NEWS
Thank You to all that Voted YES
Dover Question #1
Vote For 1
60/60 100.00%
Vote Count Percent
Yes 16,064 61.21%
No 10,179 38.79%
Total 26,243 100.00%
Dover is over; it's Toms River Township
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 11/7/06
STAFF REPORT
The name is going to change.
After 239 years of being called Dover Township, the state's seventh-largest municipality will become Toms River Township on Nov. 14, after voters approved a referendum asking if the name should be changed.
The vote was 16,059 to 10,176.
"I think this will eliminate the confusion with the name both in and out of town,'' said
Mayor Paul C. Brush, who co-chaired the Name Change Committee.
The vote was a victory for the committee, a group of township officials, business owners and residents that formed this year and collected more than 8,300 signatures to place the measure on the ballot.
The name change group was co-chaired by Brush, a Democrat, and Republican Councilwoman Maria Maruca, and was strongly supported by the Toms River-Ocean County Chamber of Commerce, which argued that switching the name would help lure more businesses to the township and end confusion in other parts of the state.
Jean Mikle
2006 ELECTION RESULTS
ENDORSEMENT
DOVER TOWNSHIP NAME CHANGE
The voters of Dover Township … who invariably call their home town Toms River … should end the charade and formally change the name to Toms River Township.
The name change referendum Tuesday is being pushed by the Toms River-Ocean County Chamber of Commerce, which wants to eliminate confusion potential businesses have about the town. The village of Toms River is often listed in atlases and directories, with a population of about 7,500. Dover Township … the state's seventh-largest municipality with a population of about 95,000 residents - frequently isn't listed at all.
Mayor Paul C. Brush and business leaders also back the change to stop mail and emergency calls from going to the town of Dover in Morris County. Brush estimates the cost of converting letterhead and signs to the new name at $16,000 to $20,000, with the changes phased in. Critics claim that cost estimate is much too low. One fire chief said it would cost $1,000 for new lettering for each of his 21 trucks. They're grasping at straws. Who cares what name is on a township vehicle as long as it does its job?
Ask people of Dover Township where they live and they respond "Toms River.'' That's the name of their mailing address, schools, sports leagues and downtown shopping area. And that's where the maps say they live. It's time to make it official.
Pick up a TR YES sticker today at the:
Toms River Chamber of Commerce
(1200 Hooper Avenue)
Downtown Toms River (218 Main Street)
or call 732-341-8738
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING. . . READ THE STORIES
VOTE YES FOR THE NAME CHANGE NOVEMBER 7, 2006
Welcome To Toms River Now
Is it Toms River, Dover Township, Dover, or both? Most of us who live in Toms River tell people exactly that...we live in Toms River. But we don't. Toms River is just a very small section of Dover Township. Yet maps and other references give more emphasis to Toms River than Dover Township. And there is a Dover in Morris County with which we are often confused. But there is only one Toms River in the entire Country.
What is Dover Township?
Dover Township is New Jersey’s seventh largest town, yet it is predominantly identified and best known as Toms River. At the same time there is a Dover, NJ north of Morristown in Morris County. It has approximately 19 percent the population (18,188) and 6 percent of the land area of Dover Township. There have been confusions in sending emergency personnel in response to telephoned reports of emergencies. There are continuing instances of deliveries being misdirected and even people going to the wrong Dover for meetings. Investors and potential residents often find the wrong data regarding Toms River, not being aware of the confusion between Toms River, Dover Township, and Dover.
Our Mission...Changing the Dover Township Name to Toms River
We have collected more than 11,000 signatures on petitions to put the question to change the name of Dover Township to Toms River on the November General Election ballot. We exceeded the required number by more than 3,000. The support has been overwhelming. Only the amount of time necessary to collect signatures kept us from collecting even more.
We expect the question to be certified to be put on the November General Election ballot by early September. Be sure to GET OUT AND VOTE for the name change. This is the kind of question that makes so much sense that people assume that it will pass and don't bother going to the polls. Only complacency on the part of supporters can keep the question from passing in November.