New Jersey's 37th legislative district is one of 40 in the state, covering the Bergen County municipalities of Bogota, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fort Lee, Hackensack, Leonia, Palisades Park, Ridgefield Park, Teaneck and Tenafly.Districts, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 29, 2024.

Demographic characteristics As of the 2020 United States census, the district had a population of 231,985, of whom 184,858 (79.7%) were of voting age. The racial makeup of the district was 88,331 (38.1%) White, 30,788 (13.3%) African American, 1,547 (0.7%) Native American, 57,714 (24.9%) Asian, 82 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 30,166 (13.0%) from some other race, and 23,357 (10.1%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 56,951 (24.5%) of the population.

The district had 158,787 registered voters , of whom 75,885 (47.8%) were registered as Democrats, 56,995 (35.9%) were registered as unaffiliated, 24,356 (15.3%) were registered as Republicans, and 1,551 (1.0%) were registered to other parties.Statewide Voter Registration Summary by Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State, February 1, 2025. Accessed February 4, 2025.

African-American residents account for 16.6% of the district's population, mostly in Englewood, Hackensack, and Teaneck. The 37th has the fourth-highest percentage of Asian residents of all districts statewide, accounting for 13.4% of the population., Rutgers University. Accessed June 15, 2010.

Political representation

The legislative district overlaps with New Jersey's 5th congressional district.

Apportionment history The 37th district was created in 1973 along with the 40-district statewide legislative map. Some municipalities in the district in the 1970s included Bergenfield, Edgewater, Englewood, Fort Lee, Teaneck, and Tenafly. After the 1981 redistricting, the only change made to the district was the addition of Fairview. In the 1991 redistricting, some of the towns at the southern end of the district as well as Tenafly and Englewood Cliffs were shifted to other districts while it expanded west to Ridgefield Park, Bogota, Hackensack, and Maywood. Changes made as a result of the 2001 redistricting including the reinstatement of Palisades Park, Tenafly, and Englewood Cliffs and the addition of Rochelle Park but Fort Lee was removed from the district at this time.

In the 2011 apportionment following the 2010 census, Bergenfield, Maywood, and Rochelle Park (to the 38th district), Ridgefield Park (to the 36th district) were removed and Alpine, Cresskill, Fort Lee, Northvale and Rockleigh were added.Municipalities Index, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 20, 2012.

As of 2023, registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a better than 3-1 ratio in the district. The 37th has never elected any legislators other than Democrats; one of only nine districts statewide to have only sent members of one political party to Trenton.

Loretta Weinberg was chosen by Democratic committee members in March 1992 to fill the seat vacated in the Assembly by D. Bennett Mazur, who had resigned due to illness.Staff. "TEANECK COUNCILWOMAN TAKES OVER MAZUR'S ASSEMBLY SEAT", The Record, March 17, 1992. Accessed June 15, 2010.

In February 1993, Byron Baer announced that he would run for the seat in the New Jersey State Senate being vacated by Matthew Feldman. Together with Assembly running mates Weinberg and Ken Zisa, who was on the ballot for Baer's former Assembly seat, Baer won election to the Senate.

The Bergen County Democratic Organization caucused in September 2005, to select a candidate to replace Baer in the Senate who resigned on September 8, 2005 due to health issues. In balloting to replace Baer on an interim basis, Weinberg lost by a 114-110 margin to Zisa. In a separate vote, by a 112-111 margin, Zisa was selected over Weinberg to be the party's candidate on the November ballot.Jones, Richard Lezin. "After Democratic Squabble, Corzine Ally Loses Bid to Fill State Senate Seat", The New York Times, September 16, 2005. Accessed June 15, 2010. Weinberg filed suit to challenger the exclusion of five ballots and in October 2005 a ruling in Weinberg's favor was issued, giving Weinberg the interim position and the ballot post. With Weinberg's victory, Bergen County Freeholder Valerie Huttle and Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes both announced their candidacy for Weinberg's Assembly seat, with Huttle outpolling Wildes in another special convention by a 121-96 margin.

Election history Senators and Assembly members elected from the district are as follows: Session Senate General Assembly 1974–1975 Matthew Feldman (D)Albert Burstein (D)Byron Baer (D) 1976–1977 Albert Burstein (D)Byron Baer (D) 1978–1979 Matthew Feldman (D)Albert Burstein (D)Byron Baer (D) 1980–1981 Albert Burstein (D)Byron Baer (D) 1982–1983 Matthew Feldman (D)D. Bennett Mazur (D)Byron Baer (D) 1984–1985 Matthew Feldman (D)D. Bennett Mazur (D)Byron Baer (D) 1986–1987 D. Bennett Mazur (D)Byron Baer (D) 1988–1989 Matthew Feldman (D)D. Bennett Mazur (D)Byron Baer (D) 1990–1991 D. Bennett Mazur (D)Byron Baer (D) 1992–1993 Matthew Feldman (D)D. Bennett Mazur (D)Resigned from the Assembly on February 24, 1992Byron Baer (D)Loretta Weinberg (D)Appointed to the Assembly on March 16, 1992, won November 1992 special election to complete the unexpired term 1994–1995 Byron Baer (D)Loretta Weinberg (D)Ken Zisa (D) 1996–1997 Loretta Weinberg (D)Ken Zisa (D) 1998–1999 Byron Baer (D)Loretta Weinberg (D)Ken Zisa (D) 2000–2001 Loretta Weinberg (D)Ken Zisa (D) 2002–2003 Byron Baer (D)Loretta Weinberg (D)Gordon M. Johnson (D) 2004–2005 Byron Baer (D)Resigned September 8, 2005 due to health issuesLoretta Weinberg (D)Gordon M. Johnson (D)Loretta Weinberg (D)Won November 2005 special election to complete the term of Baer, sworn in on November 10, 2005 Seat vacant 2006–2007 Valerie Huttle (D)Gordon M. Johnson (D) 2008–2009 Loretta Weinberg (D)Valerie Huttle (D)Gordon M. Johnson (D) 2010–2011 Valerie Huttle (D)Gordon M. Johnson (D) 2012–2013 Loretta Weinberg (D)Valerie Huttle (D)Gordon M. Johnson (D) 2014–2015 Loretta Weinberg (D)Valerie Huttle (D)Gordon M. Johnson (D) 2016–2017 Valerie Huttle (D)Gordon M. Johnson (D) 2018–2019 Loretta Weinberg (D)Valerie Huttle (D)Gordon M. Johnson (D) 2020–2021 Valerie Huttle (D)Gordon M. Johnson (D) 2022–2023 Gordon M. Johnson (D)Shama Haider (D)Ellen Park (D) 2024–2025 Gordon M. Johnson (D)Shama Haider (D)Ellen Park (D) 2026–2027 Shama Haider (D)Ellen Park (D)

Election results Senate

General Assembly

References