American legislative district
New Jersey 's20th legislative district is one of 40 in theNew Jersey Legislature . The district includes theUnion County municipalities ofElizabeth ,Kenilworth ,Roselle andUnion Township .[ 1] [ 2]
Demographic characteristics [ edit ] As of the2020 United States census , the district had a population of 242,177, of whom 186,799 (77.1%) were of voting age. The racial makeup of the district was 56,517 (23.3%)White , 66,768 (27.6%)African American , 2,059 (0.9%)Native American , 10,555 (4.4%)Asian , 103 (0.0%)Pacific Islander , 63,956 (26.4%) fromsome other race , and 42,219 (17.4%) from two or more races.[ 3] [ 4] Hispanic orLatino of any race were 115,221 (47.6%) of the population.[ 5]
The district had 133,381 registered voters as of December 1, 2021, of whom 42,594 (31.9%) were registered asunaffiliated , 76,023 (57.0%) were registered asDemocrats , 12,479 (9.4%) were registered asRepublicans , and 2,285 (1.7%) were registered to other parties.[ 6]
The district has a higher-than-average percentage of residents who are foreign born (at 35.6%, the 3rd highest of all 40 districts in the state),Hispanic (5th highest of any district statewide) andAfrican American (11th highest). The number and percentage of registered voters is lowest in the state. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a better than 4 to 1 margin, with Republican registration percentage one of the lowest of any district statewide.[ 7] [ 8]
Political representation [ edit ] For the2024-2025 session , the20th legislative district of theNew Jersey Legislature is represented in theState Senate byJoseph Cryan (D ,Union Township ) and in theGeneral Assembly byReginald Atkins (D,Roselle ) andAnnette Quijano (D,Elizabeth ).[ 9]
The legislative district overlaps with8th and10th congressional districts.
Apportionment history [ edit ] When the 40-district legislative map was created in 1973, the 20th was a central Union County-based district includingWestfield ,Garwood ,Cranford , Roselle,Roselle Park ,Union Township , andHillside Township .[ 10] Linden ,Rahway , andCarteret inMiddlesex County, New Jersey .[ 11] 21st district .[ 12]
Changes to the district made as part of theNew Jersey Legislative redistricting in 2001 , based on the results of the2000 United States census removed Linden and Rahway (both to the22nd legislative district ) and addedKenilworth and Union Township (both from the 21st district).[ 13] 29th district , whileKenilworth Borough was shifted to the21st district .[ 2]
In the 1973 State Senate race,Alexander J. Menza defeated incumbent RepublicanFrank X. McDermott , who had served 10 years in office, helping the Democrats gain control of the state legislature for only the third time in the 20th century.[ 14]
In the 1975 elections, McDermott made a comeback and won a seat in the Assembly.[ 15] United States Senate primaries). McDermott ran again for the seat, losing to DemocratAnthony E. Russo .[ 16]
In redistricting following the1980 United States census ,C. Louis Bassano was shifted to the21st legislative district , where he ran for (and won) the State Senate seat.Chuck Hardwick was also shifted to the 21st district, where he would win the Assembly seat.[ 17] Thomas J. Deverin andRaymond Lesniak , who had both previously served as representatives of the 21st district, won in the Assembly. In the Senate race that year, Anthony E. Russo was also shifted to the 21st district and was replaced byJohn T. Gregorio , an incumbent Democrat who was shifted from the 21st district.[ 18]
Gregorio was forced to resign in 1983 after being convicted of conspiracy for concealing his ownership of two go-go bars that were operated by his son.[ 19] [ 20] Thomas W. Long .[ 21]
After five terms in the 20th district,Thomas J. Deverin was relocated to the19th legislative district in 1991, with redistricting following the 1990 census tending to favor Republicans.[ 22] George Hudak andElizabeth MayorThomas G. Dunn narrowly holding on to the seats for the Democrats. Hudak and Dunn did not run for re-election in 1993.
In the 1993 election, two former Union CountyFreeholders ,Joseph Suliga andNeil M. Cohen (the latter also served in the Assembly from 1990 to 1992 from the21st district ) were elected. Suliga represented the district in the Assembly until 2002, when he was shifted to the 22nd legislative district as part of the2001 redistricting , and was elected to the State Senate.[ 23] Joseph Cryan was elected to the Assembly in 2001, filling Suliga's Assembly seat.
Cohen resigned from the Assembly on July 24, 2008, after images ofchild pornography were found on his state-issued computer.[ 24] Annette Quijano to fill Cohen's vacancy.[ 25]
Joseph Cryan stepped down on January 4, 2015 to become Union County Sheriff.[ 26] Jamel Holley as his replacement on January 21, 2015.[ 27]
Senators and Assembly members elected from the district are as follows:[ 28]
^ Terminated on March 15, 1983 after a criminal conviction[ 29] ^a b Elected to the Senate in June 7, 1983 special election, sworn in on June 16, 1983 ^ Elected to the Assembly in August 2, 1983 special election, sworn in on September 6, 1983 ^ Resigned July 28, 2008 ^ Appointed to the Assembly on September 25, 2008, won November 4, 2008 special election to complete term ^ Resigned January 4, 2015 to become Union County Sheriff ^ Appointed to the Assembly on January 21, 2015 New Jersey general election, 2007[ 58] Party Candidate Votes % ±% Democratic Neil Cohen 10,000 36.7 Democratic Joseph Cryan 9,583 35.2 Clean Up Government Marlene J. Abitanto 3,858 14.2 N/A Clean Up Government Lester Dominguez 3,810 14.0 N/A Total votes 27,251 100.0
Special election, August 2, 1983[ 21] Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Thomas W. Long 3,523 82.3 Independent Like You Henry Kielbasa 758 17.7 Total votes 4,281 100.0
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Accessed January 18, 2024.^ "New Jersey Legislative Districts 1974–" (PDF) . New Jersey Legislative Services Agency. 1973. Archived fromthe original (PDF) on January 31, 2016. RetrievedJuly 25, 2015 .^ "New Jersey Legislative Districts" (PDF) . 1981. RetrievedJuly 26, 2015 .^ "1991 Legislative Districts" (PDF) . 1991. Archived fromthe original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. RetrievedJuly 26, 2015 .^ Legislative Districts ,New Jersey Legislature , backed up by theInternet Archive as of December 6, 1998. Accessed July 12, 2010.^ Sullivan, Joseph F."New Jersey Democrats Win Control of Legislature for the 3d Time in This Century; G.O.P. Beaten in Ocean, Monmouth and Bergen 'Way of Striking Back' McDermott Beaten Azzolina Beaten" ,The New York Times ^ Sullivan, Ronald."7 of 25 Ex-G.O.P. Assemblymen Seek Comebacks" ,The New York Times ^ Narvaez, Alfonso A."G.O.P. Expected to Maintain Strength In Morris, Union and Essex Counties" ,The New York Times ^a b c "Candidates for the Offices of State Senate and General Assembly" (PDF) . Secretary of State of New Jersey. 1981. Archived fromthe original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. RetrievedJanuary 16, 2016 .^ Narvaez, Alfonso A."Democrats Running Strong in Campaigns in 13th, 17th and 21st Districts" ,The New York Times ^ Narvaez, Alfonso A."GREGORIO GUILTY OF A CONSPIRACY IN NETWORK CASE" ,The New York Times ^ Strupp, Joe."A Man of Influence" ,New Jersey Monthly ^a b c 1983 Special Elections to Fill Vacancies in the State Legislature" [permanent dead link New Jersey . Accessed July 15, 2010.^ Sullivan, Joseph F."Redistricting Worries Democrats" ,The New York Times ^a b "Official List, Candidate Returns for State Senate for November 2001 General Election" (PDF) . Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived fromthe original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. RetrievedJanuary 16, 2016 .^ Friedman, Matt."Cohen under investigation for child pornography" ,PolitickerNJ.com , July 24, 2008. Accessed July 25, 2008. ^ viaAssociated Press ."Dems choose Cohen's successor" ,The Press of Atlantic City ^ Democrats to fill longtime legislator Joseph Cryan's Assembly seat , nj.com. Accessed April 23, 2015.^ Roselle Mayor Jamel Holley tapped for Assembly seat; Dems call for change in Trenton , nj.com. Accessed April 23, 2015^ "NJ Election Information and Results Archive" . Secretary of State of New Jersey. RetrievedJuly 26, 2015 .^ Journal of the Second Annual Session of the One Hundred and Thirty-Second Senate of the State of New Jersey being the Two Hundredth Session of the Legislature . RetrievedJuly 26, 2015 .^ Staff."Vote Totals for the Elections Held on Tuesday in New York and New Jersey" ,The New York Times ^ Sullivan, Joseph F."THE 1993 ELECTIONS: New Jersey Legislature; Cut Taxes 30 Percent? Whitman's Top Statehouse Allies Say Not So Fast" ,The New York Times ^ Staff."THE 1997 ELECTIONS: RESULTS; The Races for the New Jersey Assembly" ,The New York Times ^ Kocieniewski, David."THE 1999 ELECTIONS: NEW JERSEY ASSEMBLY; Democrats Win Seats in Three Districts, Narrowing Republicans' Majority" ,The New York Times ^ Staff."THE 2001 ELECTIONS; RESULTS -- The Races for New Jersey" ,The New York Times ^ Kocieniewski, David."THE 2003 ELECTION: THE STATEHOUSE; Democrats Seize Senate And Widen Assembly Gap" ,The New York Times ^ Staff."2009 Election Results" Archived February 13, 2010, at theWayback Machine ,The New York Times ^a b Official List; Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/05/2013 Election Archived 2014-02-01 at theWayback Machine ,New Jersey Department of State , December 4, 2013. Accessed February 1, 2014.^ "Official List, Candidates for State Senate For GENERAL ELECTION 11/02/2021 Election" (PDF) .Secretary of State of New Jersey . November 30, 2021. 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Districts are co-terminous for both
Senate and
General Assembly (each district elects
one Senator and
two members of the General Assembly)
Districts Apportionments
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