The Borough Council has 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 Hopewell 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. All legislative powers of the Borough of Hopewell are exercised by the Borough Council in the form of a resolution, ordinance or proclamation.  , the Mayor of Hopewell is Democrat Paul Anzano, whose term expires December 31, 2023. Members of the Borough Council are Council President Charles Schuyler Morehouse (R, 2020), Chris M. Fossell (D, 2022), Ryan Kennedy (D, 2020), David Mackie (D, 2022), Samara McAuliffe (D, 2021) and Debra Stuhler (D, 2021). The Hopewell Public Library was founded March 14, 1914, and was originally located at Broad and Mercer Streets in an old harness shop. The Hopewell Post Office had replaced the old bank building in 1915 and the Hopewell Public Library moved to its current location in the old Hopewell National Bank building in 1965. In 2014, the library began looking for a new space, citing the lack of a parking lot and non-ADA compliant steps an issue with serving the general public. The library estimated that it needed to raise $1.2 million to cover the cost of the new building. Hopewell Borough is located in the 12th Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 15th state legislative district. As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 1,473 registered voters in Hopewell Borough, of which 664 (45.1%) were registered as Democrats, 264 (17.9%) were registered as Republicans and 544 (36.9%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There was one voter registered to the Green Party. In the 2012 presidential election, Democrat Barack Obama received 71.4% of the vote (815 cast), ahead of Republican Mitt Romney with 27.4% (313 votes), and other candidates with 1.1% (13 votes), among the 1,256 ballots cast by the borough's 1,530 registered voters (115 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 82.1%.