Paterson redistricting plan will shift 4,400 residents to a different ward

Joe Malinconico
·2 min read

PATERSON — Almost 4,400 residents will end up living in different wards in the aftermath of the city's post-census redistricting plan.

The new map was approved last week by the Ward Realignment Commission, a group composed of the four members of the Passaic County Board of Elections and Paterson City Clerk Sonia Gordon.

Councilwoman Ruby Cotton, who represents the 4th Ward, was the only member of the public to weigh in on the changes. Cotton said she preferred an alternative to the plan that was adopted because it would have affected fewer people, or about 1,670 residents.

But John Currie, chairman of the election board and head of the Passaic County Democratic Party, said he preferred the other option because he felt it did a better job of balancing the ward populations.

Sunrise Project - Paterson City Hall in Paterson, N.J. on Friday Dec. 3, 2021.
Sunrise Project - Paterson City Hall in Paterson, N.J. on Friday Dec. 3, 2021.

Under the new map, the 5th Ward will become Paterson’s most populous, with 27,716 people, followed by the 3rd, with 27,256; the 4th, with 27,114; the 2nd, with 26,550; the 1st, with 26,525; and the 6th, with 25,541.

Earlier coverage: Paterson’s ward boundaries set to change to reflect latest census changes

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The boundaries of the 2nd and 6th wards remained the same under the realignment.

Here are the changes:

  • The 1st Ward’s District 11, with 2,245 people, was shifted into the 5th Ward. That area is bounded by the Passaic River, Spruce Street, Mill Street, Main Street, Prospect Street and Curtis Place. It covers Overlook Park at the Great Falls, School 2 and Lou Costello Park.

  • The 4th Ward’s District 5, with 1,667 people, was moved into the 3rd Ward. That area is bounded by 12th Avenue, East 28th Street, 14th Avenue and East 24th Street.

  • The 5th Ward’s District 4, with 490 residents, was shifted into the 3rd Ward. That area is bounded by Park Avenue, East 31st Street, 17th Avenue and East 28th Street.

None of the changes involved areas where current ward council members live, officials said.

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press.

Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ ward redistricting map finalized. Here are the details