South Harrison Township, New Jersey

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 15.731 square miles (40.744 km²), including 15.677 square miles (40.604 km²) of land and 0.054 square miles (0.140 km²) of water (0.34%).

Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Cedar Grove, Harrisonville (served as ZIP code 08039), Jessups Mills and Lincoln.

The township borders Woolwich Township, Harrison Township, Elk Township, and Salem County.

Census 2010

The 2010 United States Census counted 3,162 people, 1,020 households, and 861.9 families residing in the township. The population density was 201.7 per square mile (77.9/km²). The township contained 1,056 housing units at an average density of 67.4 per square mile (26.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 91.59% (2,896) White, 5.06% (160) Black or African American, 0.00% (0) Native American, 1.20% (38) Asian, 0.03% (1) Pacific Islander, 0.95% (30) from other races, and 1.17% (37) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 3.10% (98) of the population.

Out of a total of 1,020 households, 42.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 73.1% were married couples living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.5% were non-families. 11.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.36.

In the township, 28.7% of the population were under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 30.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.4 years. For every 100 females the census counted 95.8 males, but for 100 females at least 18 years old, it was 97.5 males.

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $106,667 (with a margin of error of +/- $12,029) and the median family income was $113,875 (+/- $14,397). Males had a median income of $84,408 (+/- $4,334) versus $55,750 (+/- $10,554) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $34,515 (+/- $3,976). About 2.0% of families and 10.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 2,417 people, 800 households, and 663 families residing in the township. The population density was 153.0 people per square mile (59.1/km²). There were 829 housing units at an average density of 52.5 per square mile (20.3/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.09% White, 3.76% African American, 0.04% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.19% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.43% of the population.

There were 800 households out of which 41.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.9% were married couples living together, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.1% were non-families. 13.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.25.

In the township the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 102.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.7 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $68,491, and the median income for a family was $76,390. Males had a median income of $55,313 versus $32,337 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,968. About 4.1% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

South Harrison Township is governed under the Township form of government. The five-member Township Committee is 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. At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.

As of 2016, members of the South Harrison Township Committee are Mayor James McCall (R, term on committee ends December 31, 2018; term as mayor ends 2016), Deputy Mayor Robert Diaz (R, term on committee ends 2017; term as deputy mayor ends 2016), John Horner (R, 2018), Mary Howard (R, 2016) and Robert Schenk (R, 2017).

In 2007, Charles Tyson was elected Mayor, the first African American to hold the post. He was re-elected in 2008. In 2009, however, he declined to seek re-election to a third term, citing the death threats and racist vandalism that had arisen. He had received threatening phone calls and emails, his tires were slashed, and "KKK" was written on a sign on his lawn. A federal indictment has charged a white supremacist from Virginia, Bill White, with "communicating threats in interstate commerce", based on White's emails to Tyson and phone calls to Tyson's wife in 2008. No arrests have been made, however, in connection with the incidents in 2007, even though the town posted a $24,000 reward.

Federal, state and county representation

South Harrison Township is located in the 2nd Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd state legislative district.

New Jersey's Second Congressional District is represented by Frank LoBiondo (R, Ventnor City). New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Cory Booker (D, Newark, term ends 2021) and Bob Menendez (D, Paramus, 2019).

For the 2016–2017 session (Senate, General Assembly), the 3rd Legislative District of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Stephen M. Sweeney (D, West Deptford Township) and in the General Assembly by John J. Burzichelli (D, Paulsboro) and Adam Taliaferro (D, Woolwich Township). The Governor of New Jersey is Chris Christie (R, Mendham Township). The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is Kim Guadagno (R, Monmouth Beach).

Gloucester County is governed by a Board of Chosen Freeholders, whose seven members are elected at-large to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis in partisan elections, with two or three seats coming up for election each year. At a reorganization meeting held each January, the Board selects a Freeholder Director and a Deputy Freeholder Director from among its members. As of 2016, Gloucester County's Freeholders are Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger (D, West Deptford Township; term ends December 31, 2018), Deputy Freeholder Director Giuseppe "Joe" Chila (D, Woolwich Township; 2018), Lyman J. Barnes (D, Logan Township; 2017), Daniel Christy (D, Washington Township; 2016), Frank J. DiMarco (D, Deptford Township; 2016), Heather Simmons (D, Glassboro; 2017) and Jim Jefferson (D, Woodbury; 2017). Constitutional officers elected countywide are County Clerk James N. Hogan, Surrogate Helene M. Reed (Monroe Township) and Sheriff Carmel Morina (Greenwich Township).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 2,146 registered voters in South Harrison, of which 733 (34.2%) were registered as Democrats, 626 (29.2%) were registered as Republicans and 785 (36.6%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 2 voters registered to other parties.

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 60.9% of the vote (1,008 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.8% (625 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (21 votes), among the 1,666 ballots cast by the township's 2,238 registered voters (12 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 74.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 56.2% of the vote (979 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 41.2% (717 votes) and other candidates with 1.9% (33 votes), among the 1,741 ballots cast by the township's 2,168 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.3%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 60.8% of the vote (869 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 38.3% (548 votes) and other candidates with 0.4% (8 votes), among the 1,429 ballots cast by the township's 1,792 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 79.7.

In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 72.6% of the vote (709 cast), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 24.9% (243 votes), and other candidates with 2.6% (25 votes), among the 996 ballots cast by the township's 2,218 registered voters (19 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 44.9%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 58.7% of the vote (666 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 31.4% (356 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 7.8% (89 votes) and other candidates with 0.8% (9 votes), among the 1,134 ballots cast by the township's 2,175 registered voters, yielding a 52.1% turnout.

Education

The South Harrison Township School District serves public school students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at South Harrison Township Elementary School. As of the 2012-13 school year, the district's one school had an enrollment of 347 students and 27.2 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.76:1.

Public school students in seventh through twelfth grades are educated by the Kingsway Regional School District, which also serves students from East Greenwich Township, Swedesboro and Woolwich Township, with the addition of students from Logan Township who attend as part of a sending/receiving relationship in which tuition is paid on a per-pupil basis by the Logan Township School District. As of the 2014-15 school year, the district's two schools had an enrollment of 2,544 students and 189.9 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.4:1. Schools in the district (with 2014-15 enrollment data from the National Center for Education Statistics) are Kingsway Regional Middle School with 876 students in grades 7-8 and Kingsway Regional High School with 1,668 students in grades 9-12. Under a 2011 proposal, Kingsway would merge with its constituent member's K-6 districts to become a full K-12 district, with various options for including Logan Township as part of the consolidated district.

Transportation

As of May 2010, the township had a total of 47.93 miles (77.14 km) of roadways, of which 22.43 miles (36.10 km) were maintained by the municipality, 21.96 miles (35.34 km) by Gloucester County and 3.54 miles (5.70 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Route 45 (Woodstown-Mullica Hill Road) traverses the township southwest-to-northeast, from the border with Pilesgrove Township to Harrison Township. County Route 538 (Swedesboro Road) crosses along the northern portion of the township from Woolwich Township in the northwest to Elk Township to the southeast. County Route 581 (Commissioners Pike) crosses from Upper Pittsgrove Township in the south to Harrison Township in the north.

Wineries