33:
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 āfreeholderā from county materials and communications. 'Continuing our work to end systemic racism must be everyoneās 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."
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
126:
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
547:
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
155:
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
122:
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
80:
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
66:
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
200:
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.
75:
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.
656:
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
81:
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 togetherā¦ .
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
85:
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
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
569:
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
402:
County commissioner director and county commissioner deputy director elected from board at annual reorganization meeting in January; appointed county administrator
932:
1280:
950:
213:
101:
of 1776, contained the following voter qualification provisions applicable to those voting in New Jersey elections, including county freeholder elections:
910:
242:
All county commissioners are elected to three-year terms, while the Atlantic/Bergen/Essex/Hudson/Mercer County Executives are elected to four-year terms.
180:
who performs the executive functions while the board of county commissioner retains a legislative and oversight role. In counties without an executive, a
1235:
He replaces Evern Ford, who will leave county government after the board also voted to abolish his county administrator position with a unanimous vote.
1110:
1133:
1156:
420:
Five county commissioners represent equally populated districts, four are elected at-large; all nine individual terms end every three years
234:
The legislation took effect on January 1, 2021, and requires compliance within "one year of the billās effective date" or January 1, 2022.
148:
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,
67:
counties have chosen only Democrats, and Cape May, Hunterdon, Morris, Ocean, Sussex, and Warren counties have chosen only Republicans.
819:
635:
County commissioner director and county commissioner deputy director elected from board at annual reorganization meeting in January
593:
County commissioner director and county commissioner deputy director elected from board at annual reorganization meeting in January
497:
County commissioner director and county commissioner deputy director elected from board at annual reorganization meeting in January
381:
County commissioner director and county commissioner deputy director elected from board at annual reorganization meeting in January
1285:
17:
56:
279:
Five county commissioners represent equally populated districts, four are elected at-large; three seats per three-year cycle
1055:
1091:
873:
1195:
221:
316:
287:
469:
Nine County Commissioners represent equally populated districts; all nine individual terms end every three years
985:
518:
Board has a chair and vice-chair, these positions are rotated among board members each year; popularly elected
185:
60:
1141:
1079:
437:
388:
326:
98:
1107:
1180:
533:
483:
1130:
1118:
1040:
662:
555:
367:
268:
231:
herself, said that the term "refers to a time when only white male landowners could hold public office."
157:
156:
county commissioner assigned responsibility for a department or group of departments. In other counties (
621:
572:
and county commissioner deputy director elected from board at annual reorganization meeting in January
1262:
1203:
1095:
1063:
937:
724:
683:
579:
504:
458:
347:
297:
283:
173:
169:
161:
149:
1217:
1164:
703:
642:
600:
428:
409:
165:
1153:
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955:
799:
519:
473:
312:
228:
972:
424:
189:
762:
181:
114:
1246:
8:
423:
County commissioner president and vice president serve one-year terms; popularly elected
145:
1222:
752:
141:
1176:
968:
1258:
788:
783:
778:
340:
County commissioner director is elected annually by the board from among its members
217:
849:"What does a freeholder do? 9 things you might not know about N.J. county officials"
756:
523:
177:
1199:
1160:
1137:
1114:
1059:
1036:
106:
1052:
773:
87:
32:
1274:
224:
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""
793:
767:
205:
128:
1218:"Salem County freeholders look to 2014 at annual reorganization meeting"
911:"Explainer: What's a Freeholder? NJ's Unusual County Government System"
110:
44:
37:
451:
County commissioner director and county commissioner deputy director
36:
Percent of County Commissioner seats held by party in each county in
632:
Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle
590:
Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle
544:
Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle
515:
Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle
448:
Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle
399:
Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle
358:
Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle
308:
Elected at-large; generally two or three seats per three-year cycle
91:
820:"Just a handful of competitive county elections in N.J. this year"
694:
Elected at-large; generally one or two seats per three-year cycle
673:
Elected at-large; generally one or two seats per three-year cycle
653:
Elected at-large; generally one or two seats per three-year cycle
611:
Elected at-large; generally one or two seats per three-year cycle
566:
Elected at-large; generally one or two seats per three-year cycle
494:
Elected at-large; generally one or two seats per three-year cycle
378:
Elected at-large; generally one or two seats per three-year cycle
337:
Elected at-large; generally one or two seats per three-year cycle
885:
Acts of the Tenth General Assembly of the State of New Jersey
838:, ed. by Samuel Allison, (Burlington, N.J. 1776), pp. 14ā16.
836:
Acts of the General Assembly of the Province of New-Jersey
802:(Texas and Missouri; known in Arkansas as "Quorum Court")
1247:
Board of Chosen Freeholders, Sussex County, New Jersey
899:, ed. William Paterson, (Newark, NJ 1800) pp. 265ā271.
115:
resided within the county in which they claim a vote
714:Elected at-large; three seats per three-year cycle
826:, September 12, 2023. Accessed September 12, 2023.
476:, every four years; currently Democrat Craig Guy.
109:, who are worth fifty pounds proclamation money,
1272:
735:Elected at-large; one seat per three-year cycle
902:
195:
951:"Burlington County to end āfreeholderā title"
1281:County governing bodies in the United States
1259:About Warren County...Governmental Structure
986:"'Freeholder' Title Abolished In New Jersey"
887:, p. 246 (Isaac Collins, Trenton, NJ, 1785).
227:, an African-American woman who was once a
1010:
204:In early July 2020, New Jersey Governor
105:That all inhabitants of this Colony, of
31:
522:, every four years; currently Democrat
427:, every four years; currently Democrat
14:
1273:
1177:About the Hunterdon County Freeholders
969:Bill S855 Sca (1R) Session 2020 - 2021
237:
1215:
908:
1092:GovernmentAbout the Freeholder Board
24:
25:
1297:
874:s:New Jersey Constitution of 1776
909:Rinde, Meir (October 27, 2015).
1286:County government in New Jersey
1252:
1240:
1216:Young, Alex (January 9, 2014).
1209:
1186:
1170:
1147:
1124:
1101:
1085:
1069:
1046:
1030:
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978:
962:
897:Laws of the State of New Jersey
676:Appointed county administrator
614:Appointed county administrator
176:), there is a directly elected
944:
925:
890:
878:
867:
841:
829:
812:
315:, every four years; currently
286:, every four years; currently
134:
13:
1:
1142:Cumberland County, New Jersey
1080:Burlington County, New Jersey
806:
99:New Jersey State Constitution
49:Board of County Commissioners
1265:. Accessed November 5, 2016.
1249:. Accessed November 5, 2016.
1206:. Accessed November 5, 2016.
1183:. Accessed November 5, 2016.
1181:Hunterdon County, New Jersey
1167:. Accessed January 30, 2008.
1144:. Accessed February 3, 2008.
1131:What is a County Freeholder?
1121:. Accessed January 30, 2008.
1098:. Accessed November 5, 2016.
1082:. Accessed November 5, 2016.
1066:. Accessed November 5, 2016.
1043:. Accessed January 30, 2008.
570:County Commissioner Director
212:On August 21, 2020, "amid a
57:county-wide government board
27:New Jersey county government
7:
1119:Cape May County, New Jersey
1076:Board of Chosen Freeholders
1053:Board of Chosen Freeholders
1041:Atlantic County, New Jersey
1037:Board of Chosen Freeholders
746:
196:Controversy and name change
53:Board of Chosen Freeholders
10:
1302:
1198:November 14, 2016, at the
1154:Definition of a Freeholder
1136:December 23, 2007, at the
1263:Warren County, New Jersey
1204:Mercer County, New Jersey
1096:Camden County, New Jersey
1064:Bergen County, New Jersey
1011:Brunetti Post, Michelle.
723:
717:Appointed county manager
702:
682:
661:
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457:
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429:Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.
408:
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284:Atlantic County Executive
267:
262:
259:
256:
253:
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247:
216:to reexamine vestiges of
150:plurality-at-large voting
70:
1165:Essex County, New Jersey
1159:August 23, 2007, at the
1058:October 4, 2013, at the
111:clear estate in the same
956:Burlington County Times
520:Mercer County Executive
474:Hudson County Executive
313:Bergen County Executive
59:in each of the state's
18:Freeholder (New Jersey)
1017:Press of Atlantic City
973:New Jersey Legislature
425:Essex County Executive
190:New Jersey Legislature
120:
83:
51:(until 2020 named the
40:
1113:June 7, 2006, at the
1108:Freeholders Home Page
990:Long Valley, NJ Patch
466:Concurrent elections
417:Concurrent elections
103:
78:
35:
800:Commissioners' court
763:Board of supervisors
732:Staggered elections
711:Staggered elections
691:Staggered elections
670:Staggered elections
650:Staggered elections
629:Staggered elections
608:Staggered elections
587:Staggered elections
563:Staggered elections
541:Staggered elections
512:Staggered elections
491:Staggered elections
445:Staggered elections
396:Staggered elections
375:Staggered elections
355:Staggered elections
334:Staggered elections
305:Staggered elections
276:Staggered elections
182:county administrator
152:is officially used.
548:county departments
254:Election frequency
238:Structure by county
146:first past the post
1223:South Jersey Times
931:Racioppi, Dustin.
753:Board of selectmen
472:Popularly elected
311:Popularly elected
282:Popularly elected
214:national reckoning
90:. "Chosen" means
41:
1193:Elected Officials
992:. August 21, 2020
789:County government
784:Sole commissioner
779:County commission
744:
743:
218:structural racism
55:) is the elected
16:(Redirected from
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757:New England town
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290:Dennis Levinson
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178:county executive
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855:. November 2014
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257:Representation
251:No. of members
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913:. NJ Spotlight
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186:county manager
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1229:November 24,
1227:. Retrieved
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1126:
1103:
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1032:
1020:. Retrieved
1016:
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994:. Retrieved
989:
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946:
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927:
915:. Retrieved
904:
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869:
857:. Retrieved
852:
843:
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823:
814:
794:Fiscal Court
319:Jim Tedesco
241:
233:
222:Lt. Governor
211:
203:
199:
154:
138:
125:
121:
104:
96:
84:
79:
74:
65:
52:
48:
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917:October 27,
859:October 16,
770:(Louisiana)
768:Police Jury
263:References
206:Phil Murphy
135:Current use
129:poor houses
113:, and have
61:21 counties
1275:Categories
1022:August 21,
996:August 21,
938:The Record
807:References
796:(Kentucky)
759:government
438:Gloucester
389:Cumberland
327:Burlington
288:Republican
229:freeholder
45:New Jersey
38:New Jersey
534:Middlesex
484:Hunterdon
1196:Archived
1157:Archived
1134:Archived
1111:Archived
1056:Archived
747:See also
663:Somerset
556:Monmouth
368:Cape May
317:Democrat
269:Atlantic
158:Atlantic
142:deadlock
123:county.
107:full age
88:freehold
622:Passaic
248:County
92:elected
853:NJ.com
725:Warren
684:Sussex
580:Morris
505:Mercer
459:Hudson
348:Camden
298:Bergen
260:Notes
174:Mercer
172:, and
170:Hudson
162:Bergen
71:Origin
704:Union
643:Salem
601:Ocean
410:Essex
166:Essex
1231:2014
1024:2020
998:2020
919:2015
861:2017
184:(or
97:The
47:, a
43:In
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488:5
463:9
442:7
414:9
393:7
372:5
352:7
331:5
302:7
273:9
192:.
168:,
164:,
160:,
131:.
94:.
1026:.
1000:.
921:.
863:.
20:)
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