[22] The borough of Prospect Park was formed by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 13, 1901, from portions of the now-defunct Manchester Township.

[35][36] As part of the 2000 Census, 1.7% of Prospect Park's residents identified themselves as being of Albanian ancestry.

This was the 11th-highest percentage of Albanian American people in any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.

This was the sixth-highest percentage of Arab American people in any place in the United States with 1,000 or more residents identifying their ancestry.

[7] The borough form of government used by Prospect Park 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.

[42][43] As of 2023[update], the mayor of Prospect Park is Democrat Mohamed Khairullah, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026.

Khairullah was appointed to the office in 2005, after his predecessor Will Kubofcik vacated his seat to move out of the borough; he has since been elected to four full terms.

[3][44][45][46][47][48] Samir Hayek resigned from office in July 2017, citing personal reason for leaving the seat expiring in December 2018.

[49] In September 2016, Esther Perez, who had previously served 12 years on the borough council, was selected to fill the seat expiring in December 2018 that had been held by Richard Esquiche until he resigned from office the previous month.

[53][54][55] Prior to the 2010 Census, Prospect Park had been part of the 8th Congressional District, a change made by the New Jersey Redistricting Commission that took effect in January 2013, based on the results of the November 2012 general elections.

[56] For the 119th United States Congress, New Jersey's 9th congressional district is represented by Nellie Pou (D, North Haledon)[57] New Jersey is represented in the United States Senate by Democrats Cory Booker (Newark, term ends 2027) and Andy Kim (Moorestown, term ends 2031).

The 221st district's seat in the State Senate was vacated upon Nellie Pou's swearing into the U.S. House of Representatives.

[60] As of 2025[update], Passaic County's Commissioners are: Bruce James (D, Clifton, 2026),[61] Deputy Director Cassandra "Sandi" Lazzara (D, Little Falls, 2027),[62] Director John W. Bartlett (D, Wayne, 2027),[63] Orlando Cruz (D, Paterson, 2026),[64] Terry Duffy (D, West Milford, 2025),[65] Rodney DeVore (D, Paterson, 2027)[66] and Pasquale "Pat" Lepore (D, Woodland Park, 2025).

[79] Among the borough's 2010 Census population, 53.5% (vs. 53.2% in Passaic County) were registered to vote, including 74.8% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 70.8% countywide).

[102] Students are also eligible to attend the Passaic County Technical Institute, a countywide program located in Wayne.

It then crosses completely into Paterson, turns onto Main Street and reenters Prospect Park for a brief stretch before exiting into Hawthorne.