[20] The borough of Northvale was formed on March 15, 1916, from the remaining portions of Harrington Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 4, 1916.

[6] The borough form of government used by Northvale 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.

[35][36] As of 2023[update], the mayor of Northvale is Republican Joseph E. McGuire, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026.

Members of the Borough Council are Thomas R. Argiro (D, 2023), John M. Hogan (D, 2023), Martin Mattessich (R, 2025), Kara McMorrow (R, 2024), Domenich Menafra (R, 2025), Roy Sokoloski (R, 2024; appointed to serve an unexpired term).

[3][37][38][39][40][41] In February 2023, Roy Sokoloski was appointed to fill the seat expiring in December 2024 that had been held by Joseph McGuire until he resigned from office.

[42] In December 2015, the borough council selected Michael Small from a list of three candidates nominated by the Democratic municipal committee to fill the seat vacated by Gloria Libby, who had left office earlier that month to follow her employer, Mercedes-Benz USA, which had relocated its headquarters from Bergen County to Atlanta.

[43] In March 2014, Mayor Paul Bazela resigned from office after being convicted of theft in his role as operations manager for the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, after a jury found that he had used PVSC employees to repair the homes of individuals connected to him.

Then-Borough Council President Ed Piehler was chosen to succeed him as acting mayor.

[46] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 5th congressional district is represented by Josh Gottheimer (D, Wyckoff).

As of 2025[update], the county executive is James J. Tedesco III (D, Paramus), whose four-year term of office ends December 31, 2026.

[51] Bergen County's Commissioners are: Thomas J. Sullivan Jr. (D, Montvale, 2025),[52] Chair Germaine M. Ortiz (D, Emerson, 2025),[53] Joan Voss (D, Fort Lee, 2026),[54] Vice Chair Mary J. Amoroso (D, Mahwah, 2025),[55] Rafael Marte (D, Bergenfield, 2026),[56] Steven A. Tanelli (D, North Arlington, 2027)[57] and Tracy Silna Zur (D, Franklin Lakes, 2027).

[58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65] Bergen County's constitutional officials are: Clerk John S. Hogan (D, Northvale, 2026),[66][67] Sheriff Anthony Cureton (D, Englewood, 2027)[68][69] and Surrogate Michael R. Dressler (D, Cresskill, 2026).

[79] Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 58.2% (vs. 57.1% in Bergen County) were registered to vote, including 77.7% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 73.7% countywide).

[105] Rockland Coaches provides service on routes 20/20T to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan.

The interior and exterior shots for "Stuckeybowl" were filmed at the now closed and demolished bowling alley, formerly known as "Country Club Lanes".

In the 2008 USA Network series In Plain Sight, during the episode, Stan by Me, two FBI agents are murdered and a federally protected witness is kidnapped in Northvale.

[citation needed] People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Northvale include: Haring-Blauvelt House was built in 1810 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 10, 1983.