Raritan, New Jersey

Raritan is a borough in Somerset County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,835,

The borough's name is derived from the Raritans, a Native American group of Lenape. The name of the tribe is said to mean "forked river", "stream overflows", or "point on a tidal river".

History

Raritan was originally established as a subdivision within Bridgewater Township by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 3, 1868.

End of World War I

thumb|Memorial plaque marking the [[John Frederick Frelinghuysen|Frelinghuysen estate site and signing of the Knox–Porter Resolution on July 2, 1921]]

The Knox–Porter Resolution ending United States involvement in World War I was signed by President Harding at the estate of New Jersey Senator Joseph S. Frelinghuysen Sr. on July 2, 1921. That Memorial plaque marking of the Frelinghuysen estate is located in the borough.

Creation of the borough

thumb|The [[Nevius Street Bridge was completed in 1886 by the Wrought Iron Bridge Company, it is still utilized by pedestrians crossing the river today]]

After a series of bitter lawsuits between Raritan and Bridgewater in the 1930s and 1940s, the Legislature allowed Raritan to become a fully independent borough by an Act on May 12, 1948, based on the results of a referendum passed on June 12, 1948. The new borough incorporated the old town and an additional portion of Bridgewater Township.

Geography

thumb|The [[John Basilone Veterans Memorial Bridge is for cars crossing the river]]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 2.03 square miles (5.27 km2), including 1.99 square miles (5.16 km2) of land and 0.04 square miles (0.11 km2) of water (2.02%). Raritan is in the western division of the Raritan Valley region (a line of municipalities in central New Jersey), along with Branchburg and Bridgewater.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Raritan had a population of 7,835. The median age was 39.3 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 97.5 males age 18 and over.

100.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 2,993 households in Raritan, of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.2% were married-couple households, 19.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 24.7% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census

There were 2,556 households, out of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.08.

Government

Local government

Raritan is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of the mayor and the borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. The mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Raritan is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.

, the mayor of the Borough of Raritan is Republican Nicolas Carra, whose term of office expires December 31, 2027. Members of the Raritan Borough Council are Council President Donald Tozzi (R, 2026), Michael Patente (R, 2026), Umesh Agrawal (R, 2025), Adam Armahizer (D, 2025), Kenneth DiGraziano (R, 2027) and David Fritzinger (R, 2027).

In January 2024, the borough council appointed Republican Umesh Agrawal to fill the seat expiring in December 2025 that became vacant when Nicolas J. Carra took office as mayor earlier that month; Agrawal served on an interim basis until the November 2024 general election in which he won his election to serve the remainder of Carra's term.

In May 2024, the borough council appointed Republican Kenneth DiGraziano to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that became vacant when Joyce Melitsky resigned earlier that month; DiGraziano served on an interim basis until the November 2024 general election in which he won his election to serve a full three-year term.

Federal, state and county representation

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

Politics

As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,926 registered voters in Raritan, of which 1,122 (28.6% vs. 26.0% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 882 (22.5% vs. 25.7%) were registered as Republicans and 1,917 (48.8% vs. 48.2%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 5 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens. Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 57.1% (vs. 60.4% in Somerset County) were registered to vote, including 74.2% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 80.4% countywide).

In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 50.0% of the vote (1,360 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 48.7% (1,323 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (35 votes), among the 2,759 ballots cast by the borough's 4,159 registered voters (41 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 66.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 1,514 votes (52.6% vs. 46.1% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 1,287 votes (44.7% vs. 52.1%) and other candidates with 42 votes (1.5% vs. 1.1%), among the 2,879 ballots cast by the borough's 3,830 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.2% (vs. 78.7% in Somerset County). In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 1,497 votes (53.4% vs. 51.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,239 votes (44.2% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 33 votes (1.2% vs. 0.9%), among the 2,802 ballots cast by the borough's 3,606 registered voters, for a turnout of 77.7% (vs. 81.7% in the whole county).