Election Results and Trends in Paterson, NJ
In the last Presidential election, Paterson, NJ voted predominantly Democrat, with 57.7% of voters casting their ballot for Biden, while 41.1% of voters in Paterson voted for Trump, and other parties voting 1.2%. Based on these voting patterns, Paterson is considered a moderately liberal city. Specifically, it ranks 148th out of the most populated 333 cities in the United States in terms of liberalism based on the 2020 Presidential election results. Conversely, when looking at the conservative voting patterns in the 2020 election, Paterson ranks 177th out of the 333 most populated cities, indicating a relatively low conservative vote.
Presidential Elections Voting Trend
Paterson's trend in Presidential elections over the last 25 years has strongly favored Democrat candidates. Notable results include 1996: Clinton (D) over Dole (R) 2000, 2004: Gore (D), Kerry (D) over Bush (R) 2008, 2012: Obama (D) over McCain (R), Romney (R) 2016, 2020: Clinton (D), Biden (D) over Trump (R) Paterson's voters have consistently leaned liberal, reflecting the broader Democrat inclination of the surrounding Passaic County.
Local Elections
Local/city-level elections in Paterson have also trended liberal despite being nonpartisan. Candidates who align with progressive values or Democrat ideals often find success. In the last quarter-century, local initiatives and candidates have focused on economic revitalization, education, and community development, generally reflecting the more liberal outlook of the population.