Editing Lodi, New Jersey (section)

==Government==

===Local government===
Lodi operates under the [[1923 Municipal Manager Law]] form of New Jersey municipal government. The borough is one of 7 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 five members who are elected [[at-large]] on a [[Non-partisan democracy|non-partisan]] basis as part of the May municipal election to serve four-year terms of office on a concurrent basis.<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><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=9 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 9. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> A mayor and deputy mayor are selected by the council from among its members.

The council is an exclusively legislative body, with responsibility for day-to-day operation of the borough assigned to a manager who acts as the municipal chief executive and executes laws and policies, prepares the budget for council consideration and attends and participates at meetings with a voice, but no vote. The manager recommends improvements and implements those approved, as well as oversees contracts and franchises and reports violations. It is the responsibility of the manager to appoint and remove department heads and make all additional appointments not made by the council.<ref name=Manager/>

{{As of|2024}}, members of the Lodi Township Council are Mayor Scott A. Luna, Deputy Mayor Vincent Martin, Emil Carafa Jr., Joseph P. Leto IV and Bruce T. Masopust, all of whom were initially elected in May 2019, and serve terms of office that expire on June 30, 2027.<ref name=Officials>[https://www.lodi-nj.org/p/mayor-council Mayor and Council], Borough of Lodi. Accessed June 4, 2024.</ref><ref>[https://www.lodi-nj.org/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=5a36a7c8-5b16-4583-b305-627688f71c7f#page=14 2023 Municipal Data Sheet], Borough of Lodi. Accessed June 4, 2024.</ref><ref name=BergenCountyDirectory>[https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/images/About_Bergen_County/2024-county-directory.pdf#page=49 ''2024 County and Municipal Directory''], [[Bergen County, New Jersey]], April 2024. Accessed April 15, 2024.</ref><ref>Cattafi, Kristie. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/lodi/2023/05/09/lodi-pride-nj-ticket-election-lower-voter-turnout/70201818007/ "Unopposed Lodi Pride ticket takes council election amid low voter turnout"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', May 10, 2023. Accessed June 4, 2024. "The only nonpartisan council election in Bergen County brought in low voter turnout for the Lodi Pride ticket. Incumbents Mayor Scott Luna, Deputy Mayor Vincent Martin and Councilmen Emil Carafa Jr. and Joseph Leto IV will return for four more years, and joining them is former Councilman and Borough Manager Bruce Masopust."</ref><ref>[https://www.lodi-nj.org/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=b8002f80-02d0-4253-a05c-7777ead2536d Reorganization Meeting Minutes July 1, 2023], Borough of Lodi. Accessed June 4, 2024.</ref>

Marc N. Schrieks was appointed to a two-year term as Municipal Manager on September 1, 2021.<ref>Sobko, Katie. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/lodi/2021/08/19/former-lodi-nj-mayor-schrieks-hired-borough-manager/8185146002/ "Former Lodi Mayor Schrieks returns to borough as manager on two-year deal"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', August 19, 2021. Accessed October 6, 2022. "Former Mayor Marc Schrieks will be returning to borough government as municipal manager, filling the role Vincent Caruso is expected to vacate at the end of the month. Schrieks has been hired through August 2023."</ref>

In January 2016, the Township Council appointed Albert DiChiara to fill the seat vacated by Bruce Masopust when he took office as Borough Manager; DiChiara will serve until a special vote held as part of the November 2016 general election.<ref>Clark, Susan Joy. [http://www.northjersey.com/community-news/town-government/new-councilman-is-appointed-1.1500790 "New councilman appointed in Lodi"], ''Community News'' (Lodi Edition), January 28, 2016. Accessed June 19, 2016. "The Lodi Council has selected Albert DiChiara to fill a vacancy on the governing body. He will fill the seat of Bruce Masopust, who gave up his position when he was appointed as borough manager."</ref>

In February 2015, the township council selected Emil Carafa Jr., to fill the vacant council seat of Mayor Marc Schrieks, who left office to take a position in the administration of County Executive James J. Tedesco III, while Bruce Masopust was chosen to succeed Schrieks in his role as mayor.<ref>Clark, Susan Joy. [http://www.northjersey.com/news/former-councilman-is-joining-the-governing-body-again-1.1274104 "Former Lodi councilman joining the governing body"], ''Community News (Lodi edition)'', February 19, 2015. Accessed July 2, 2015. "Emil Carafa was appointed to the Lodi Council.Former Mayor Marc Schrieks stepped down from his position as mayor and from the council to take a job in Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco's office. The council voted Bruce Masopust to replace Schrieks as mayor."</ref>

Schrieks was elected by the council as mayor on July 1, 2008, and served until June 30, 2009, making him the youngest person to ever serve as its Mayor.<ref>Clark, Susan Joy. [http://www.northjersey.com/news/121323518_Nine_looking_to_fill_five_seats_on_borough_council.html?page=all "Nine looking to fill five seats on Lodi Council"], ''Community News'', May 5, 2011. Accessed December 19, 2011. "Schrieks has served three terms on the council. 'First and foremost, I'm humbled every year that the residents think enough of me to re-elect me three times. I think I'm the longest serving consecutive public servant in Lodi. I know I was the youngest serving mayor.'"</ref> Karen Viscana was the first woman in Lodi history to serve as mayor when she was sworn into office in 2008.<ref>Maglionico, Artie. [http://lodi.bccls.org/OLLViscana-July2007.html "One Life in Lodi: Mayor Karen Viscana"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080708090504/http://lodi.bccls.org/OLLViscana-July2007.html |date=July 8, 2008 }}, Lodi Memorial Library, July 2007. Accessed July 8, 2008. "As a child growing up on Garden Street in Lodi, Karen Viscana remembers a warm, family oriented community where neighbors looked out for one another and the sights and sounds of youngsters at play echoed in every household. Karen, who recently became her Borough's first woman Mayor, has carried this same warmth and caring into adulthood."</ref>

===Federal, state, and county representation===
Lodi is located in the 9th 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 38th 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#38 Districts by Number for 2011-2020], [[New Jersey Legislature]]. Accessed January 6, 2013.</ref>

In redistricting following the 2010 census, the borough was in the [[New Jersey's 5th congressional district|5th congressional district]], which was in effect from 2013 to 2022.<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><ref>Salant, Jonathan D. [https://www.nj.com/politics/2022/10/big-change-nj-14m-shifting-to-another-congressional-district-use-our-tracker-before-voting.html "Big change, N.J.! 1.4M shifting to another congressional district. Use our tracker before voting."], NJ Advance Media for [[NJ.com]], October 31, 2022. Accessed December 8, 2022. "But now more than 1.4 million residents are moving due to new district lines drawn by New Jersey’s independent redistricting commission to reflect population shifts under the 2020 census.... Redistricting will shift 106 municipalities — nearly one in five — into new congressional districts.... Moving from the 5th District, currently represented by Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer, to the 9th District, represented by Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. - Franklin Lakes, Lodi, Oakland, Rochelle Park"</ref> Prior to the 2010 Census, Lodi had been part of the 9th Congressional District, a change made by the [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]] that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.<ref name=LWV2011>[http://www.lwvnj.org/images/cg_2011.pdf#page=60 ''2011 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130604153059/http://www.lwvnj.org/images/cg_2011.pdf#page=60 |date=June 4, 2013 }}, p. 60, New Jersey [[League of Women Voters]]. Accessed May 22, 2015.</ref>

{{NJ Congress 09}} {{NJ Senate}}

{{NJ Legislative 38}}

{{NJ Bergen County Freeholders}}

===Politics===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 11,177 registered voters in Lodi, of which 4,043 (36.2% vs. 31.7% countywide) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 1,324 (11.8% vs. 21.1%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 5,805 (51.9% vs. 47.1%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 5 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 9, 2013.</ref> Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 46.3% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 58.9% 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 9, 2013.</ref>

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2016|2016 presidential election]], Democrat [[Hillary Clinton]] received 5,395 votes (60.6% vs. 54.2% countywide), ahead of Republican [[Donald Trump]] with 3,241 votes (36.4% vs. 41.1%) and other candidates with 266 votes (3.0% vs. 4.6%), among the 9,003 ballots cast by the borough's 13,318 registered voters, for a turnout of 67.6% (vs. 72.5% in Bergen County).<ref>[http://www.bergencountyclerk.org/_Content/pdf/elections/BC-Statement-of-Vote-Book-11-08-2016.pdf Presidential November 8, 2016 General Election Results - Bergen County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, November 8, 2016. Accessed May 24, 2020</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Democrat [[Barack Obama]] received 5,420 votes (67.2% vs. 54.8% countywide), ahead of Republican [[Mitt Romney]] with 2,508 votes (31.1% vs. 43.5%) and other candidates with 56 votes (0.7% vs. 0.9%), among the 8,070 ballots cast by the borough's 12,305 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 13, 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 13, 2013.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2008|2008 presidential election]], Democrat Barack Obama received 5,174 votes (59.7% vs. 53.9% countywide), ahead of Republican [[John McCain]] with 3,358 votes (38.7% vs. 44.5%) and other candidates with 70 votes (0.8% vs. 0.8%), among the 8,667 ballots cast by the borough's 11,983 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.3% (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 9, 2013.</ref><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 9, 2013.</ref> In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2004|2004 presidential election]], Democrat [[John Kerry]] received 4,696 votes (57.9% vs. 51.7% countywide), ahead of Republican [[George W. Bush]] with 3,344 votes (41.2% vs. 47.2%) and other candidates with 52 votes (0.6% vs. 0.7%), among the 8,115 ballots cast by the borough's 11,598 registered voters, for a turnout of 70.0% (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 9, 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/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}}|'''50.8%''' ''4,679''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|46.6% ''4,294''
|-
| 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}}|38.9% ''4,038''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''59.8%'''  ''6,215''
|-
| 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}}|36.4% ''3,241''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''60.6%'''  ''5,395''
|-
| 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}}|31.1% ''2,508''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''67.2%'''  ''5,420''
|-
| 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}}|38.7% ''3,358''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''59.7%'''  ''5,174''
|-
| 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}}|41.2% ''3,344''
| style="text-align:center; {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''57.9%''' ''4,696''
|-
|}

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Republican [[Chris Christie]] received 52.0% of the vote (2,135 cast), ahead of Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] with 46.9% (1,924 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (46 votes), among the 4,256 ballots cast by the borough's 11,672 registered voters (151 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 36.5%.<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]], Democrat [[Jon Corzine]] received 2,651 ballots cast (56.2% vs. 48.0% countywide), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 1,834 votes (38.9% vs. 45.8%), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 173 votes (3.7% vs. 4.7%) and other candidates with 33 votes (0.7% vs. 0.5%), among the 4,720 ballots cast by the borough's 11,546 registered voters, yielding a 40.9% turnout (vs. 50.0% in the 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><ref name=Results2008>[http://dng.northjersey.com/media_server/tr/smaps/2008/electionresults2008/att/North_Jersey_election_results_54.html 2008 General Election Results for Lodi], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]''. Accessed December 19, 2011.</ref>

===Emergency services===
The Lodi Police Department operates out of the Borough Hall. The police department has 47 sworn officers. The department is broken into several Divisions including; Patrol Division, Detective Division, Records, Traffic, and Operation/Community Policing. The current Department's Chief of Police is Acting Chief Donald Scorzetti.<ref>[http://www.lodipd.org], Borough of Lodi. Accessed July 28, 2018.</ref>

The Fire Department is staffed by approximately 81 volunteer firefighters consisting of four different companies with three firehouses throughout the borough.

The Lodi Fire Department responds to about 500+ calls per year, including [[mutual aid (emergency services)|mutual aid]] to neighboring municipalities including Garfield, Saddle Brook, Hasbrouck Heights, Rochelle Park, Maywood, Elmwood Park, Wallington and other South Bergen towns when needed.<ref>[http://www.lodifire.org Lodi Fire Department], Borough of Lodi. Accessed July 28, 2018.</ref>

The Lodi Volunteer Ambulance and Rescue Squad was established in 1962.<ref>[https://lvars.org/history/ History], Lodi Volunteer Ambulance Rescue Squad. Accessed August 16, 2022. "The Lodi Volunteer Ambulance Rescue Squad has been proudly serving the community for over 55 years. This organization was started in 1962 by a determined group of young men who saw the need for emergency medicine for the citizens of Lodi, NJ."</ref> Brianna Perrelli is the captain and Kaetlynn Ayala is the president. LVARS renders aid with three Type III ambulances; EMS 1, 2, and 3, as well as a Fire Rehab Unit (Rehab 4). LVARS responds to roughly 2,000 requests for aid per year.