[22] Magnolia was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 14, 1915, from portions of the now-defunct Centre Township, and parts of Clementon, based on the results of a referendum held on May 12, 1915.

[26] According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 0.98 square miles (2.53 km2), all of which was land.

[3][4] The borough borders the Camden County municipalities of Barrington, Gloucester Township, Lawnside, Runnemede and Somerdale.

[27][28][29] The 2010 United States census counted 4,341 people, 1,710 households, and 1,147 families in the borough.

[8] The borough form of government used by Magnolia is a "weak mayor / strong council" government in which council members act as the legislative body with the mayor presiding at meetings and voting only in the event of a tie.

The mayor can veto ordinances subject to an override by a two-thirds majority vote of the council.

[38][39] As of 2023[update], the mayor of the Borough of Magnolia is Democrat BettyAnn Cowling-Carson, whose term of office ends December 31, 2023.

[5] Members of the Magnolia Borough Council are Council President Mary F. Martz (D, 2023), Paula Bonamassa (D, 2025), Anthony DePrince III (D, 2025), Shawn Parker (D, 2024), Steve Whalen (D, 2023) and Shelley Wilson (D, 2024; elected to serve an unexpired term).

[40][41][42][43][44][45] In February 2022, the borough council appointed Shelley Wilson to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that had been held by Richard Krause until he resigned from office the previous month shortly after beginning his new council term.

[48] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 1st congressional district is represented by Donald Norcross (D, Camden).

[51] For the 2024-2025 session, the 6th legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by James Beach (D, Voorhees Township) and in the General Assembly by Louis Greenwald (D, Voorhees Township) and Pamela Rosen Lampitt (D, Cherry Hill).

[60][53][61][62][63] Camden County's constitutional officers are: Clerk Pamela Rosen Lampitt (D, Cherry Hill, 2029)[64][65] Sheriff Chuck Billingham (D, Gloucester City, 2027)[66][67] and Surrogate Michelle Gentek-Mayer (D, Gloucester Township, 2025).

[72][73] In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 66.2% of the vote (1,442 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 30.1% (656 votes), with 2,177 ballots cast among the borough's 2,877 registered voters, for a turnout of 75.7%.

[74] In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 60.7% of the vote (1,293 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 37.3% (795 votes), with 2,129 ballots cast among the borough's 2,887 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 73.7.

[86][87] NJ Transit offers bus service between Turnersville and Camden on the 403 route.