Freeholder (government)

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A Freeholder is a member of the Board of Freeholders, or Board of Chosen Freeholders, that serves as the government of a county in the State of New Jersey in the United States of America.

New Jersey is the only state to call its county legislature "freeholders." The term has remained in use since the time when New Jersey was a colony of Great Britain; freeholders were those who owned their own land in fee simple, and were therefore entitled to elect one of their fellows, a "chosen freeholder," to represent a town on the county's council.

Today, each county has a board of up to nine chosen freeholders, each of which is elected by all of the voters of the county ("at large"). Property qualifications for voting or holding office were abolished long ago. One of the chosen freeholders is elected by the board as "director," to chair meetings, and the board hires a county administrator and a clerk of the board to manage day-to-day operations of county services. The post of freeholder is a part-time position.