Editing Bloomfield, New Jersey (section)

==Government==
[[File:Bloomfield townhall rodunda jeh.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Rotunda of Town Hall]]

===Local government===
{{Further|Mayor of Bloomfield, New Jersey}}
Bloomfield operates under a [[Special charter (New Jersey)|special charter]] granted by an act of the [[New Jersey Legislature]]. The township is one of 11 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that operate under a special charter.<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 township's governing body is comprised of the Mayor and the six-member Township Council. The mayor and three councilmembers are elected [[at-large]], and one member is elected from each of three [[Ward (United States)|wards]], with all positions chosen on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. Councilmembers are elected to three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with the three at-large seats (and the mayoral seat) up for election together and the three ward seats coming up for election two years later and no election in the middle year of the 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. 128.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=15 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 15. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> Bloomfield's charter retains most of the characteristics of the [[Town (New Jersey)|Town]] form, with additional powers delegated to an administrator.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20160112170825/http://www.njstatelib.org/slic_files/imported/NJ_Information/Digital_Collections/MFMG/MFMGCH5.PDF "Chapter V: Special Charters"]}}, [[New Jersey State Library]]. Accessed June 25, 2015.</ref>

{{As of|2025}}, the [[Mayor]] of Bloomfield is [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] Jenny Mundell, who was elected to fill the balance of the term of office ending December 31, 2025. Members of the Bloomfield Township Council are Sarah Cruz (D, 2026; Third Ward), Wartyna "Nina" Davis (D, 2025; at-large), Rosalee Gonzalez (D, 2026; First Ward, appointed to serve an unexpired term), Nicholas Joanow (D, 2026; Second Ward), Widney Polynice (D, 2025; at-large, appointed to serve an unexpired term) and Monica Charris Tabares (D, 2025; at-large, elected to serve an unexpired term).<ref name=Officials>[https://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/313/Elected-Officials Your Elected Officials], Township of Bloomfield. Accessed January 19, 2025.</ref><ref>[https://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/311#page=19 2024 Municipal Data Sheet], Township of Bloomfield. Accessed February 17, 2024.</ref><ref name=EssexDirectory>[https://essexcountynj.org/county-directory/ County Directory], Essex County, New Jersey. Accessed January 19, 2025.</ref><ref name=Essex2024>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Essex/122756/web.345435/#/summary General Election November 5, 2024 Official Results], [[Essex County, New Jersey]], updated November 18, 2024. Accessed January 1, 2025.</ref><ref name=Essex2023>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Essex/119027/web.317647/#/summary General Election November 7, 2023 Official Results], [[Essex County, New Jersey]], updated November 27, 2023. Accessed January 1, 2024.</ref><ref name=Essex2022>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Essex/116147/ November 8, 2022, General Election Official Results], [[Essex County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated November 22, 2022. Accessed January 1, 2023.</ref>

In December 2024, the township council appointed Rosalee Gonzalez to fill the first ward seat expiring in December 2026 that became vacant when Jenny Mundell took office as mayor and named Widney Polynice to fill the at-large seat expiring in December 2026 that became vacant when Richard Rockwell stepped down from office. Both will serve on an interim based until the November 2025 general election, when voters will choose candidates to fill the balance of the terms of office.<ref>[https://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=460 "Bloomfield Welcomes Two New Council Members: Widney Polynice and Rosalee Gonzalez Sworn In"], Bloomfield Township, posted December 5, 2024. Accessed January 19, 2025. "The Township of Bloomfield is proud to announce that Widney Polynice (Councilmember-at-Large) and Rosalee Gonzalez (Councilmember for the 1st Ward) were officially sworn into office last night during a Township Council meeting.... Widney Polynice fills the vacancy left by former At-Large Councilmember Richard Rockwell, while Rosalee Gonzalez steps into the 1st Ward seat previously held by Mayor Jenny Mundell before her transition to her current role as Mayor."</ref>

The Township Council appointed Ted Gamble to serve as mayor in January 2024 to fill the seat vacated by [[Michael Venezia (New Jersey politician)|Michael Venezia]] when he took office in the [[New Jersey General Assembly]]; Gamble will serve on an interim basis until the November 2024 general election, when voters will choose a candidate to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref>Connolly, John. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/essex/bloomfield/2024/01/22/councilman-ted-gamble-bloomfield-nj-interim-mayor/72318099007/ "Councilman Ted Gamble named Bloomfield's interim mayor"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', January 22, 2024. Accessed February 17, 2024. "At-Large Councilman Ted Gamble was named Bloomfield's interim mayor on Monday night, replacing Michael Venezia who was elected to the New Jersey Assembly in November.... Venezia stepped down as Bloomfield's mayor on Jan. 8, a day before he was sworn in as a state assemblyman representing District 34. He had been the mayor of Bloomfield since 2014."</ref> In February 2024, Monica Charris Tabares was chosen to fill the at-large seat expiring in December 2025 that had been held by Ted Gamble; she will be sworn into office on February 24 and will serve on an interim basis until the November 2024 election.<ref>Kiefer, Eric. [https://patch.com/new-jersey/bloomfield/bloomfield-town-council-chooses-tabares-replace-gamble "Bloomfield Town Council Chooses Tabares To Replace Gamble Bloomfield will soon have its first Latina member of the town council: Monica Charris Tabares."], Bloomfield, NJ [[PatchMedia|Patch]], February 15, 2024. Accessed February 17, 2024. "Bloomfield will soon have its first Latina member of the town council: Monica Charris Tabares. Earlier this week, the Bloomfield Town Council unanimously voted for Tabares to fill the vacant at-large seat previously occupied by the town's new mayor, Ted Gamble."</ref> In the November 2024 general election, Jenny Mundell was chosen to serve the balance of the term as mayor and Tabares was chosen to serve the balance of the at-large term.<ref name=Essex2024/>

In January 2018, the Township Council selected Richard Rockwell from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the at-large seat expiring in December 2019 that had been vacated the previous month by Carlos Pomares who resigned from office to serve on the Essex County [[Board of County Commissioners (New Jersey)|Board of Chosen Freeholders]].<ref>Kadosh, Matt. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/essex/bloomfield/2018/01/23/appointment-bloomfields-second-openly-gay-councilman-okd/1056284001/ "Bloomfield pride: Council appoints its 2nd gay member"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', January 23, 2018. Accessed September 12, 2019. "Richard Rockwell, 64, is Bloomfield's second openly gay member of the Township Council. The local government approved his appointment to the seat left vacant by Carlos Pomares."</ref> Rockwell served on an interim basis until the November 2018 general election, when he was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Essex2018>[https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/NJ/Essex/92902/Web02.222611/#/ November 6, 2018, General Election Unofficial Results], Essex County, New Jersey, updated November 22, 2018. Accessed January 1, 2019.</ref>

The Township Council selected Jenny Mundell to fill the vacant First Ward seat expiring in December 2017 that had been held by Elias N. Chalet until he resigned from office after being charged with accepting $15,000 in bribes in exchange for making sure that the township would proceed with the acquisition of a commercial property. After pleading guilty, Chalet was forced to resign from office and could be sentenced to five years in prison.<ref>Kadosh, Matt. [http://www.northjersey.com/story/news/crime/2017/10/06/bloomfield-councilman-elias-chalet-bribery/737731001/ "Former Bloomfield councilman's sentencing moved"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', October 6, 2017. Accessed October 31, 2017. "The sentencing for former councilman, Elias N. Chalet, which was previously set for Friday, is now anticipated to be heard in Judge Martin Cronin's court at Superior Court in Newark on Nov. 14. Chalet, 55, faces five years in prison with the possibility of parole after two years. The state Attorney General's Office had accused the former 1st Ward representative of promising a business owner that he would ensure the township continued its planned purchase of the man's commercial property."</ref>

====Emergency services====
The township maintains its own [[Bloomfield Police Department (New Jersey)|police department]].<ref>[http://www.bloomfieldpdnj.com/Home.aspx Home Page], Bloomfield Police Department. Accessed July 1, 2016.</ref>

The town is protected by a fire department consisting of 78 active professional firefighters who operate out of four stations, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is also a squad of volunteers. In 2009, the department received international accreditation.<ref>[https://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/195/Accreditation Accreditation], Township of Bloomfield. Accessed September 11, 2019. "On Tuesday March 10, 2009 the Bloomfield Fire Department received International Accreditation with the Center for Public Safety Excellence."</ref> The Fire Prevention Bureau established in 1953 and described as the first of its kind in the state, is operated by the department. It consists of one fire inspector, one fire official and a small support staff of civilians and fire personnel.<ref>[https://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/176/Fire-Prevention John H. "Jack" Flaherty Fire Prevention Bureau], Township of Bloomfield. Accessed February 9, 2018. "In October of 2006 The Bloomfield Fire Department named our Fire Prevention Bureau in honor of former Fire Chief John H "Jack" Flaherty.... Listed are but a few of Chief Flaherty's initiatives and accomplishments that are now standards in most fire departments statewide. Created Bloomfield Fire Prevention Bureau 1953 - 1st of its kind in the state."</ref> The department apparatus consist of four engines (one is a rescue pumper), one Truck/Ladder, a rescue and three reserve apparatus. Engine 1 located at the fire headquarters frequently closes due to lack of manpower.<ref>[https://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/163/Fire-Suppression Fire Suppression], Township of Bloomfield. Accessed September 1, 2019.</ref>

In 2018, the [[Insurance Services Office]] once again listed the fire department as a class 2 agency, recognizing it in the top five percent of the nation's fire departments, a ranking it had held for the ten previous years. As of 2020, the department is again working toward achieving accreditation status.<ref>Kiefer, Eric. [https://patch.com/new-jersey/bloomfield/bloomfield-fire-department-ranked-top-5-nation-officials "Bloomfield Fire Department Ranked In Top 5% Of Nation: Officials The Bloomfield Fire Department placed well – again – on the Insurance Service Organization's ratings for municipal fire agencies."], Bloomfield, NJ Patch, April 12, 2018. Accessed September 11, 2019. "The ISO rates 46,042 municipalities across the country, with only 241 receiving a class 1 distinction, and 1,324 receiving a class 2 distinction, placing The Township of Bloomfield in the top 5% of all municipal fire departments in the entire country. Bloomfield has been assessed a class 2 rating for over a decade."</ref>

The Fire Chief is Louis Venezia. He is the brother of former mayor, Michael Venezia.<ref name=Administration>[http://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/main/site-page/administration Administration] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160627144144/http://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/main/site-page/administration |date=2016-06-27 }}, Township of Bloomfield. Accessed March 16, 2018.</ref>

===Federal, state, and county representation===
Bloomfield is in the 11th 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 34th 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>

Before the redistricting that followed the 2020 census, the township had been split between the [[New Jersey's 10th congressional district|10th]] and 11th Congressional districts<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> In the redistricting that went into effect in 2013, 24,480 residents in the northern portion of the township were placed in the 10th District, while 22,835 in the southern section were placed in the 11th District.<ref name=PCR2012/><ref>[https://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/assets/pdf/2012-congressional-districts/2012-nj-bloomfield.pdf New Jersey Congressional Districts 2012-2021 for Bloomfield], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2011. Accessed February 1, 2020.</ref> Prior to the 2010 Census, Bloomfield had been part of the {{ushr|NJ|8|8th 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=55 ''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=55 |date=2013-06-04 }}, p. 55, New Jersey [[League of Women Voters]]. Accessed May 22, 2015.</ref>

{{NJ Congress 11}} {{NJ Senate}}

{{NJ Legislative 34}}

{{NJ Essex County Commissioners}}

===Politics===
As of March 2011, there were a total of 28,398 registered voters in Bloomfield, of which 11,925 (42.0%) were registered as [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]], 4,393 (15.5%) were registered as [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]] and 12,061 (42.5%) were registered as [[Unaffiliated (New Jersey)|Unaffiliated]]. There were 19 voters registered as either [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarians]] or [[Green Party of the United States|Greens]].<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2011-essex-co-summary-report.pdf Voter Registration Summary - Essex], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed November 5, 2012.</ref>
{{PresHead|place=Bloomfield|source=<ref>{{Cite web |title=NJ DOS - Division of Elections - Election Results Archive |url=https://nj.gov/state/elections/election-information-results.shtml |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=nj.gov}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|7,308|15,990|521|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|6,814|18,375|316|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|5,934|14,762|668|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|5,501|13,361|245|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|7,154|12,735|186|New Jersey}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|7,891|10,829|208|New Jersey}}
|}

In the [[United States presidential election in New Jersey, 2012|2012 presidential election]], Democrat [[Barack Obama]] received 69.9% of the vote (13,361 cast), ahead of Republican [[Mitt Romney]] with 28.8% (5,501 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (245 votes), among the 19,242 ballots cast by the township's 29,923 registered voters (135 ballots were [[Spoilt vote|spoiled]]), for a turnout of 64.3%.<ref name=2012Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-presidential-essex.pdf |title=Presidential General Election Results - November 6, 2012 - Essex County |date=March 15, 2013 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name=2012VoterReg>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2012-results/2012-ballotscast-essex.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 6, 2012 - General Election Results - Essex County|date=March 15, 2013 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Elections |access-date=December 24, 2014}}</ref> In the [[2008 United States presidential election|2008 presidential election]], Democrat Barack Obama received 62.9% of the vote here (12,735 cast), ahead of Republican [[John McCain]] with 35.3% (7,154 votes) and other candidates with 0.9% (186 votes), among the 20,251 ballots cast by the township's 27,981 registered voters, for a turnout of 72.4%.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2008-gen-elect-presidential-results-essex.pdf 2008 Presidential General Election Results: Essex County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 23, 2008. Accessed November 5, 2012.</ref> In the [[2004 United States presidential election|2004 presidential election]], Democrat [[John Kerry]] received 57.0% of the vote here (10,829 ballots cast), outpolling Republican [[George W. Bush]] with 41.5% (7,891 votes) and other candidates with 0.7% (208 votes), among the 19,012 ballots cast by the township's 27,995 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 67.9.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/election-results/2004-presidential_essex_co_2004.pdf 2004 Presidential Election: Essex County], [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 13, 2004. Accessed November 5, 2012.</ref>

In the [[New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2013|2013 gubernatorial election]], Democrat [[Barbara Buono]] received 53.1% of the vote (5,808 cast), ahead of Republican [[Chris Christie]] with 45.6% (4,984 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (141 votes), among the 11,118 ballots cast by the township's 30,606 registered voters (185 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 36.3%.<ref name=2013Elections>{{cite web |url=http://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/2013-results/2013-general-election-results-governor-essex.pdf |title=Governor - Essex 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-essex.pdf |title=Number of Registered Voters and Ballots Cast - November 5, 2013 - General Election Results - Essex 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 53.8% of the vote here (6,241 ballots cast), ahead of Republican Chris Christie with 37.6% (4,359 votes), Independent [[Chris Daggett]] with 6.6% (761 votes) and other candidates with 1.3% (147 votes), among the 11,599 ballots cast by the township's 27,929 registered voters, yielding a 41.5% turnout.<ref>[http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-essex.pdf 2009 Governor: Essex County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202084614/http://www.njelections.org/election-results/2009-governor_results-essex.pdf |date=2015-02-02 }}, [[New Jersey Department of State]] Division of Elections, December 31, 2009. Accessed November 5, 2012.</ref>