Board of County Commissioners (New Jersey)

959:, July 14, 2020. Accessed March 18, 2022. "Burlington County Freeholder Director Felicia Hopson announced the change Tuesday afternoon and said the county would immediately begin phasing out the term “freeholder” from county materials and communications. 'Continuing our work to end systemic racism must be everyone’s objective and eliminating an antiquated title from an era when slavery and racism was tolerated is one step we can take right away,' Hopson said in a news release." 33: 63:. In the five counties that have an elected county executive, the board of county commissioners serves as the county legislature. In the remaining counties, the board of county commissioners exercises both executive and legislative functions, often with an appointed county administrator or manager overseeing the day-to-day operations of county government. 208:

reached an agreement with Democratic leaders in both state legislative chambers under which the term "freeholder" would be eliminated and replaced with "county commissioner". On July 14, 2020, Burlington County Freeholder Director Felicia Hopson called for "eliminating an antiquated title from an era

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A law that was passed on February 13, 1798, reincorporated the chosen freeholders into bodies that were named "The Board of Chosen Freeholders" of their respective counties. Under the new law, the functions previously performed by the justices and the chosen freeholders together were now performed by

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In January of each year, the board reorganizes, selecting one county commissioner to be commissioner director and another to be county commissioner deputy director; county commissioner director appoints county commissioner to serve as chairpersons and members on the various committees which oversee

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Depending on the county, the executive and legislative functions may be performed by the board, or split between commissioners and other county officials. In some counties, members of the board of county commissioner perform both legislative and executive functions on a commission basis, with each

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On March 3, 1786, a law was passed that incorporated the justices and chosen freeholders of each county as a body politic for the purpose of owning the county courthouse, jail, and other public buildings. These bodies were styled as the "Board of Justices and chosen Freeholders" of each respective

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That the Inhabitants of each Town and Precinct, within each County, shall assemble and meet together on the second Tuesday in March yearly and every Year, at the most publick Place of each respective Town and Precinct, and, by the Majority of Voices, choose two Freeholders for every such Town and

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As of 2024, 18 of the 21 county commissions are held exclusively by one party; Atlantic, Gloucester, and Passaic counties are the only ones with both parties represented. Since 2000, 12 counties have only elected members from a single party; Camden, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, and Union

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The term "freeholder," which is used in no other state, had been criticized as a archaic remitment of the time when only property owners could be elected, which led to white men controlling political power at a time when women and black people were unable to own property on their own.

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New Jersey's former system of naming its county legislative bodies "boards of chosen freeholders" was unique in the United States. The origin of the name can be traced back to a law passed by the General Assembly of the Province of New Jersey on February 28, 1713/14, which stated:

941:, July 9, 2020. Accessed July 12, 2020. "Gov. Phil Murphy and the two Democratic leaders of the state Legislature announced Thursday that they support legislation to do away with the 'outdated' term in favor of county commissioner, which is more commonly used around the country." 209:

when slavery and racism was tolerated" and announced plans for Burlington County to stop using the "freeholder" title on official communications and materials. The board planned to replace the title with "county commissioner" by passing a resolution at its August 20 meeting.

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In January of each year, the board reorganizes, selecting one county commissioner to be county commissioner director and another to be county commissioner deputy director; eliminated county administrator position at its 2014 reorganization meeting

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Precinct for the ensuing Year ; which county commissioners so chosen, or the major Part of them, together with all the Justices of Peace of each respective County, or any three of them (one whereof being of the Quorum) shall meet together… .

975:. Accessed June 2, 2024. "Renames 'board of chosen freeholders' to 'board of county commissioners' and 'freeholder' and 'chosen freeholder' to "county commissioner"; requires counties to update materials to reflect this title change." 117:

for twelve months immediately preceding the election, shall be entitled to vote for Representatives in Council and Assembly; and also for all other public officers, that shall be elected by the people of the county at large.

144:, an odd-numbered board is required under the same law. The means of election of the county commissioners vary, from all elected in districts, to all elected at large, to various systems in between. Elections are 139:

Current state law specifies that the boards may contain from three to nine seats. Due to the small sizes of the boards and the possibility of electing an exactly split legislature with the inevitably resulting

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The term "freeholder" as originally used in "Board of Chosen Freeholders" originally referred to individuals who owned land (as opposed to leasing it) in an amount set by law, and was derived from the term

188:) may be hired to perform the day-to-day administration of county functions. All of the above attributes may be changed by act of the board, and referendum, or explicit change of the relevant laws by the 569: 1012: 127:

the freeholders alone. These included the authority to build and maintain jails, court houses, and bridges. The Chosen freeholders were also now given the authority to build and operate

1280: 213: 220:," Governor Murphy signed Senate Bill 855, which changed the name of county governing bodies and mandates updates to website, letterhead, stationery, and other materials. 848: 738:

County commissioner director and county commissioner deputy director elected from board at annual reorganization meeting in January; appointed county administrator

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County commissioner director and county commissioner deputy director elected from board at annual reorganization meeting in January; appointed county administrator

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of 1776, contained the following voter qualification provisions applicable to those voting in New Jersey elections, including county freeholder elections:

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All county commissioners are elected to three-year terms, while the Atlantic/Bergen/Essex/Hudson/Mercer County Executives are elected to four-year terms.

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who performs the executive functions while the board of county commissioner retains a legislative and oversight role. In counties without an executive, a

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He replaces Evern Ford, who will leave county government after the board also voted to abolish his county administrator position with a unanimous vote.

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Five county commissioners represent equally populated districts, four are elected at-large; all nine individual terms end every three years

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The legislation took effect on January 1, 2021, and requires compliance within "one year of the bill’s effective date" or January 1, 2022.

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for single-member districts, as well as at-large elections when only one seat is at stake. For at-large elections with more than one seat,

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counties have chosen only Democrats, and Cape May, Hunterdon, Morris, Ocean, Sussex, and Warren counties have chosen only Republicans.

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County commissioner director and county commissioner deputy director elected from board at annual reorganization meeting in January

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County commissioner director and county commissioner deputy director elected from board at annual reorganization meeting in January

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County commissioner director and county commissioner deputy director elected from board at annual reorganization meeting in January

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County commissioner director and county commissioner deputy director elected from board at annual reorganization meeting in January

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Five county commissioners represent equally populated districts, four are elected at-large; three seats per three-year cycle

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Nine County Commissioners represent equally populated districts; all nine individual terms end every three years

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Board has a chair and vice-chair, these positions are rotated among board members each year; popularly elected

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herself, said that the term "refers to a time when only white male landowners could hold public office."

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county commissioner assigned responsibility for a department or group of departments. In other counties (

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and county commissioner deputy director elected from board at annual reorganization meeting in January

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County commissioner president and vice president serve one-year terms; popularly elected

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County commissioner director is elected annually by the board from among its members

224: 849:"What does a freeholder do? 9 things you might not know about N.J. county officials" 793: 1036: 1052: 767: 205: 128: 110: 44: 37: 933:"NJ must replace 'freeholder' term rooted in structural racism, Murphy says" 1192: 1013:"Murphy signs bill into law to change "freeholder" title to "commissioner"" 91: 1218:"Salem County freeholders look to 2014 at annual reorganization meeting" 911:"Explainer: What's a Freeholder? NJ's Unusual County Government System" 451:

County commissioner director and county commissioner deputy director

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Percent of County Commissioner seats held by party in each county in

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Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle

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Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle

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Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle

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Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle

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Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle

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Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle

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Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle

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Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle

820:"Just a handful of competitive county elections in N.J. this year" 694: