Shirley Turner
President pro tempore of theNew Jersey Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office January 9, 2024
Preceded by	Sandra Bolden Cunningham
In office January 8, 2002 – January 12, 2010 Serving with Joseph A. Palaia (2002–2004)
Preceded by	Joseph A. Palaia
Succeeded by	Nia Gill
Member of theNew Jersey Senate from the15th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 13, 1998
Preceded by	Dick LaRossa
Member of theNew Jersey General Assembly from the15th district
In office January 11, 1994 – January 13, 1998
Preceded by	John W. Hartmann John Watson
Succeeded by	Bonnie Watson Coleman
Personal details
Born	(1941-07-03)July 3, 1941 (age 84) Dover, New Jersey, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Donald Turner (died 2024)
Education	College of New Jersey (BA) Rider University (MA) Rutgers University–New Brunswick
Website	State Senate website

Shirley Kersey Turner (born July 3, 1941) is an AmericanDemocratic Party politician, who has been serving in theNew JerseyState Senate since 1998, where she represents the15th Legislative District.

Turner was born inDover, New Jersey, and graduated fromDover High School in 1960.^[1] She received aB.A. from Trenton State College (nowThe College of New Jersey) in Education and an M.A. fromRider College in Guidance and Counseling, and has done postgraduate work in education atRutgers University.^[2]

Turner resides in theLawrenceville section ofLawrence Township.^[3] Before entering state politics, Senator Turner served on theMercer CountyBoard of Chosen Freeholders from 1983 to 1986, where she served as Freeholder Vice President.^[2] Before being elected to the State Senate, Turner served in New Jersey'slower house, theGeneral Assembly, from 1994 to 1998.^[2]

In the 1997 general election, Turner defeated incumbent RepublicanDick LaRossa, making him the only Republican Senator to lose his seat.^[4] Turner was Senate President Pro Tempore, a position which she has held since 2004 to 2010. She serves in the Senate on the Education Committee (as Chair) and as a member of the Budget and Appropriations Committee.^[2] In a 2010 vote onsame sex marriage, Turner was one of six Democrats to vote against the bill to legalize it. However, in a 2012 vote on a similar bill, she supported the measure (which would bevetoed by GovernorChris Christie).^[5]

Committee assignments for the2024—2025 Legislative Session are:^[2]

• Education (as vice-chair)
• Economic Growth (as vice-chair)
• State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation

Each of the 40 districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in theNew Jersey Senate and two members in theNew Jersey General Assembly.^[6] The representatives from the 15th District for the2024—2025 Legislative Session are:^[7]

• Senator Shirley Turner(D)
• AssemblywomanVerlina Reynolds-Jackson(D)
• AssemblymanAnthony Verrelli(D)

New Jersey general election, 2017^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Shirley K. Turner	36,624	74.0	10.7
	Republican	Lee Eric Newton	12,839	26.0	10.7
Total votes			'49,463'	'100.0'

New Jersey general election, 2003^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Shirley K. Turner	24,053	67.4	1.7
	Republican	Calvin O. Iszard	11,638	32.6	2.9
Total votes			'35,691'	'100.0'

New Jersey general election, 1997^[16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Shirley K. Turner	29,995	53.9	6.2
	Republican	Dick LaRossa	25,630	46.1	6.2
Total votes			'55,625'	'100.0'

New Jersey general election, 1995^[17][18]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Shirley K. Turner	20,681	28.2	2.5
	Democratic	Reed Gusciora	19,294	26.3	2.6
	Republican	Joe Constance	15,319	20.9	2.6
	Republican	Gloria S. Teti	14,675	20.0	1.0
	Conservative	George E. Borchers	1,131	1.5	N/A
	Libertarian	Robert D. Figueroa	1,105	1.5	N/A
	Conservative	Beverly Kidder	1,029	1.4	N/A
Total votes			'73,234'	'100.0'

New Jersey general election, 1993^[19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Shirley K. Turner	25,759	25.7	4.4
	Democratic	Joseph Yuhas	23,714	23.7	4.2
	Republican	John Hartmann	23,495	23.5	1.7
	Republican	Donald C. Addison, Jr.	19,062	19.0	2.2
	Independent	Carl J. Mayer	6,531	6.5	N/A
	For the People	Tony Belardo	1,361	1.4	N/A
	Constitutional Enforcer	Clinton C. Barlow	235	0.2	N/A
Total votes			'100,157'	'100.0'

• Senator Turner's legislative web page,New Jersey Legislature
• New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms
  • 20112010200920082007200620052004
• Senator Shirley K. Turner^{[permanent dead link]},Project Vote Smart

• 1941 births
• 20th-century African-American politicians
• 20th-century African-American women politicians
• 20th-century American women politicians
• 21st-century African-American politicians
• 21st-century African-American women politicians
• 21st-century American women politicians
• African-American state legislators in New Jersey
• County commissioners in New Jersey
• Democratic Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly
• Democratic Party New Jersey state senators
• Living people
• People from Dover, New Jersey
• People from Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
• Politicians from Mercer County, New Jersey
• Rider University alumni
• Rutgers University alumni
• The College of New Jersey alumni
• Women state legislators in New Jersey
• 21st-century members of the New Jersey Legislature
• 20th-century members of the New Jersey Legislature

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