New Jersey's 14th legislative district explained

District:14
Senate:Linda R. Greenstein (D)
Assembly:Tennille McCoy (D)
Wayne DeAngelo (D)
Independent:39.2
Democratic:38.2
Republican:21.4
Percent White:56.9
Percent Black:8.6
Percent Native American:0.4
Percent Asian:18.7
Percent Pacific Islander:0.0
Percent Other Race:8.0
Percent Two Or More Races:7.5
Percent Hispanic:15.4
Population:234,184
Year:2020 Census
Voting-Age:187,321
Registered:177,324

New Jersey's 14th legislative district is one of 40 in the New Jersey Legislature, covering the Mercer County municipalities of East Windsor Township, Hamilton Township, Hightstown Borough and Robbinsville Township; and the Middlesex County municipalities of Cranbury Township, Jamesburg Borough, Monroe Township, and Plainsboro Township.[1]

Demographic characteristics

As of the 2020 United States census, the district had a population of 234,184, of whom 187,321 (80.0%) were of voting age. The racial makeup of the district was 133,182 (56.9%) White, 20,057 (8.6%) African American, 891 (0.4%) Native American, 43,737 (18.7%) Asian, 71 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 18,792 (8.0%) from some other race, and 17,454 (7.5%) from two or more races.[2] [3] Hispanic or Latino of any race were 36,123 (15.4%) of the population.[4]

The district had 177,324 registered voters as of December 1, 2021, of whom 69,493 (39.2%) were registered as unaffiliated, 67,738 (38.2%) were registered as Democrats, 37,866 (21.4%) were registered as Republicans, and 2,227 (1.3%) were registered to other parties.[5]

Political representation

The legislative district overlaps with the New Jersey's 3rd and 12th congressional districts.

1965–1973

In the interim period between the 1964 Supreme Court decision Reynolds v. Sims which required the creation of state legislature districts to be made as equal in population as possible and the 1973 creation of the 40-district map, the 14th district consisted of all of Passaic County. For the Senate, two members were elected at-large in the 1965 election for a two-year term, while three members were elected in 1967 for a four-year term and 1971 for a two-year term.

The members elected to the Senate from this district are as follows:

Session Senators
elected
1966–1967 2 Anthony J. Grossi (D)[6] Joseph M. Keegan (D)
1968–1969 3 Ira Schoem (R) Frank J. Sciro (R) Edward Sisco (R)[7]
1970–1971
1972–1973 3 Joseph Hirkala (D) Joseph A. Lazzara (D) William J. Bate (D)

For the members of the Assembly elected from Passaic County, the election method changed in every general election during this interim period. In 1967, two members were elected at-large from the entire county, while the county was split into three Assembly districts with one member elected from each district. Then in the 1969 election, one member was elected at-large and two Assembly districts in the county each elected two members. The election of 1971 reverted to the original 1967 method of electing Assembly members.

The members elected to the Assembly from each district are as follows:

Session District 14 at-large District 14A District 14B District 14C
1968–1969 Joseph F. Scancarella (R) Joseph Hirkala (D) Augustus T. Capers (D) John F. Evers (R)
Alfred Fontanella (R)
1970–1971 John F. Evers (R) Alfred Fontanella (R) Joseph Hirkala (D) Seat eliminated
James White (R) Joseph F. Scancarella (R)
1972–1973 Vincent O. Pellecchia (D) Herb Klein (D) William H. Hicks (D) John F. Evers (R)[8]
John J. Sinsimer (D) Michael M. Horn (R)[9]

District composition since 1973

When the 40-district legislative map was created in 1973, the 14th district originally included municipalities in western Morris County, all of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, save for Readington Township, in Mercer County Ewing Township, Hopewell and Princeton townships and their enclosed boroughs, and Plainsboro and Cranbury townships in Middlesex. It took on a shape similar to its current configuration in 1981 when the 14th stretched from Hamilton, up eastern Mercer County, southwestern Middlesex, and Rocky Hill, Millstone, Manville, and Franklin Township in Somerset County. In the 1991 redistricting, the Somerset County portions of the district were removed but Monroe Township, Jamesburg, and Helmetta were added to the district. Washington Township, East Windsor, Hightstown, and Helmetta were removed from the district in the 2001 redistricting; the Hamilton Township-Middlesex County connection was made through West Windsor Township. East Windsor, Hightstown, and Robbinsville (renamed in 2007 from Washington Township) were restored to the district in the 2011 redistricting, West Windsor and South Brunswick were shifted to other districts, and Spotswood was added to the 14th for the first time.[1] Spotswood was then removed from the district in the 2021 reapportionment, the only map change to the district that year.[10]

Election history

Session Senate General Assembly
1974–1975 Anne Clark Martindell (D)[11] Walter E. Foran (R)Karl Weidel (R)
1976–1977 Walter E. Foran (R)Karl Weidel (R)
Walter E. Foran (R)[12] Seat vacant
1978–1979 Walter E. Foran (R)Barbara McConnell (D)Karl Weidel (R)
1980–1981 Barbara McConnell (D)Karl Weidel (R)
1982–1983 Francis J. McManimon (D)Joseph D. Patero (D)Joseph L. Bocchini Jr. (D)
1984–1985 Francis J. McManimon (D)Joseph D. Patero (D)Joseph L. Bocchini Jr. (D)
1986–1987 John K. Rafferty (R)Joseph L. Bocchini Jr. (D)
1988–1989 Francis J. McManimon (D)Joseph D. Patero (D)Anthony J. Cimino (D)
1990–1991 Joseph D. Patero (D)[13] Anthony J. Cimino (D)
Peter A. Cantu (D)[14]
1992–1993 Peter Inverso (R)Paul Kramer (R)Barbara Wright (R)
1994–1995 Peter Inverso (R)Paul Kramer (R)Barbara Wright (R)
1996–1997 Paul Kramer (R)Barbara Wright (R)
1998–1999 Peter Inverso (R)Paul Kramer (R)Barbara Wright (R)
2000–2001 Linda R. Greenstein (D)Gary Guear (D)
2002–2003 Peter Inverso (R)Linda R. Greenstein (D)Gary Guear (D)
2004–2005 Peter Inverso (R)Linda R. Greenstein (D)Bill Baroni (R)
2006–2007 Linda R. Greenstein (D)Bill Baroni (R)
2008–2009 Bill Baroni (R)[15]   Linda R. Greenstein (D)Wayne DeAngelo (D)
2010–2011 Linda R. Greenstein (D)Wayne DeAngelo (D)
Tom Goodwin (R)[16]
Linda R. Greenstein (D)[17] Daniel R. Benson (D)[18]
2012–2013 Linda R. Greenstein (D)Daniel R. Benson (D)Wayne DeAngelo (D)
2014–2015 Linda R. Greenstein (D)Daniel R. Benson (D)Wayne DeAngelo (D)
2016–2017 Daniel R. Benson (D)Wayne DeAngelo (D)
2018–2019 Linda R. Greenstein (D)Daniel R. Benson (D)Wayne DeAngelo (D)
2020–2021 Daniel R. Benson (D)Wayne DeAngelo (D)
2022–2023 Linda R. Greenstein (D)Daniel R. Benson (D)[19] Wayne DeAngelo (D)
Tennille McCoy (D)[20]
2024–2025 Linda R. Greenstein (D)Tennille McCoy (D)Wayne DeAngelo (D)

Election results, 1973–present

General Assembly

Election results, 1965–1973

General Assembly

District 14C

Notes and References

  1. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/districts/districtnumbers.asp#14 Districts by Number
  2. Web site: RACE . . October 16, 2021.
  3. Web site: RACE FOR THE POPULATION 18 YEARS AND OVER . . October 16, 2021.
  4. Web site: HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE . . October 16, 2021.
  5. https://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/assets/pdf/svrs-reports/2021/2021-12-voter-registration-by-legislative-district.pdf Statewide Voter Registration Summary
  6. Resigned on June 26, 1967, to join Board of Public Utilities
  7. Died March 6, 1971
  8. Resigned September 13, 1972 to join staff of Gov. William T. Cahill
  9. Elected in November 7, 1972 special election, sworn into the Assembly on November 16, 1972
  10. Web site: What's your new NJ legislative district? 20% moved on new map . . February 25, 2022 . January 9, 2024.
  11. Resigned May 17, 1977 to accept a federal appointment
  12. Elected to the Senate in a November 1977 special election, sworn in on November 21, 1977
  13. Resigned August 22, 1991, to join staff of the Department of Labor
  14. Appointed to the Assembly in 1991 to complete unexpired term of Joseph Patero
  15. Resigned March 1, 2010, to become Deputy Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
  16. Appointed to the Senate on March 11, 2010 to temporarily fill the seat of Bill Baroni, defeated in November 2010 special election
  17. Elected to the Senate in November 2010 special election, sworn into the Senate on December 6, 2010
  18. Appointed to the Assembly on January 10, 2011
  19. Resigned December 31, 2023 to become Mercer County Executive
  20. Appointed to the Assembly on January 6, 2024, sworn in on January 8.