We work for the people of Basking Ridge by listening and responding to their concerns for the betterment of our community.
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Bernards Township Democratic Committee
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From the BTDC
Hello! I hope everyone celebrating has enjoyed a nice holiday season. We hosted our 36th annual Christmas Eve dinner, for the combined Duarte and McCarthy families. This year’s theme, “A Wintry White Christmas” was a wonderful evening of laughter and love. During December the Township Committee held two meetings. At the December 9 meeting, […]
Hailing from Austin, Texas where they met and studied computer science, Linda Ness and Munir Cochinwala have enjoyed decades raising their family in Basking Ridge. While Linda grew up on a dairy farm in southern Minnesota, and Munir in Pakistan, this dynamic pair shares common ground in their support for democracy in all its iterations. […]
Not only is Casey Collins a true-blue Democrat, she’s a true-blue friend. As a freshman at UC Santa Barbara, during the first week of college, Casey met two men who would both become loves of her life. One would become her husband, but that story is for another day. The other would become a lifelong […]
Hello! I hope everyone enjoyed a nice Thanksgiving. We were in Mendham at the home of my sister Amalia, Committeewoman, Mendham Township. This was her 30th year hosting and underscores how time flies. In this season of thanks, I want to express my gratitude to Bernards Township residents Brett Hodges, John Tompkins, and Elizabeth Graner, for […]
There’s a very impactful group of Democrats in town that flies beneath the proverbial radar – Bernards Township Progressive Women. The cohort first came together as a very small private Facebook group started by Lisa Bahler in 2016 and grew exponentially after Trump’s first election. Today, the Progressive Women’s page boasts more than 500 followers. […]
November 19, 2025 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Democrats Win the Majority on the Bernards Township Committee We are pleased to share that as of today’s election certification, Brett Hodges and John Tompkins were elected to the Bernards Township Committee, commencing January 6, 2026. This election also marks the first time in recent history that every Democratic […]
The Food Bank of Somerset County is currently focused on emergency planning for the pressing SNAP crisis. They are working closely with Somerset County leadership, as well as the County Office of Emergency Management, and are planning for a drive-through distribution on 15-16 November at the County facility at 411 Chimney Rock Rd., Bridgewater. In […]
Hello! While there are still some votes to be counted, the Hodges and Tompkins campaign is well on its way to a resounding victory. Currently, Brett Hodges is ahead by 209 votes and John Tompkins is ahead by 384. For the first time in history, we will have a Democratic majority on our Township Committee. […]
On January 6, 2026, the Democrats took the majority on the Bernards Township Committee for the first time since 1938, with the election of John Tompkins and Brett Hodges.
Ana Duarte McCarthy (elected in 2023) became the first female Democratic mayor, with John Tompkins sworn in as Deputy mayor (serving a one year term), and Brett Hodges sworn in as Committeeman for a three year term.
Democrats Serving on the Bernards Township Committee
About Us
The Bernards Township Democratic Committee (BTDC) is dedicated to making our town a better place to live and work, and to solving local issues with transparency, balance and compassion. The committee is made up of a diverse group of conscientious and engaged residents: Men and women in our community, representing a broad range, among other attributes, of cultural backgrounds, races and ethnicities, religions, ages, education and professional experience.
We offer Bernards Township another option at the polls for a new perspective on local government. We are dedicated to bringing a balanced democracy and transparency to the Township Committee.