Demarest, New Jersey

==Government==

===Local government===
Demarest is governed under the [[Borough (New Jersey)|borough]] form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey.<ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/inventory_of_municipal_forms_of_government_in_new_jersey.pdf ''Inventory of Municipal Forms of Government in New Jersey''], [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies, July 1, 2011. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected [[at-large]] on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council is comprised of six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 165.</ref> The borough form of government used by Demarest is a "[[weak mayor]] / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie. The mayor can [[veto]] ordinances subject to an [[veto override|override]] by a two-thirds majority vote of the council. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.<ref>Cerra, Michael F. [https://www.njlm.org/809/3982/Forms-of-Govt-Magazine-Article "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask"], [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]]. Accessed January 25, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=6 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 6. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref>

{{As of|2023}}, the [[mayor]] of Demarest Borough is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Brian K. Bernstein, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Andrea Slowikowski ([[Republican Party (United States)|R]], 2024), Daryl Ury Fox (D, 2024), Mary Lynne Hamilton (D, 2023), David Jiang (D, 2025), Rebecca LaPira (D, 2023) and Daniel Marks (D, 2025).<ref name=Committee>[https://demarestnj.org/mayor_council Mayor and Council], Borough of Demarest. Accessed March 13, 2023.</ref><ref>[https://demarestnj.org/vertical/sites/%7B7F9FF05A-4154-4A9B-B6E4-A8EA6E64541F%7D/uploads/Borough_of_Demarest-Introduced_2022_Budget_(002).pdf 2022 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Demarest. Accessed May 8, 2022.</ref><ref name=BergenCountyDirectory>[https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/images/About_Bergen_County/2024-county-directory.pdf#page=38 ''2024 County and Municipal Directory''], [[Bergen County, New Jersey]], April 2024. Accessed April 15, 2024.</ref><ref name=Bergen2022>[https://www.bergencountyclerk.org/_Content/pdf/ElectionResult/Certified%20Statement%20of%20Vote%20Book%2011-21-22.pdf Bergen County November 8, 2022 General Election Statement of Vote], [[Bergen County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated November 21, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref><ref name=Bergen2021>[https://www.bergencountyclerk.org/_Content/pdf/ElectionResult/Statement%20of%20Vote%2011-17-21(1).pdf Bergen County Statement of Vote November 2, 2021 Official results], [[Bergen County, New Jersey]], updated November 17, 2021. Accessed January 1, 2022.</ref><ref name=Bergen2020>[https://www.bergencountyclerk.org/_Content/pdf/ElectionResult/NOV_2020_General_Precinct_Summary.pdf Precinct Summary Results Report - Combined 2020 Bergen County General Election - November 3, 2020 Official Results], [[Bergen County, New Jersey]], December 3, 2020. Accessed January 1, 2021.</ref>

On the night of the November 2018 general election, Melinda Iannuzzi won the first seat with 1,099 votes and Republican Joseph Gray won the second seat with 1,094 votes with Jim Caroll in fourth place; Later that month, once all ballots were counted and the results were certified, Carroll pulled ahead and won the second council seat up for election.<ref>Noda, Stephanie. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2016/11/18/democrat-carroll-upset-winner-demarest-council-seat/94076104/ "Democrat Carroll is upset winner for Demarest council"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', November 18, 2016. Accessed September 16, 2019. "In the latest numbers, to be certified later Friday, Carroll and Democratic incumbent Melinda Iannuzzi received 1,103 and 1,258 votes respectively, to win the two full-term seats up for grabs, according to the Bergen County Board of Elections. Republican incumbents Joseph Gray and Joseph Connolly finished with 1,094 and 1,093 votes respectively. On Nov. 8, Iannuzzi had received the most votes, 1,099, for one of the seats. Gray, with 998 votes, appeared to have bested Carroll, with 965 votes, and Connolly, with 986 votes, for the second seat but the addition of the outstanding ballots gave Carroll the win."</ref>

Joseph N. Connolly was appointed to take office in December 2015, filling the vacant seat expiring in December 2017 left by the resignation of Republican Steve Schleim.<ref>Miraglia, Mary. [http://cresskill.dailyvoice.com/politics/joseph-connolly-sworn-in-as-new-demarest-councilman/611235/ "Joseph Connolly Sworn In As New Demarest Councilman"], Cresskil-Closter-Demarest Daily Voice, December 23, 2015. Accessed April 18, 2016. "Joseph N. Connolly has been sworn in as Demarest Councilman, filling a vacancy left by Steve Schleim's resignation."</ref> In the November 2016 general election, Democrat Rebecca LaPira was elected to serve the one year remaining on the term of office.<ref name=Bergen2016>[http://www.bergencountyclerk.org/_Content/pdf/elections/BC-Statement-of-Vote-Book-11-08-2016.pdf Bergen County Statement of Vote November 8, 2016, General Election], [[Bergen County, New Jersey]], November 18, 2016. Accessed July 3, 2018.</ref>

Gregg Paster was appointed in October 2013 to fill the vacant seat of Blake Chroman that was due to expire at the end of 2015. Paster served on an interim basis until a special ballot item in November 2014, when voters chose him to serve the balance of Chroman's term of office.<ref>Curley, Mike. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160814015730/http://www.northjersey.com/news/paster-tapped-to-replace-chroman-on-demarest-council-1.593734 "Paster tapped to replace Chroman on Demarest council"], ''Northern Valley Suburbanite'', October 10, 2013, backed up by the [[Internet Archive]] as of August 14, 2016. Accessed September 12, 2017. "The borough council appointed Gregg Paster to replace Blake Chroman on the council at the Oct. 7 council meeting. Paster was one of three candidates nominated by the Bergen County Democratic Committee to fill the spot, along with Zoning Board of Adjustment Chairperson Daryl Fox, and former mayor James Carroll."</ref>

===Federal, state and county representation===
Demarest is located in the 5th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2012>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2012-congressional-districts/njcd-2011-plan-components-county-mcd.pdf Plan Components Report], [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]], December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 39th state legislative district.<ref name=Districts2011>[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/2011-legislative-districts/towns-districts.pdf Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District], [[New Jersey Department of State]]. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref><ref name=LWV2019>[https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5bae63366fd2b2e5b9f87e5e/5d30f0a94a82c66427e564d2_2019_CitizensGuide.pdf ''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''], New Jersey [[League of Women Voters]]. Accessed October 30, 2019.</ref><ref>[https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#39 Districts by Number for 2011-2020] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190714024328/https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#39 |date=July 14, 2019 }}, [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

{{NJ Congress 05}} {{NJ Senate}}

{{NJ Legislative 39}}

{{NJ Bergen County Freeholders}}

===Politics===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 3,117 registered voters in Demarest, of which 984 (31.6% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 589 (18.9% vs. 21.1%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 1,542 (49.5% vs. 47.1%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 2 voters registered as [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarians]] or [[Green Party (United States)|Greens]].<ref name=VoterRegistration>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-bergen-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Bergen], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed December 4, 2013.</ref> Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 63.9% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 88.1% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>[https://www.census.gov GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 - State -- County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey], [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed December 4, 2013.</ref>

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2016|2016 presidential election]], Democrat [[Hillary Clinton]] received 1,578 votes (62.4% vs. 54.2% countywide), ahead of Republican [[Donald Trump]] with 853 votes (33.7% vs. 41.1% countywide) and other candidates with 68 votes (2.7% vs. 3.0% countywide), among the 2,528 ballots cast by the borough's 3,491 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.4% (vs. 73% in Bergen County).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.njelections.org/2016-results/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-bergen.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-02-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170107140253/http://www.njelections.org/2016-results/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-bergen.pdf |archive-date=2017-01-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Democrat [[Barack Obama]] received 1,211 votes (51.0% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican [[Mitt Romney]] with 1,127 votes (47.5% vs. 43.5%) and other candidates with 17 votes (0.7% vs. 0.9%), among the 2,373 ballots cast by the borough's 3,343 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.0% (vs. 70.4% in Bergen County).<ref>[http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-presidential-bergen.pdf Presidential November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Bergen County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926204006/http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-presidential-bergen.pdf |date=September 26, 2018 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed December 4, 2013.</ref><ref>[http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-bergen.pdf Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast November 6, 2012 General Election Results - Bergen County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926203505/http://njelections.org/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-bergen.pdf |date=September 26, 2018 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 15, 2013. Accessed December 4, 2013.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008 presidential election]], Democrat Barack Obama received 1,388 votes (54.9% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of Republican [[John McCain]] with 1,105 votes (43.7% vs. 44.5%) and other candidates with 14 votes (0.6% vs. 0.8%), among the 2,526 ballots cast by the borough's 3,212 registered voters, for a turnout of 78.6% (vs. 76.8% in Bergen County).<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-bergen.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Bergen County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed December 4, 2013.</ref><ref name=Results2008>[http://dng.northjersey.com/media_server/tr/smaps/2008/electionresults2008/att/North_Jersey_election_results_32.html 2008 General Election Results for Demarest] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814202630/http://dng.northjersey.com/media_server/tr/smaps/2008/electionresults2008/att/North_Jersey_election_results_32.html |date=2011-08-14 }}, ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]''. Accessed September 12, 2011.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Democrat [[John Kerry]] received 1,292 votes (51.4% vs. 51.7% countywide), ahead of Republican [[George W. Bush]] with 1,204 votes (47.9% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 12 votes (0.5% vs. 0.7%), among the 2,512 ballots cast by the borough's 3,083 registered voters, for a turnout of 81.5% (vs. 76.9% in the whole county).<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_bergen_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Bergen County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed December 4, 2013.</ref>

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 62.5% of the vote (883 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 36.4% (515 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (15 votes), among the 1,452 ballots cast by the borough's 3,167 registered voters (39 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 45.8%.<ref name=2013Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-bergen.pdf |title=Governor - Bergen County |date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name=2013VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-ballotscast-bergen.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Bergen County|date=January 29, 2014 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009|2009 gubernatorial election]], Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] received 823 ballots cast (48.2% vs. 48.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 787 votes (46.1% vs. 45.8%), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 78 votes (4.6% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 10 votes (0.6% vs. 0.5%), among the 1,708 ballots cast by the borough's 3,164 registered voters, yielding a 54.0% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the county).<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-bergen.pdf 2009 Governor: Bergen County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128164457/https://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-bergen.pdf |date=2018-11-28 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed December 4, 2013.</ref>