Editing Ridgefield Park, New Jersey (section)

===Local government===
[[File:Ridgefield Park New Jersey Municipal Building.jpg|thumb|right|Municipal building in Ridgefield Park on Main Street]]
Ridgefield Park has been governed under the [[Walsh Act]] since 1912.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150605155532/http://www.njstatelib.org/slic_files/imported/NJ_Information/Digital_Collections/MFMG/MFMGCH4.PDF "The Commission Form of Municipal Government"], p. 53. Accessed June 3, 2015.</ref><ref>[https://njdatabook.rutgers.edu/sites/njdatabook.rutgers.edu/files/documents/forms_of_municipal_government_in_new_jersey_9220.pdf#page=8 "Forms of Municipal Government in New Jersey"], p. 8. [[Rutgers University]] Center for Government Studies. Accessed June 1, 2023.</ref> The village is one of 30 municipalities (of the 564) statewide to use the [[City commission government|commission 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> down from a peak of 60 early in the 20th century; Ridgefield Park is one of six Walsh Act municipalities in [[North Jersey]] and most are in shore communities.<ref>Proctor, Owen; and Sobko, Katie. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/essex/nutley/2018/04/30/town-commissions-have-become-nj-rarity-new-jersey/554873002/ "Town commissions have become a New Jersey rarity"], ''[[The Record (North Jersey)|The Record]]'', April 30, 2018, updated May 6, 2018. Accessed October 27, 2019. "Commissions rose in popularity, up to 60 statewide in the early part of the last century, from large cities and older suburbs to seaside resorts.... Today, only about 30 of New Jersey's 565 municipalities are commissions, including six in North Jersey. There are North Bergen, Union City and West New York in Hudson County, Lyndhurst and Ridgefield Park in Bergen County, and Nutley in Essex County."</ref> The Board of Commissioners is comprised of five members, who are elected [[at-large]] on a [[Non-partisan democracy|non-partisan]] basis to serve four-year terms on a concurrent basis. The commissioners elect one commissioner as mayor, however the mayor is only responsible for his or her departments and serves as the chair of the commission.<ref name=DataBook>''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'', [[Rutgers University]] [[Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy]], March 2013, p. 157.</ref>

{{As of|2024}}, the members of the Ridgefield Park Board of Commissioners are 
Mayor Adam A. MacNeill (Commissioner of Revenue and Finance), 
William G. Gerken (Commissioner of Public Affairs), 
John H. Anlian (Commissioner of Public Safety),
Wanda C. Portorreal (Commissioner of Public Works) and 
Askar H. Mirza (Commissioner of Parks and Public Property), all serving concurrent terms of office ending on May 23, 2028.<ref name="Commissioners">{{Cite web |title=Board of Commissioners {{!}} Village of Ridgefield Park NJ |url=https://www.ridgefieldpark.org/board-commissioners |access-date=2024-06-12 |website=www.ridgefieldpark.org}}</ref><ref>[https://www.ridgefieldpark.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif1121/f/agendas/2024-05-28_comm_reorg_agenda_res_2024-89_thru_106.pdf Commissioners Reorganization Meeting Agenda, May 28th 2024]</ref>

In the election held on May 14, 2024, 19-year-old college student Askar Mirza defeated incumbent commissioner Mark Olson by a 2-vote margin, becoming the youngest commissioner ever elected in the village.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wildstein |first=David |date=2024-05-21 |title=Askar Mirza, 19, ousts Ridgefield Park incumbent by two votes |url=https://newjerseyglobe.com/local/askar-mirza-19-ousts-ridgefield-park-incumbent-by-two-votes/ |access-date=2024-06-12 |website=New Jersey Globe |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wildstein |first=David |date=2024-05-15 |title=In Ridgefield Park, a 19-year-old leads an incumbent by two votes |url=https://newjerseyglobe.com/local/in-ridgefield-park-a-19-year-old-leads-an-incumbent-by-two-votes/ |access-date=2024-06-12 |website=New Jersey Globe |language=en-US}}</ref>

In June 2017, Theresa Kohles was appointed to fill the commissioner seat that became vacant following the resignation of Maggie Boyd.<ref>[https://www.ridgefieldpark.org/sites/ridgefieldparknj/files/uploads/villagev34n2june17.pdf "Message from the Board of Commissioners"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191006174425/https://www.ridgefieldpark.org/sites/ridgefieldparknj/files/uploads/villagev34n2june17.pdf |date=October 6, 2019 }}, ''Village Newsletter'', June 2017. Accessed October 6, 2019. "We welcome to the Board of Commissioners Theresa Kohles who was selected to fill the vacany created by the resignation of Commissioner Boyd.... An accountant in her own business, Commissioner Kohles brings a fresh voice to the Board and will serve as Commissioner of Parks, Property and Buildings and as liaison to the Rescue Squad."</ref> In the 2017 November general election, Kohles was elected to serve the balance of the term of office.<ref name=Bergen2017>[http://bergencountyclerk.alphadogtest.com/_Content/pdf/elections/2017-Official-General-Election-Results.pdf Bergen County November 7, 2017 General Election Statement of Vote], [[Bergen County, New Jersey]] Clerk, updated November 15, 2017. Accessed March 18, 2018.</ref>