Elk Township, New Jersey


Elk Township is a township in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township's population was 4,216, reflecting an increase of 702 from the 3,514 counted in the 2000 Census, which had in turn declined by 292 from the 3,806 counted in the 1990 Census.
Elk Township was formed as a township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 17, 1891, from portions of Clayton Township, Glassboro Township and South Harrison Township. The township was named for elk hunted in the area.
Until 2016, Elk Township had been a dry township where alcohol could not be sold. That year, the township sold a package goods license for $300,000, which allows the sale of alcohol for off-premise consumption.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township had a total area of 19.688 square miles, including 19.494 square miles of land and 0.194 square miles of water.
Unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Aura, Ferrell, Harding, Hardingville and Monroeville.
The township borders the municipalities of Clayton, Franklin Township, Glassboro, Harrison Township and South Harrison Township in Gloucester County; and Upper Pittsgrove Township in Salem County.

Demographics

Census 2010

The Census Bureau's 2006-2010 American Community Survey showed that median household income was $63,194 and the median family income was $74,412. Males had a median income of $56,786 versus $39,900 for females. The per capita income for the borough was $27,707. About 9.3% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Census 2000

As of the 2000 United States Census there were 3,514 people, 1,263 households, and 958 families residing in the township. The population density was 179.0 people per square mile. There were 1,347 housing units at an average density of 68.6 per square mile. The racial makeup of the township was 82.07% White, 14.26% African American, 0.57% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 1.37% from other races, and 1.31% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.93% of the population.
There were 1,263 households out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.9% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the township the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.6 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $51,047, and the median income for a family was $55,472. Males had a median income of $41,604 versus $27,407 for females. The per capita income for the township was $18,621. About 8.3% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.4% of those under age 18 and 15.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Elk Township is governed under the Township form of New Jersey municipal government, one of 141 of 565 municipalities statewide that use this form, the second-most commonly used form of government in the state. The Township Committee is comprised of five members, who are 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.
, the members of the Elk Township Committee are Mayor Carolyn King-Sammons, Deputy Mayor Donna M. Nicholson, Thomas Hollywood Jr., Edward Poisker, James Rambo.
After the November 2014 general election, Elk Township Republicans declined to file for a recount with John J. Norris coming in third place, six votes behind Republican Carolyn D. King-Sammons and Democrat James Rambo.

Federal, state and county representation

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

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 3,005 registered voters in Elk, of which 1,031 were registered as Democrats, 604 were registered as Republicans and 1,369 were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to another party.
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 51.2% of the vote, ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 47.6%, and other candidates with 1.2%, among the 2,201 ballots cast by the township's 3,208 registered voters, for a turnout of 68.6%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 51.3% of the vote, ahead of Republican John McCain with 46.7% and other candidates with 1.1%, among the 2,312 ballots cast by the township's 3,204 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.2%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 50.9% of the vote, outpolling Democrat John Kerry with 47.8% and other candidates with 0.5%, among the 1,997 ballots cast by the township's 2,727 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 73.2.
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 65.7% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 33.1%, and other candidates with 1.2%, among the 1,503 ballots cast by the township's 3,083 registered voters, for a turnout of 48.8%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 50.7% of the vote, ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 39.2%, Independent Chris Daggett with 7.2% and other candidates with 0.8%, among the 1,547 ballots cast by the township's 3,105 registered voters, yielding a 49.8% turnout.

Education

The Elk Township School District serves students in public school for pre-kindergarten through sixth grade at Aura School, which was built in 1927, with the newest addition built in 2002. As of the 2017–18 school year, the district, comprising one school, had an enrollment of 379 students and 33.0 classroom teachers, for a student–teacher ratio of 11.5:1.
For seventh through twelfth grades, public school students attend the Delsea Regional School District, which serves students from both Elk Township and Franklin Township. Students from Newfield attend the district as part of a sending/receiving relationship begun in September 2010 after Newfield ended its prior relationship with the Buena Regional School District. Schools in the district are
Delsea Regional Middle School with 525 students in grades 7 and 8, and
Delsea Regional High School with 1,080 students in grades 9 - 12. The seats on the high school district's nine-member board of education are allocated to the constituent municipalities based on population, with two seats assigned to Elk Township.
The New Jersey Department of Education has considered a vote by the Board of Education of the Franklin Township Public Schools in June 2010 requesting that the district withdraw from the Delsea Regional School District, which would require that the Delsea region be dissolved as about 80% of the regional district's students come from Franklin. With the withdrawal of Franklin Township, two options being considered were to either have Franklin and Elk Townships create a new regional district with Newfield students attending on a send-receive basis, or having Franklin Township establish its own PreK-12 district which would receive students from both Elk Township and Newfield.
Students from across the county are eligible to apply to attend Gloucester County Institute of Technology, a four-year high school in Deptford Township that provides technical and vocational education. As a public school, students do not pay tuition to attend the school.

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Gloucester County and by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Major state routes that pass through include Route 77 and the limited access Route 55. The two main county routes that are accessible include Route 538 and Route 553. The New Jersey Turnpike passes through in neighboring Harrison, but the closest exit is two towns away.

Public transportation

offers bus service on the 410 route between Bridgeton and Philadelphia.

Notable people

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