Editing Alpine, New Jersey (section)

==Government==

===Local government===
Alpine 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 includes 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 Alpine 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]], March 2007. Accessed November 29, 2022.</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 Alpine is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Paul H. Tomasko, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Alpine Borough Council are Council President Gayle Gerstein (D, 2025), Scott Bosworth (D, 2025), Steven Cohen (D, 2024), Arthur I. Frankel (D, 2026), Vicki Frankel (D, 2024) and David Kupferschmid (D, 2026).<ref name=MayorCouncil>[http://www.alpinenj07620.org/id5.html Mayor & Council], Borough of Alpine. Accessed April 21, 2024.</ref><ref>[http://www.alpinenj07620.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/2024UFB.pdf 2024 Municipal User Friendly Budget], Borough of Alpine. Accessed April 21, 2024.</ref><ref name=BergenCountyDirectory>[https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/images/About_Bergen_County/2024-county-directory.pdf#page=34 ''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 August 2022, David Kupferschmid was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Laurence A. Shadek until he resigned from office the previous month.<ref>[http://www.alpinenj07620.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/mcminutes08_24_2022.pdf Mayor and Council Regular Meeting Minutes for August 24, 2022], Borough of Alpine. Accessed March 12, 2023.</ref>

In February 2021 the borough council appointed Scott Bosworth from a list of three candidates nominated by the Republican municipal committee to fill the council seat expiring in December 2022 that had been held by John Halbreich until he resigned from office earlier that month.<ref>[http://www.alpinenj07620.org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/MCminutes_February2021.pdf Borough Council Regular Meeting Minutes for February 24, 2021], Borough of Alpine. Accessed May 3, 2022. "WHEREAS, John Halbreich was elected to the Alpine Borough Council serving as Council Person with a term expiring on December 31, 2022; and... WHEREAS, Councilman John Halbreich, to our regret has submitted a letter of resignation effective February 1, 2021 thereto creating a vacancy on Council... NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Scott Bosworth be and hereby is appointed to fill the vacancy of the seat previously held by John Halbreich which term expires December 31, 2022"</ref> Bosworth served on an interim basis until the November 2021 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Bergen2021/>

Joan Ornstein was appointed by the borough council in February 2012 to fill the vacant seat of her husband Steve, who had died the previous month after being sworn in for a three-year term of office.<ref>Staff. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150202221055/http://record-bergen.vlex.com/vid/alpine-fills-council-vacancy-370177522 "Alpine Fills Council Vacancy"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', February 28, 2012, backed up by the [[Internet Archive]] as of February 2, 2015. Accessed September 5, 2017. "Joan Ornstein, the widow of Alpine Councilman Steven Ornstein, will fill his council seat for the remainder of the year, local officials said. The 73-year-old councilman was sworn to a new term on Jan. 1 and died Jan. 28 after a six-year battle with colon cancer."</ref>

In 2018, the borough had an average property tax bill of $21,299, the highest in the county, compared to an average bill of $8,767 statewide.<ref>Marcus, Samantha. [https://www.nj.com/politics/2019/04/these-are-the-towns-with-the-highest-property-taxes-in-each-of-njs-21-counties.html "These are the towns with the highest property taxes in each of N.J.’s 21 counties"], NJ Advance Media for [[NJ.com]], April 22, 2019. Accessed November 5, 2019. "The average property tax bill in New Jersey was $8,767 last year. But there can be big swings from town to town and county to county.... The average property tax bill in Alpine Borough was $21,299 in 2018, the highest in Bergen County."</ref>

===Federal, state and county representation===
Alpine 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>[https://nj1015.com/whats-your-new-nj-legislative-district-20-moved-on-new-map/ Districts by Number for 2023-2031], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed September 18, 2023.</ref>

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

{{NJ Legislative 39}}

{{NJ Bergen County Freeholders}}

===Politics===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,352 registered voters in Alpine, of which 341 (25.2% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 372 (27.5% vs. 21.1%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 638 (47.2% vs. 47.1%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There was one voter registered to another party.<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, 73.1% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 94.5% 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>
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"
|+ Presidential Elections Results
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
![[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
![[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
![[Third Party (United States)|Third Parties]]
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[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}}|'''54.4%''' ''517''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|43.5% ''413''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |2.1% ''12''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2020|2020]]'''<ref>[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 March 12, 2022.</ref>
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|47.0% ''510''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''52.1%''' ''566''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.8% ''9''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2016|2016]]<ref name="2016Elections">{{cite web|url=http://nj.gov/state/elections/2016-results/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-bergen.pdf|title=Presidential General Election Results - November 8, 2016 - Bergen County|publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections|access-date=January 3, 2018}}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|46.5% ''419''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''50.8%'''  ''458''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |2.7% ''25''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[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}}|'''59.7%''' ''522''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|39.1%  ''342''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.3% ''11''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[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}}|'''54.6%''' ''532''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|44.6%  ''434''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.8% ''8''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[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 2004 Presidential Election: Bergen County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 21, 2012.</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''56.1%''' ''588''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|43.1%  ''451''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.8% ''8''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2000|2000]]<ref name="bergencountyclerk.org">{{Cite web |url=http://www.bergencountyclerk.org/web_content/pdf/elections/historical/General-1959-2014.zip |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-01-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180104074920/http://www.bergencountyclerk.org/web_content/pdf/elections/historical/General-1959-2014.zip |archive-date=2018-01-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''52.7%''' ''513''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|45.0%  ''438''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |2.4% ''23''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 1996|1996]]<ref name="bergencountyclerk.org"/>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''54.9%''' ''481''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|38.2%  ''335''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |6.9% ''60''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 1992|1992]]<ref name="bergencountyclerk.org"/>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''54.9%''' ''529''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|32.5%  ''313''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |12.6% ''121''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 1988|1988]]<ref name="bergencountyclerk.org"/>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''70.2%''' ''614''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|29.5%  ''258''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.3% ''3''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 1984|1984]]<ref name="bergencountyclerk.org"/>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''76.2%''' ''660''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|23.6%  ''204''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.2% ''2''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 1980|1980]]<ref name="bergencountyclerk.org"/>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''67.5%''' ''565''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|22.1%  ''185''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |10.4% ''87''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 1976|1976]]<ref name="bergencountyclerk.org"/>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''66.2%''' ''499''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|32.4%  ''244''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |1.5% ''11''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 1972|1972]]<ref name="bergencountyclerk.org"/>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''68.3%''' ''465''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|31.1%  ''212''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.6% ''4''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 1968|1968]]<ref name="bergencountyclerk.org"/>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''64.1%''' ''384''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|31.6%  ''189''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |4.3% ''26''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 1964|1964]]<ref name="bergencountyclerk.org"/>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''53.5%''' ''290''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|46.5%  ''252''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.0% ''0''
|-
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 1960|1960]]<ref name="bergencountyclerk.org"/>'''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''71.6%''' ''370''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|28.4%  ''147''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;" |0.0% ''0''
|}

In the  [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2016|2016 presidential election]], Democrat [[Hillary Clinton]] received 458 votes (50.8% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican [[Donald Trump]] with 419 votes (46.5% vs. 41.6% countywide) and other candidates with 25 votes (2.7% vs. 3.7% countywide), among the 902 ballots cast by the borough's 1,480 registered voters for a turnout of 60.9% (vs. 73% in Bergen County).<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/2016-results/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-bergen.pdf Presidential November 8, 2016 General Election Results Bergen County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170107140253/http://www.njelections.org/2016-results/2016-gen-elect-presidential-results-bergen.pdf |date=January 7, 2017 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]], December 14, 2016. Accessed September 11, 2017.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Republican [[Mitt Romney]] received 522 votes (59.0% vs. 43.5% countywide), ahead of Democrat [[Barack Obama]] with 342 votes (38.6% vs. 54.8%) and other candidates with 9 votes (1.0% vs. 0.9%), among the 885 ballots cast by the borough's 1,416 registered voters, for a turnout of 62.5% (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 [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2017|2017 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Kim Guadagno]] received 53.0% of the vote (229 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Phil Murphy]] with 46.1% (199 votes), and other candidates with 0.9% (4 votes), among the 436 ballots cast by the borough's 1,416 registered voters (4 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 30.8%.<ref name=2017Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2017-results/2017-general-election-results-governor-bergen.pdf |title=Governor - Bergen County |date=December 21, 2017 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 22, 2017}}</ref><ref name=2017VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2017-results/2017-gen-elect-ballotscast-results-bergen.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 7, 2017 - General Election Results - Bergen County|date=December 21, 2017 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 22, 2017}}</ref> In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 76.1% of the vote (348 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 23.2% (106 votes), and other candidates with 0.7% (3 votes), among the 465 ballots cast by the borough's 1,347 registered voters (8 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 34.5%.<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]], Republican Chris Christie received 328 votes (54.8% vs. 45.8% countywide), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 227 votes (37.9% vs. 48.0%), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 34 votes (5.7% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 3 votes (0.5% vs. 0.5%), among the 599 ballots cast by the borough's 1,347 registered voters, yielding a 44.5% 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 4, 2013.</ref>