Let Mansfield Vote
A chance to study our government and let the people decide.
Updated: 07-15-2025
This is About Fairness, Accountability, and Your Right to Choose
Mansfield Township currently operates under New Jersey’s oldest form of government: the Township Form, established in the 1790s. Under this outdated structure, five committee members are elected by voters, but they, not you, choose the mayor in a private reorganization meeting.
Our current mayor, Joseph Watters, was appointed by his fellow committee members. He did not win a direct vote from residents to hold that office.
This initiative is not about targeting individuals. It is about fixing a system that cuts the public out of one of the most important decisions in town government.
🧭 What Is This?
“Let Mansfield Vote” is a resident-led petition to ask one simple question:
"Should Mansfield study its current form of government and explore ways to improve it?"
This is not a vote to change anything yet. It’s a vote to form a volunteer Charter Study Commission that will:
Review how our township currently operates
Compare it to other available options
Hold public hearings
Report findings back to residents
📌 Any actual change to our government would require a second public vote.
Common Questions Answered
Will this make taxes go up?
No.
The study phase involves no tax increase. Commissioners serve as unpaid volunteers. Any minor administrative costs come from the existing township budget, such as paper, announcements, etc.
What's the cost to do this?
Estimated cost to the township: $3,000–$5,000 total.
This covers:
Legal notices
Printing and advertising
Staff support (municipal clerk, attorney)
There are no new hires, no consultants, and no paid positions during the study phase.
That’s less than 0.02% of the township budget if spent without a financial investigation. If we can find waste, fraud, or abuse, then we can make this a net-zero cost.
Will this force us to pay a salary to a new mayor or more council members?
No, not unless you vote for that later.
If the Commission recommends a new form of government (e.g. Strong Mayor, Council-Manager, etc.), that recommendation must go to a second public vote.
Only you, the residents, can approve any structure that includes added roles or salaries. Nothing happens automatically.
Do we get the final say? What if we don't agree with what the commission suggests?
Yes. You have full control.
Even if the Commission recommends a change, no change can happen without a second vote by the public.
If you don’t agree with the recommendation, you can vote no, and nothing changes.
Will this just be business as usual, wasting time and money?
No — this is the opposite of “business as usual.”
Mansfield has been running the same structure for generations. This Commission is your chance to review it, learn the pros and cons, and decide if it still works for us today.
Even if the recommendation is to keep our current system, the public will now understand why — with data, comparisons, and transparency.
That’s not a waste. That’s informed democracy.
Can a current Township Committeeman serve on the Commission?
No.
According to the Faulkner Act, the Commission must consist of five residents who are not currently serving as elected officials in the municipality.
Fill Out The Form. Share The Message. Let Mansfield Vote.
✍️ How Do We Get This on the Ballot?
To get the question on the ballot, we must collect valid signatures from 20% of registered voters.
📌 Signature Requirement:
Mansfield registered voters (est.): ~7,800
Required signatures: 1,560+
You can help by:Signing the petition
Volunteering to collect signatures
Sharing this site and QR code with friends and neighbors
🗳️ Final Say. Always.
This initiative is about giving Mansfield residents a voice, not about forcing a change. You control every step.
You Vote to Study. You elect the commissioners. You vote again if any change is proposed.
No backroom deals. No power grabs. Just a chance for you to understand your government and decide if it’s serving you the way it should.
Mike Bollard for Mansfield Town Committee 2025
"Mansfield's Future. Mansfield Matters"
VOLUNTEER
volunteer@votebollard.com
© 2025. All rights reserved.
PAID FOR BY THE MANSFIELD FOR MIKE BOLLARD CAMPAIGN