17th Legislative District (New Jersey)

New Jersey's 17th Legislative district
New Jersey State Senator Bob Smith (D)
New Jersey General Assemblymembers Upendra J. Chivukula (D)
Joseph V. Egan (D)
Registration 24.9% Democratic
8.2% Republican
Demographics 55.9% White
20.0% Black
15.6% Hispanic
13.0% Asian
0.2% Native American
0.0% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
10.0% other
Population 207,244
Voting-age population 151,513
Registered voters 111,367

New Jersey's 17th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County municipalities of Highland Park Borough, Milltown Borough, New Brunswick City, North Brunswick Township, Piscataway Township, along with the Somerset County municipality of Franklin Township.[1] As of the 2000 United States Census, the district had a population of 207,244.[2]

Changes to the district made as part of the New Jersey Legislative redistricting in 2001, based on the results of the 2000 United States Census, removed Bound Brook (moved to the 16th Legislative District), Middlesex Borough (to the 22nd Legislative District), Plainfield City (to District 22) and South Plainfield borough (to the 18th Legislative District) and added Franklin Township (from the 16th Legislative District), Milltown Borough (from District 18) and North Brunswick Township (also from District 18).[3]

As a result of the 2011 decennial reapportionment process, the new 17th District for January 2012 to January 2022 will include the following muniicipalities: Franklin Township, Milltown Borough, New Brunswick City, North Brunswick Township, Piscataway Township.[4]

Contents

Demographic characteristics

Home ownership is high population of Asian Americans, 3rd highest in the state, while having the third smallest population of senior citizens among the 40 legislative districts. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 3 to 1 margin.[5][6]

Political representation

The district is represented in the New Jersey Senate by Bob Smith (D, Piscataway) and in the New Jersey General Assembly by Upendra J. Chivukula (D, Somerset) and Joseph V. Egan (D, New Brunswick).[7]

Election history

After 20 years in office, John A. Lynch, Sr. did not run for re-election in 1977, due to illness. Assembly Speaker William J. Hamilton ran for the vacant Senate seat and Joseph D. Patero and David C. Schwartz were the Democratic candidates for Assembly in a district that voted for Democrats by a 2-1 margin.[8]

After losing the support of the Middlesex County Democratic Organization, Assemblymember Angela L. Perun announced in March 1985 that she had switched parties and would run as a Republican in that year's general election, after having served two terms in office as a Democrat and having been a vocal opponent of the Reagan Administration.[9][10] Bob Smith was given Perun's spot and the Assembly ballot, and he won election together with David C. Schwartz.[11]

Despite his confidence that he would win re-election if he chose to run, David C. Schwartz decided not to run for re-election in 1991 after seven terms of office, saying that he was reluctant to serve in the minority party in the new legislative term.[12] Jerry Green took Schwartz's open seat in the general Election.[11]

Bob Smith was elected to his first Senate term in November 2001 to fill the seat vacated after Lynch retired.[13] Jerry Green was relocated to the 22nd Legislative District in redistricting following the 2000 United States Census, and the two open Assembly seats were filled by Upendra J. Chivukula and Joseph V. Egan. Chivukula's election made him the first South Asian to be elected to the New Jersey Legislature and the third Indian American to be elected to a state assembly in the United States.[14][15]

Session State Senate[16] Assembly[11]
1976-1977 John A. Lynch, Sr. William J. Hamilton Joseph D. Patero
1978-1979 William J. Hamilton Joseph D. Patero David C. Schwartz
1980-1981 Joseph D. Patero David C. Schwartz
1982-1983 John A. Lynch, Jr. Angela L. Perun David C. Schwartz
1984-1985 John A. Lynch, Jr. Angela L. Perun David C. Schwartz
1986-1987 David C. Schwartz Bob Smith
1988-1989 John A. Lynch, Jr. David C. Schwartz Bob Smith
1990-1991[17] David C. Schwartz Bob Smith
1992-1993 John A. Lynch, Jr. Jerry Green Bob Smith
1994-1995[18] John A. Lynch, Jr. Jerry Green Bob Smith
1996-1997 Jerry Green Bob Smith
1998-1999[19] John A. Lynch, Jr. Jerry Green Bob Smith
2000-2001[20] Jerry Green Bob Smith
2002-2003[21] Bob Smith Upendra J. Chivukula Joseph V. Egan
2004-2005[22] Bob Smith Upendra J. Chivukula Joseph V. Egan
2006-2007 Upendra J. Chivukula Joseph V. Egan
2008-2009 Bob Smith Upendra J. Chivukula Joseph V. Egan
2010-2011[23] Upendra J. Chivukula Joseph V. Egan

References

  1. ^ Districts by Number, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed July 1, 2010.
  2. ^ DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 for General Assembly District 17, New Jersey, United States Census Bureau. Accessed July 1, 2010.
  3. ^ Legislative Districts, New Jersey Legislature, backed up by the Internet Archive as of December 6, 1998. Accessed July 1, 2010.
  4. ^ "Municipalities sorted by legislative districts". www.njelections.org. Department of State, State of New Jersey. http://www.njelections.org/2011-legislative-districts/towns-district.pdf. Retrieved December 3, 2011. 
  5. ^ District 16 Profile, Rutgers University. Accessed July 1, 2010.
  6. ^ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book. Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. p. 80. 
  7. ^ "Legislative Roster: 2010-2011 Session". New Jersey Legislature. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/roster.asp. Retrieved 2010-07-01. 
  8. ^ Narvaez, Alfonso A. "Democrats Running Strong in Campaigns in 13th, 17th and 21st Districts", The New York Times, October 17, 1977. Accessed July 1, 2010.
  9. ^ Staff. "THE REGION; Jersey Lawmaker Switching Parties", The New York Times, March 15, 1985. Accessed July 1, 2010.
  10. ^ Staff. "ASSEMBLYWOMAN SWITCHES TO REPUBLICAN SIDE", The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 15, 1985. Accessed July 1, 2010.
  11. ^ a b c NJ Assembly 17 - History, OurCampaigns.com. Accessed July 1, 2010.
  12. ^ Sullivan, Joseph F. "Redistricting Worries Democrats", The New York Times, April 7, 1991. Accessed July 1, 2010.
  13. ^ Ackerman, Spencer. "To fill Lynch's big shoes, Smith stresses education", The Daily Targum, October 30, 2001. Accessed April 23, 2008. "Now, Assemblyman and former Piscataway Mayor Bob Smith is looking to take over for retiring State Sen. John Lynch, the powerful democrat castigated by his detractors as running 'the Lynch machine'."
  14. ^ Staff. "President of India gives distinguished service award to State Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula", Somerset Reporter, January 15, 2010. Accessed July 1, 2010. "Chivukula is the first and only South Asian lawmaker in the New Jersey Legislature and the only Asian-American member in the General Assembly. "
  15. ^ Kumar, Tanmaya. "'I went from community issues to mainstream politics'", India Abroad, November 16, 2001. Accessed July 1, 2010.
  16. ^ NJ Senate District 17 - History, OurCampaigns.com. Accessed July 1, 2010.
  17. ^ Staff. "Vote Totals for the Elections Held on Tuesday in New York and New Jersey", The New York Times, November 9, 1989. Accessed June 23, 2010.
  18. ^ 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, November 4, 1993. Accessed June 23, 2010.
  19. ^ Staff. "THE 1997 ELECTIONS: RESULTS; The Races for the New Jersey Assembly", The New York Times, November 5, 1997. Accessed June 23, 2010.
  20. ^ Kocieniewski, David. "THE 1999 ELECTIONS: NEW JERSEY ASSEMBLY; Democrats Win Seats in Three Districts, Narrowing Republicans' Majority", The New York Times, November 3, 1999. Accessed June 23, 2010.
  21. ^ Staff. "THE 2001 ELECTIONS; RESULTS -- The Races for New Jersey", The New York Times, November 8, 2001. Accessed June 23, 2010.
  22. ^ Kocieniewski, David. "THE 2003 ELECTION: THE STATEHOUSE; Democrats Seize Senate And Widen Assembly Gap", The New York Times, November 5, 2003. Accessed June 23, 2010.
  23. ^ Staff. "2009 Election Results", The New York Times, November 9, 2009. Accessed July 1, 2010.