The Municipal Council is the legislative branch of government for Newark, New Jersey.
Newark was governed by a mayor and common council from 1836 to 1917 and then by a five-member commission until 1954.
Effective as of July 1, 1954, the voters of the city of Newark, by a referendum held on November 3, 1953 and under the Optional Municipal Charter Law (commonly known as the Faulkner Act), adopted the Faulkner Act (Mayor-Council) Plan C as the form of local government.
There are nine council members elected on a nonpartisan basis at the regular municipal election or at the general election for terms of four years: one council member from each of five wards and four council members on an at-large basis. The mayor is also elected for a term of four years.
Municipal elections in Newark are nonpartisan. and are held on the 2nd Tuesday in May. A council candidate seeking a post in a ward must receive more than 50 percent of the vote. If a candidate does not receive a majority, a run-off election is held with the two candidates with the greatest number of votes.
Council members choose their own President and until 2014, when the position was eliminated, Vice President.
As of 2012, the Municipal Council were the highest paid city council members in the state, earning approximately $85,000 pa, with the president earning roughly $94,000.
Elections for Municipal Council were last held on May 13, 2014 with members sworn in on July 1, 2014.
The current members,of the council are serving terms which end June 30, 2018.
The mayor may cast a tie-breaking vote on the municipal council when there is an equal number of yes and no votes. The Mayor can also call for meetings of the council outside those regularly scheduled.
The Newark mayoral election took place May 13, 2014 and was won by Ras J. Baraka. Luis A. Quintana had stepped down as Council President to be sworn in as mayor on November 4, 2013 assuming the term of Cory Booker, which ended June 30, 2014.
Position Eliminated by Council in Late Part of 2014 and the Early Part of 2015, The Position was recreated in May 2015.