Township Act of 1798
The Township Act of 1798 was a New Jersey law passed on February 21, 1798. It created 104 municipalities in 13 counties and set rules for how townships would be run. The act introduced a form of direct democracy, similar to New England town meetings.
At the annual town meeting, residents could vote if they met certain qualifications. The meetings let towns manage common land, pass local laws and rules, and take care of the roads. Towns also elected officials for one year: a clerk, a tax collector, at least three freeholders, and a judge.
The 104 townships were originally in 13 counties. Today, 88 of them still exist, though some are now in different counties. Over time, eight more counties were created: Atlantic (1837), Camden (1837), Mercer (1838), Hudson (1840), Ocean (1850), Passaic (1837), Union (1857), and Warren (1824). This brought New Jersey to 21 counties.
In 1899, the act was largely replaced by sweeping changes. Town meetings were eliminated in favor of a stronger township committee with policy-making power. The money issue remained: residents still vote on money, but now by ballot rather than at a town meeting.
The original 1798 provisions were largely replaced by 20th-century laws. Most modern New Jersey towns are incorporated under the Walsh Act (1911), the Municipal Manager Law (1923), and the Faulkner Act (1950).
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 22:09 (CET).