Editing Fort Lee, New Jersey (section)

==Government==
===Local government===
[[File:Borough of Fort Lee Borough Hall.jpg|thumb|Fort Lee Borough Hall]] Fort Lee is governed under the [[Borough (New Jersey)|borough]] form of New Jersey [[municipal government]]. The borough is one of 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government.<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 the [[mayor]] and the six-member [[City council|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. 160.</ref> The borough form of government used by Fort Lee 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. [http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html "Forms of Government: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know, But Were Afraid to Ask"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924045019/http://www.njslom.org/magart0307_p14.html |date=September 24, 2014 }}, [[New Jersey State League of Municipalities]]. Accessed November 30, 2014.</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|2024}}, the mayor of Fort Lee is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Mark Sokolich]], whose term of office ends December 31, 2027. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Harvey Sohmer (D, 2024), Joseph L. Cervieri Jr. (D, 2024), Bryan Drumgoole (D, 2026), Ila Kasofsky (D, 2025), Peter J. Suh (D, 2025) and Paul K. Yoon (D, 2026).<ref name=MayorCouncil>[https://www.fortleenj.org/164/Mayor-Council Mayor Council], Borough of Fort Lee. Accessed May 17, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.fortleenj.org/DocumentCenter/View/7291/2024-Introduced-Municipal-Budget-Pdf?bidId= 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Fort Lee. Accessed May 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=BergenCountyDirectory>[https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/images/About_Bergen_County/2024-county-directory.pdf#page=43 ''2024 County and Municipal Directory''], [[Bergen County, New Jersey]], April 2024. Accessed April 15, 2024.</ref><ref name=Bergen2023>[https://www.bergencountyclerk.gov/_Content/pdf/ElectionResult/District%20Canvass%20NEW.pdf Official Statement of Vote 2023 General Election - November 7, 2023 Official Results], [[Bergen County, New Jersey]], November 27, 2023. Accessed January 1, 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>

In November 2022, the borough council appointed Bryan Drumgoole to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Michael Sargenti until he resigned from office.<ref>[https://www.fortleenj.org/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_11102022-744 Mayor and Council Minutes for November 10, 2022], Borough of Fort Lee. Accessed March 13, 2023. "WHEREAS, Michael Sargenti submitted a letter of resignation dated September 16, 2022 resigning as a Council member effective November 9, 2022; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Fort Lee that Bryan Drumgoole is hereby appointed Council person for the Borough of Fort Lee as successor to Michael Sargenti. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Fort Lee that Bryan Drumgoole shall serve on the Borough Council for the remainder of the unexpired term which expires December 31, 2023."</ref>

===Federal, state and county representation===
Fort Lee is located in the 5th Congressional District<ref name=PCR2022>[https://www.njredistrictingcommission.org/documents/2021/Data2021/Plan%20Components.pdf 2022 Redistricting Plan], [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]], December 8, 2022.</ref> and is part of New Jersey's 37th 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#37 Districts by Number for 2011–2020], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

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

{{NJ Legislative 37}}

{{NJ Bergen County Freeholders}}

===Politics===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 18,382 registered voters in Fort Lee, of which 7,537 (41.0% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 2,487 (13.5% vs. 21.1%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 8,350 (45.4% vs. 47.1%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 8 voters registered to other parties.<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 7, 2013.</ref> Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 52.0% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 62.6% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).<ref name=VoterRegistration/><ref>[http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTP7.ST16?slice=GEO~0400000US34 GCT-P7: Selected Age Groups: 2010 – State – County Subdivision; 2010 Census Summary File 1 for New Jersey] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20200212202223/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTP7.ST16?slice=GEO~0400000US34 |date=February 12, 2020 }}, [[United States Census Bureau]]. Accessed December 7, 2013.</ref>

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Democrat [[Barack Obama]] received 7,891 votes (60.9% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican [[Mitt Romney]] with 4,737 votes (36.6% vs. 43.5%) and other candidates with 104 votes (0.8% vs. 0.9%), among the 12,950 ballots cast by the borough's 19,738 registered voters, for a turnout of 65.6% (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 7, 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 7, 2013.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008 presidential election]], Democrat Barack Obama received 8,624 votes (61.0% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of Republican [[John McCain]] with 5,236 votes (37.0% vs. 44.5%) and other candidates with 114 votes (0.8% vs. 0.8%), among the 14,144 ballots cast by the borough's 19,352 registered voters, for a turnout of 73.1% (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 7, 2013.</ref><ref name=Results2008>[http://dng.northjersey.com/media_server/tr/smaps/2008/electionresults2008/att/North_Jersey_election_results_42.html 2008 General Election Results for Fort Lee"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120329211936/http://dng.northjersey.com/media_server/tr/smaps/2008/electionresults2008/att/North_Jersey_election_results_42.html |date=March 29, 2012 }}, ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]''. Accessed September 26, 2011.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Democrat [[John Kerry]] received 8,367 votes (61.1% vs. 51.7% countywide), ahead of Republican [[George W. Bush]] with 5,161 votes (37.7% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 100 votes (0.7% vs. 0.7%), among the 13,692 ballots cast by the borough's 18,294 registered voters, for a turnout of 74.8% (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 7, 2013.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; font-size: 95%;"
|+ Presidential elections results
|-
! Year
![[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
![[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2024 United States presidential election in New Jersey|2024]]<ref name="2024Elections">{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2024/2024-official-general-results-president-bergen.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 5, 2024 - Bergen County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=January 3, 2025}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|41.1% ''6,422''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''56.2%''' ''8,780''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2020|2020]]<ref name="2020Elections">{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2020/2020-official-general-results-president-bergen.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 3, 2020 - Bergen County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=January 3, 2023}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|36.6% ''6,433''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''62.3%'''  ''10,940''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2016|2016]]<ref name="2016Elections">{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2016/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-bergen.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 8, 2016 - Bergen County|date=December 31, 2016|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 23, 2024}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|35.5% ''4,661''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''61.7%'''  ''8,097''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012]]<ref name="2012Elections">{{cite web|url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-bergen.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Bergen County|date=March 15, 2013|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=December 23, 2014}}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|36.6% ''4,737''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''60.9%'''  ''7,891''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008]]<ref name="state.nj.us">[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-bergen.rev.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Bergen County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 21, 2012.</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|37.0% ''5,236''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''61.0%'''  ''8,624''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004]]<ref name="Presidential Election 2004">[https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/assets/pdf/election-results/2004/2004-presidential_bergen_co_2004.pdf], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 21, 2012.</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|37.7% ''5,161''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''61.1%''' ''8,367''
|-
|}

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 55.3% of the vote (3,735 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 43.5% (2,941 votes), and other candidates with 1.2% (78 votes), among the 6,992 ballots cast by the borough's 18,356 registered voters (238 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 38.1%.<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 5,187 ballots cast (58.8% vs. 48.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 3,191 votes (36.2% vs. 45.8%), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 287 votes (3.3% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 38 votes (0.4% vs. 0.5%), among the 8,817 ballots cast by the borough's 18,854 registered voters, yielding a 46.8% 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=November 28, 2018 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed December 7, 2013.</ref>