How to Run for Township Committee

Township Committee

The Township Committee, serves as the main governing body for Harding Township. The Committee determines municipal budget and tax (municipal tax comprises approximately 25% of your tax bill) and other policy decisions. To see who is currently on the Township Committee and to learn more go to: http://www.hardingnj.org/township-committee.html. The Township Committee consists of five members who are elected in the General Election in November. Each year the 5 Committee members elect a Chairperson, also known as the Mayor, for the Committee. Township Committee terms run for 3 years. The terms are spread out so voters are always electing someone each year in the 3 year cycle. In two of the years voters elect 2 representatives and in one of the years voters elect a single representative.

You do not have to be selected or asked to run. Any resident of the town who is 18 years or older may run for the Township Committee. To run under a party designation the candidate must also be a member of that party. No party affiliation is required to run as an independent candidate.

Running with a Party Designation

To get on the ballot in the General Election under a Party designation, the candidate must first win the Primary Election. Getting on the Primary ballot requires the candidate to submit a petition containing signatures from registered voters from the same party. The number of signatures is determined by the number of people who voted in the prior election. If you are running under a Party designation petition forms can be obtained from the Township Administrator in Town Hall. In recent years, candidates running as Republicans needed 25 signatures. Candidates running as Democrats need 1 signature. The Township Administrator will advise the candidate how many signatures are required. Each person signing a petition may only sign as many petitions as there are open seats. In other words, if there are two seats up for election, a person may sign the petitions for only 2 of the candidates even if there are 3 or more running. If a person signs petitions for more than the number of open seats, that signature becomes invalid on all candidates petitions.

In addition to collecting their own signatures, candidates may also have supporters collecting signatures for them. Candidates may submit multiple petition forms, however each form needs to be notarized and the person collecting the signatures affirm that they witnessed the signature. This is done when the petitions are turned in at Town Hall. Multiple signatures for the same candidate count as one signature.

The deadline for submitting a Party petition is in early April and is determined by counting back a set number of days from the Primary Election. Submitting a verified petition with the correct number of signatures guarantees the candidate a place on the primary ballot. The ballot position is determined by lottery. The Primary Election is held in on the second Tuesday in June. The winner(s) are placed on the ballot in November.

Running as an Independent

To run as an Independent without Party affiliation the candidate must collect the signatures of registered voters. The petition forms and number of signatures required are obtained from the County Clerk located in the Administration and Records Building in Morristown. Since an Independent candidate is not part of the Primary election process, the candidate has until Primary Election day to collect the signatures and he or she is guaranteed a place on the General Election ballot.

To assist the candidate in collecting signatures and planning a campaign, lists of registered voters as well as those who voted in past General and Primary elections can be obtained the Superintendent of Elections.

There are some additional rules regarding collection and accounting of contributions and expenditures. All of the rules as well as additional information about running for office in Morris County can be found at: http://www.morriselections.org/index.asp.