Maple Shade Township is a township in Burlington County New Jersey, United States.

What is now Maple Shade was originally formed as Chester Township on November 6, 1688.  Chester was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798.  The name was changed to Maple Shade township as of November 6, 1945, based on the results of a referendum passed that same day.

Maple Shade Township operates under the Faulkner Act (Council-Manager) form of municipal government. The township is governed by a five-member Township Council, whose members are elected at-large in partisan elections to serve four-year terms of office on a staggered basis. At a reorganization meeting after each election, the Council selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.