The law introduced to New Jersey the council–manager form of government first developed in Sumter, South Carolina.
[1] The council is nonpartisan and elected at-large for four-year terms.
The terms may be either concurrent or staggered, and there is an option for run-off elections.
[2] The mayor, elected by the council from its own numbers, has no executive responsibility beyond appointing representatives of commissions and boards, and presiding over council meetings.
The members of the council are subject to recall elections.