Alexandria Township, New Jersey


Alexandria Township is a township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 4,938, reflecting an increase of 240 from the 4,698 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,104 from the 3,594 counted in the 1990 Census.
Alexandria was formed by Royal charter on March 5, 1765, from portions of Bethlehem Township, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Frenchtown, Holland Township and Milford. The township was named for James Alexander, a surveyor who served as New Jersey Attorney General and who had acquired of land in the area in 1744.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 27.640 square miles, including 27.423 square miles of land and 0.217 square miles of water.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Everittstown, Little York, Mechlings Corner, Mount Pleasant, Mount Salem, Palmyra and Swinesburg. Pittstown is an unincorporated community that is also spread across Franklin Township and Union Township.
The township borders the municipalities of Bethlehem Township, Franklin Township, Frenchtown, Holland Township, Kingwood Township, Milford and Union Township in Hunterdon County; and both Bridgeton Township and Tinicum Township in Bucks County across the Delaware River border with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $117,404 and the median family income was $137,821. Males had a median income of $101,927 versus $60,875 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $47,777. About 3.0% of families and 3.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.9% of those under age 18 and 3.1% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 4,698 people, 1,535 households, and 1,290 families residing in the township. The population density was 170.6 people per square mile. There were 1,598 housing units at an average density of 58.0 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 97.02% White, 0.79% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 0.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.72% of the population.
There were 1,535 households out of which 42.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 77.9% were married couples living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 15.9% were non-families. 13.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.25.
In the township the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 4.9% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 27.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $92,730, and the median income for a family was $93,619. Males had a median income of $70,996 versus $39,904 for females. The per capita income for the township was $34,622. About 4.3% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 2.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Alexandria Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The governing body is a three-member Township Committee, whose members are elected directly by the voters at-large in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat 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.
, members of the Alexandria Township Committee are Mayor Gabriel C. "Gabe" Plumer, Deputy Mayor James Kiernan and Committeeman Rudolph C. "Chris" Pfefferle.
In September 2015, the Township Committee selected Michelle Garay from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2016 that had been held by Harry Swift until his death in office earlier that month.
Christian Pfefferle took office in November 2014 after running unopposed to fill the 14 months remaining in the term of the seat that had been vacated by Gabe Plummer when he resigned after he had moved outside of the township in January 2014; Curtis Schick had filled the seat on an interim basis.

Federal, state and county representation

Alexandria Township is located in the 7th Congressional district and is part of New Jersey's 23rd state legislative district.

Politics

Like most municipalities in Hunterdon County, the Township leans very strongly towards the Republican Party on the national and state levels.
As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 3,411 registered voters in Alexandria Township, of which 533 were registered as Democrats, 1,458 were registered as Republicans and 1,417 were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered to other parties.
In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 64.4% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 34.1%, and other candidates with 1.5%, among the 2,651 ballots cast by the township's 3,571 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.2%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 60.2% of the vote here, ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 37.4% and other candidates with 1.8%, among the 2,728 ballots cast by the township's 3,378 registered voters, for a turnout of 80.8%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 65.9% of the vote here, outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 36.2% and other candidates with 0.9%, among the 2,528 ballots cast by the township's 3,030 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 83.4.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 78.7% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 19.6%, and other candidates with 1.7%, among the 1,726 ballots cast by the township's 3,588 registered voters, for a turnout of 48.1%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 72.3% of the vote here, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 18.5%, Independent Chris Daggett with 6.7% and other candidates with 1.2%, among the 2,102 ballots cast by the township's 3,386 registered voters, yielding a 62.1% turnout.

Education

The Alexandria Township School District serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. As of the 2017–18 school year, the district, comprised of two schools, had an enrollment of 493 students and 52.5 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 9.4:1. The two schools in the district are
Lester D. Wilson School with 207 students in pre-kindergarten through third grade and
Alexandria Middle School with 285 students in grades four through eight.
Students in public school for ninth through twelfth grades attend Delaware Valley Regional High School, together with students from Frenchtown, Holland Township, Kingwood Township and Milford. The school is part of the Delaware Valley Regional High School District. As of the 2017–18 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 728 students and 68.8 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 10.6:1. Seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the populationof the constituent municipalities, with two seats assigned to Alexandria Township.
The Alexandria Township Education Foundation, is a non-profit organization established in 1997, whose mission is to help achieve and maintain an extra margin of excellence by employing private resources to supplement traditional school district funding.
Eighth grade students from all of Hunterdon County are eligible to apply to attend the high school programs offered by the Hunterdon County Vocational School District, a county-wide vocational school district that offers career and technical education at its campuses in Raritan Township and at programs sited at local high schools, with no tuition charged to students for attendance.

Transportation

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality and by Hunterdon County.
No Interstate, U.S. or State routes pass through. The most significant roads to pass through Alexandria are CR 513, CR 519 and CR 579.
Interstate 78 is the closest limited access road which is accessible outside the municipality in bordering Union and Franklin Townships.

Wineries

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Alexandria Township include: