Chesilhurst is a borough in Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,536,
Chesilhurst was incorporated as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on November 26, 1887, from portions of Waterford and Winslow townships, based on the results of a referendum held on October 18, 1887.
New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Chesilhurst the worst town in the state in its 2008 rankings of "Best Places to Live" in New Jersey (placing at # 566 of 566).
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the borough had a total area of 1.72 square miles (4.45 km<sup>2</sup>), including 1.72 square miles (4.44 km<sup>2</sup>) of land and <0.01 square miles (<0.01 km<sup>2</sup>) of water (0.12%).
Demographics
2020 census
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+Chesilhurst borough, New Jersey – Racial and ethnic composition<br><small></small>
!Race / ethnicity <small>(NH = Non-Hispanic)</small>
!Pop 2000
!Pop 2010
!
!% 2000
!% 2010
!
|-
|White alone (NH)
|560
|643
|style='background: #ffffe6; |636
|36.84%
|39.35%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |41.41%
|-
|Black or African American alone (NH)
|845
|741
|style='background: #ffffe6; |593
|55.59%
|45.35%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |38.61%
|-
|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)
|3
|6
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.20%
|0.37%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|Asian alone (NH)
|5
|14
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10
|0.33%
|0.86%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.65%
|-
|Pacific Islander alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|Other race alone (NH)
|5
|5
|style='background: #ffffe6; |7
|0.33%
|0.31%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.46%
|-
|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)
|40
|36
|style='background: #ffffe6; |62
|2.63%
|2.20%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.04%
|-
|Hispanic or Latino (any race)
|62
|189
|style='background: #ffffe6; |228
|4.08%
|11.57%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |14.84%
|-
|Total
|1,520
|1,634
|style='background: #ffffe6; |1,536
|100.00%
|100.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%
|}
2010 census
The 2010 United States census counted 1,634 people, 582 households, and 376 families in the borough. The population density was . There were 621 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup was 42.35% (692) White, 46.39% (758) Black or African American, 0.43% (7) Native American, 0.86% (14) Asian, 0.00% (0) Pacific Islander, 6.98% (114) from other races, and 3.00% (49) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.57% (189) of the population.
Government
Local government
thumb|right|Chesilhurst Municipal Building
Chesilhurst is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government, which is used in 218 municipalities (of the 564) statewide, making it the most common form of government in New Jersey. The governing body is comprised of a mayor and a borough council, with all positions elected at-large on a partisan basis as part of the November general election. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office. The borough council includes six members elected to serve three-year terms on a staggered basis, with two seats coming up for election each year in a three-year cycle. The borough form of government used by Chesilhurst 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. The mayor makes committee and liaison assignments for council members, and most appointments are made by the mayor with the advice and consent of the council.
, the mayor of Chesilhurst is Democrat Jamila Odom Garnett, whose term of office ends December 31, 2026. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Russell S. Hirn Sr. (D, 2025), Monica Holmes (D, 2025), Cathleen Jordan (D, 2027), Pearlie C. Lee (D, 2027) and Antonia Plaza (D, 2026) and LaRhonda Pritchett (D, 2026).
In February 2023, the borough council appointed Antonia Plaza to fill the seat expiring in December 2023 that had been held by Maria C. Littles.
Federal, state, and county representation
Chesilhurst is located in the 1st Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 4th state legislative district.
Politics
As of March 2011, there were a total of 1,156 registered voters in Chesilhurst, of which 673 (58.2%) were registered as Democrats, 79 (6.8%) were registered as Republicans and 404 (34.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were no voters registered to other parties.
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In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 82.8% of the vote (629 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 16.2% (123 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (8 votes), among the 767 ballots cast by the borough's 1,250 registered voters (7 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 61.4%. In the 2008 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 82.8% of the vote (657 cast), ahead of Republican John McCain, who received around 14.2% (113 votes), with 793 ballots cast among the borough's 1,241 registered voters, for a turnout of 63.9%. In the 2004 presidential election, Democrat John Kerry received 77.4% of the vote (518 ballots cast), outpolling Republican George W. Bush, who received around 19.4% (130 votes), with 669 ballots cast among the borough's 1,038 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 64.5.