The county is divided into 17 single-member legislative districts.
There are 10 Democrats and 7 Republicans.

The History of the Rockland County Legislature...

Until 1970, Rockland County was governed by a Board of Supervisors. Pursuant to the direction of the Supreme Court, the county adopted a reapportionment plan, and, as a result thereof, there was created in place of the Board of Supervisors an elected County Legislature. At a referendum held November 6, 1984, the voters of Rockland County approved a Charter for the government of the county. On January 1, 1986, the Charter and a new Administrative Code went into effect, which provided for an elected County Executive and Legislature.

The County of Rockland has, over the years, passed through a process of legislative change common to many American communities. While only a few simple laws were necessary at the time of the establishment of the county, subsequent growth of the community, together with the complexity of modern life, has created the need for new and more detailed legislation for the proper function and government of the county.

The recording of local law is an aspect of municipal history, and as the community develops and changes, review and revision of old laws and consideration of new laws, in the light of current trends, must keep pace. The orderly collection of these records is an important step in this ever-continuing process. Legislation must be more than mere chronological enactments reposing in the pages of old records. It must be available and logically arranged for convenient use and must be kept up-to-date. It was with thoughts such as these in mind that the Legislature ordered the following codification of the county's legislation.