The current City of Absecon was originally incorporated as a town by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 29, 1872, from portions of Egg Harbor Township and Galloway Township. Then on March 24, 1902, the City of Absecon replaced the town.[25] The city is named for the Absegami tribe of Native Americans, from the word "Absogami", which means "little stream".[26]
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, Absecon city had a total area of 7.22 square miles (18.69 km2), including 5.47 square miles (14.16 km2) of land and 1.75 square miles (4.53 km2) of water (24.22%).[1][2]
Panoramic map of Absecon with list of landmarks and inset images of several as well as Absecon Gardens neighborhood
Of the 3,179 households, 27.2% had children under the age of 18; 53.3% were married couples living together; 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present and 29.1% were non-families. Of all households, 22.8% were made up of individuals and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.07.[21]
20.8% of the population were under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 31.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 92.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older there were 89.0 males.[21]
The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars) median household income was $64,370 (with a margin of error of +/− $5,398) and the median family income was $77,784 (+/− $9,673). Males had a median income of $47,043 (+/− $7,593) versus $43,673 (+/− $3,797) for females. The per capita income for the borough was $31,194 (+/− $4,373). About 5.2% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.[39]
2000 census
As of the 2000 United States census[17] there were 7,638 people, 2,773 households, and 2,085 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,336.0 inhabitants per square mile (515.8/km2). There were 2,902 housing units at an average density of 507.6 per square mile (196.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 83.31% White, 6.01% African American, 0.17% Native American, 7.46% Asian, 1.51% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.77% of the population.[37][38]
There were 2,773 households, out of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.6% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 19.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.08.[37][38]
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males.[37][38]
The median income for a household in the city was $55,745, and the median income for a family was $61,563. Males had a median income of $47,984 versus $31,663 for females. The per capita income for the city was $23,615. About 3.2% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.[37][38]
Government
Local government
Absecon operates under the City form of New Jersey municipal government. The city is one of 15 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this traditional form of government.[40] The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the seven-member City Council. The mayor is elected to a four-year term of office. The City Council includes six members elected from the city's two wards to three-year terms on a staggered basis, with one seat from each ward up for election each year, along with one member elected at-large to a four-year term in office, all of whom are elected on a partisan basis as part of the November general election.[7][41][42]
As of 2024[update], the Mayor of Absecon is Democrat Kimberly Horton, the first female mayor in the town's history, serving a term of office ending December 31, 2024.[3] Members of the Absecon City Council are Council President Nicholas L. LaRotonda (R, 2024; Ward 1), Sandy Shenk Cain (D, 2024; Ward 2), Alexander C. Clark IV (R, 2026; Ward 1), Richard DeRose (R, 2025; Ward 2), Stephen S. Light (D, 2025; At Large) and Tommy Marrone (R, 2025; Ward 1) and Christine Parker (R, 2026; Ward 2).[43][44][45][46][47][48][49]
In September 2021, the City Council selected Donna Poley to fill the Ward 1 seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by Keith C. Bennett until he resigned from office.[50]
In February 2019, the City Council appointed Ward 2 councilmember Kimberley Horton to fill the mayoral seat expiring in December 2020 that had been held by John Armstrong until he resigned from office. Horton served on an interim basis until the November 2019 general election when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.[51] Later that month, Caleb Cavileer was chosen to fill Horton's vacant Ward 2 seat expiring in December 2020.[52] In the November 2019 general election, Cavileer ran for and won a full three-year term and Butch Burroughs was elected to serve the balance of Horton's council term of office, while Horton was elected to complete the mayoral term.[53]
Following the death of Ward 1 Councilmember Donald E. Camp in February 2016,[54] Patrick Sheeran was selected from three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee and appointed to fill the vacant seat expiring in December 2016.[55]
Federal, state and county representation
Absecon is located in the 2nd Congressional district[56] and is part of New Jersey's 2nd state legislative district.[57][58][59]
Atlantic County is governed by a directly elected county executive and a nine-member Board of County Commissioners, responsible for legislation. The executive serves a four-year term and the commissioners are elected to staggered three-year terms, of which four are elected from the county on an at-large basis and five of the commissioners represent equally populated districts.[65][66] As of 2024[update], Atlantic County's Executive is Dennis Levinson (R, Northfield), whose term of office ends December 31, 2027.[67] Members of the Board of County Commissioners are:
Atlantic County's constitutional officers are:
Clerk Joesph J. Giralo (R, 2026, Hammonton),[78][79]
Sheriff Joe O'Donoghue (R, 2026, Egg Harbor Township)[80][81] and
Surrogate James Curcio (R, 2025, Hammonton).[82][83][84]
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 5,629 registered voters in Absecon City, of which 1,353 (24.0% vs. 30.5% countywide) were registered as Democrats, 1,716 (30.5% vs. 25.2%) were registered as Republicans and 2,557 (45.4% vs. 44.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 3 voters registered as Libertarians or Greens.[85] Among the city's 2010 Census population, 66.9% (vs. 58.8% in Atlantic County) were registered to vote, including 84.5% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 76.6% countywide).[85][86]
In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 2,172 votes (50.6% vs. 57.9% countywide), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 2,063 votes (48.1% vs. 41.1%) and other candidates with 43 votes (1.0% vs. 0.9%), among the 4,289 ballots cast by the city's 5,938 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.2% (vs. 65.8% in Atlantic County).[87][88] In the 2008 presidential election, Republican John McCain received 2,262 votes (49.8% vs. 41.6% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 2,203 votes (48.5% vs. 56.5%) and other candidates with 41 votes (0.9% vs. 1.1%), among the 4,539 ballots cast by the city's 5,993 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.7% (vs. 68.1% in Atlantic County).[89] In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 2,177 votes (53.6% vs. 46.2% countywide), ahead of Democrat John Kerry with 1,800 votes (44.4% vs. 52.0%) and other candidates with 42 votes (1.0% vs. 0.8%), among the 4,058 ballots cast by the city's 5,201 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.0% (vs. 69.8% in the whole county).[90]
In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,874 votes (65.0% vs. 60.0% countywide), ahead of Democrat Barbara Buono with 883 votes (30.6% vs. 34.9%) and other candidates with 33 votes (1.1% vs. 1.3%), among the 2,883 ballots cast by the city's 5,991 registered voters, yielding a 48.1% turnout (vs. 41.5% in the county).[91][92] In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 1,501 votes (52.3% vs. 47.7% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 1,195 votes (41.6% vs. 44.5%), Independent Chris Daggett with 133 votes (4.6% vs. 4.8%) and other candidates with 21 votes (0.7% vs. 1.2%), among the 2,872 ballots cast by the city's 5,770 registered voters, yielding a 49.8% turnout (vs. 44.9% in the county).[93]
For ninth through twelfth grades, public school students from Absecon attend the Pleasantville High School in Pleasantville as part of a sending/receiving relationship with the Pleasantville Public Schools.[101] As of the 2021–22 school year, the high school had an enrollment of 893 students and 72.5 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 12.3:1.[102] In 2020, the Absecon district submitted a petition to end its agreement with Pleasantville and send its students to Absegami High School under a new sending/receiving relationship with the Greater Egg Harbor Regional High School District that Absecon argues would give its students a better education at a lower cost, without negatively impacting the demographics in Pleasantville High School. About 10% of Absecon's graduating students have been choosing to attend Pleasantville High School, for which the Absecon district has been paying $18,000 per student each year.[103]
As of May 2010[update], the city had a total of 49.71 miles (80.00 km) of roadways, of which 35.12 miles (56.52 km) were maintained by the municipality, 7.54 miles (12.13 km) by Atlantic County and 7.05 miles (11.35 km) by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.[109]
^Form of Government, City of Absecon. Accessed May 23, 2024. "Voters Elect Mayor and Council. Partisan... The Mayor is selected at-large to a four-year term.... Council is the legislative body of the municipality and consists of seven members. Three members each represent Ward 1 and Ward 2 of the City and are elected to staggered three-year terms. One member is an at-large representative elected to a four-year term."
^City Council, City of Absecon. Accessed May 23, 2024.
^City Council Meeting Minutes for September 16, 2021, City of Absecon. Accessed May 10, 2022. "Nomination To Fill The Vacancy Of Councilman Keith Bennett: Nomination was made for Donna Poley by Council Pro Tern Betty Howell — seconded by Councilwoman Cain No other nominations were made.... Filling the vacant Councilperson, Ward 1 position.... Administration of Oath of Office Donna was sworn in by Mayor Horton."
^Van Embden, Edward. "Kim Horton becomes Absecon's first woman mayor", The Current of Pleasantville and Absecon, February 4, 2019. Accessed September 24, 2019. "Council member Kim Horton was recently appointed the city’s newest mayor, taking the place of the departing John Armstrong and in the process becoming Absecon’s first female mayor. Armstrong recently announced he was vacating the seat for personal reasons.... Horton will serve as Absecon’s mayor at least until an election is held in the fall."
^City Council Minutes for February 7, 2019Archived September 24, 2019, at the Wayback Machine, City of Absecon. Accessed September 24, 2019. "Nomination to Fill the Vacancy of Councilperson Ward 2 - Nomination for Caleb Cavileer was made by Councilwoman Cain... Caleb was sworn in by Mayor Horton"
^Liberatore Jr., RJ. "Absecon Councilman Donald E. Camp dies at 78", The Press of Atlantic City, February 5, 2016. Accessed June 14, 2016. "Republican 1st Ward Councilman Donald E. Camp, 78, died Wednesday, Feb. 3, after suffering a medical episode while walking his dog. Camp's term was due to expire in December."
^High school options[permanent dead link], Emma C. Attles Middle School. Accessed December 8, 2016. "Absecon is a sending district to Pleasantville High School. There are other high school options for students."
^Lowe, Claire. "Judge to hear Absecon schools request to leave Pleasantville, attorney says", The Press of Atlantic City, February 25, 2020. Accessed June 11, 2020 . "The Absecon School District will appear before a judge in July to argue why it should be allowed to leave its sending and receiving relationship with the Pleasantville School District.... The K-8 district submitted its request to the state Department of Education in August to sever its decades-old agreement with Pleasantville, citing the cost and quality of education there. The petition calls for students from Absecon to instead attend Absegami High School in neighboring Galloway Township."
^Frequently Asked Questions Archived April 24, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, Atlantic County Institute of Technology. Accessed May 17, 2017. "What does it cost to attend ACIT? As a public school, there is no cost to Atlantic County residents of high school age. New Jersey Title 18A:54-20.1 entitles students the right to choose ACIT for their high school education."
^Prisament, Steve. "Taxes rising as more Absecon students opt for public high school"Archived 2016-03-07 at the Wayback Machine, The Current of Pleasantville & Absecon, March 10, 2011. Accessed July 12, 2017. "'The increase in high school tuition for 2011-12 is the reason we qualified for a tuition adjustment and is the reason for our 6.1-cent tax increase,' Superintendent James Giaquinto said Monday, March 7. 'We have budgeted $363,000 for Charter Tech, $370,000 for Pleasantville High School and $375,000 for Atlantic County Institute of Technology.'"
^Welcome, Holy Spirit High School. Accessed February 19, 2023. "Holy Spirit High School opened her doors in 1922 on Massachusetts Avenue in Atlantic City, and in 2014 celebrated her 50th Anniversary in Absecon, New Jersey."
^Schools, South Jersey Catholic Schools. Accessed February 19, 2023.
^Brian Joo's Bio, jpopasia. Accessed November 14, 2013. "Joo was born in Los Angeles, California to Korean immigrants. The family later moved to Absecon, New Jersey."
^"Michelle Malkin of 'The Seattle Times'", The Masthead, Winter 1998. Accessed October 25, 2007. "Malkin, originally from Absecon, New Jersey, is a graduate of Oberlin College."
^Saxon, Wolfgang. "Joseph McGahn, 82, Pioneer Of Casinos in Atlantic City", The New York Times, December 28, 1999. Accessed November 14, 2013. "Joseph Leo McGahn, a New Jersey obstetrician who, as a Democratic state senator, paved the way for Atlantic City's gambling industry in the 1970's, died Friday at Meadowview Nursing Home in Northfield, N.J. A longtime resident of Absecon, N.J., he was 82."
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