Ellen J. Park (born March 6, 1972) is an American lawyer and Democratic Party politician who was elected in the 2021 New Jersey General Assembly election as an assemblywoman for New Jersey's 37th legislative district, making her the first Korean American woman to be elected to the New Jersey Legislature.
Political career Born in South Korea, Park moved to the United States as a child and was raised in the New York City neighborhoods of Sunnyside and Flushing. She attended Bronx High School of Science and New York University. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Hofstra University Maurice A. Deane School of Law. She was elected in 2016 to serve on the Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Borough Council. In the November 2021 general election, she was elected together with her running mates, making her the first Korean woman to serve in the state legislature.Chao, Mary. "Meet Ellen Park: The first Korean woman elected to NJ Legislature", The Record, November 6, 2021. Accessed November 9, 2021. "It's been a whirlwind week for Ellen Park. The Englewood Cliffs attorney made history Tuesday as the first Korean woman to be elected to the New Jersey Legislature, representing the 37th District Assembly of Bergen County."
Since 2024, Park has served in the Assembly as Parliamentarian.
In 2024, Park was one of the 14 Democratic Party electors who cast the states 14 electoral votes for Kamala Harris for President and Tim Walz for Vice President.2024 Electors- Presidential Candidates, New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 26, 2025. "Presidential Candidate: Kamala D. Harris; Vice Presidential Candidate: Tim Walz - Saily M. Avelenda Jacqueline Jones Charles Boddy Philip Kramer John Currie Margaret Martin Dyese Davis David A. Matos, Jr. Parimal Garg Ian D. Mosley Yazminelly Gonzalez Ellen J. Park Robyn Grodner Mildred S. Scott"
Committees Committee assignments for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:Assemblywoman Ellen J. Park (D), New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 29, 2024. Judiciary (as chair) Budget Commerce, Economic Development and Agriculture
District 37 Each of the 40 districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly.New Jersey State Constitution 1947 (Updated Through Amendments Adopted in November, 2020): Article IV, Section II, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022. The representatives from the 37th District for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:Legislative Roster for District 37, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 29, 2024. Senator Gordon M. Johnson (D) Assemblywoman Shama Haider (D) Assemblywoman Ellen Park (D)
Electoral history
References
External links Legislative webpage