, and the village form.