16th Legislative District (New Jersey)

New Jersey's 16th Legislative district
New Jersey State Senator Christopher Bateman (R)
New Jersey General Assemblymembers Jack Ciattarelli (R)
Donna Simon (R)
Registration 27.6% Democratic
Demographics 78.3% White
3.5% Black/African American
0.1% Native American
12.8% Asian
0.0% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
3.0% Other race
2.2% Two or more races
10.6% Hispanic
Population 215,874
Voting-age population 160,293

New Jersey's 16th Legislative District is one of 40 in the New Jersey Legislature. As of the 2011 apportionment, the district includes the Hunterdon County municipalities of Delaware Township, Flemington Borough, Raritan Township, Readington Township and Stockton Borough; the consolidated Mercer County municipality of Princeton; the Middlesex County municipality of South Brunswick Township; and the Somerset County municipalities of Branchburg Township, Hillsborough Township, Manville Borough, Millstone Borough, Montgomery Township, Rocky Hill Borough and Somerville Borough.[1][2]

Demographic characteristics

As of the 2010 United States Census, the district had a population of 215,874, of whom 160,293 (74.3%) were of voting age. The racial makeup of the district was 169,062 (78.3%) White, 7,645 (3.5%) African American, 295 (0.1%) Native American, 27,528 (12.8%) Asian, 59 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 6,450 (3.0%) from some other race, and 4,835 (2.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22,856 (10.6%) of the population.[3] The district had 145,324 registered voters as of November 2013, of whom 70,383 (48.4%) were registered as Unaffiliated, 40,126 (27.6%) were registered as Democrats, 34,643 (23.8%) were registered as Republicans and 172 (0.1%) were registered to other parties.[4]

Home ownership was high as was the percentage of college graduates. District residents were comparatively wealthy, with high incomes and property values that have resulted in low municipal and other property taxes. The district has low numbers of African-Americans, the elderly and poor children. Prior to the 2011 apportionment, registered Republicans outnumbered Democrats by a 2 to 1 margin.[5][6]

Political representation

For the 2014-2015 Session, the district is represented in the State Senate by Christopher Bateman (R, Somerville) and in the General Assembly by Jack Ciattarelli (R, Hillsborough Township) and Donna Simon (R, Readington Township). [7][8]

Apportionment history

Prior to the 2011 decennial reapportionment, as part of the 2001 apportionment, the district consisted of the Somerset County municipalities of Bedminster Township, Bernards Township, Bernardsville Borough, Bound Brook Borough, Branchburg Township, Bridgewater Township, Far Hills Borough, Hillsborough Township, Manville Borough, Millstone Borough, Montgomery Township, Peapack-Gladstone Borough, Raritan Borough, Rocky Hill Borough, Somerville Borough and South Bound Brook Borough and the Morris County municipality of Mendham Borough.[9] 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, added Bound Brook (from the 17th Legislative District) and removed Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey (to the 17th Legislative District).[10]

Election history

Raymond Bateman ran for Governor of New Jersey in 1977, losing to Brendan Byrne, with John H. Ewing taking Bateman's seat in the Senate and Elliott F. Smith taking Ewing's former seat in the Assembly.[11]

Smith did not run for re-election in 1983 and his Assembly seat was won by John S. Penn.[12] After five terms in office, Penn did not run for re-election in 1993 and was replaced by Christopher Bateman.

John Ewing chose not to run for re-election in 1997 after 30 years in the legislature. he was replaced in the Senate by Walter J. Kavanaugh, with Peter J. Biondi elected to Kavanaugh's former seat in the Assembly. Ewing remarked that "Dear Walter [Kavanaugh] has been waiting and waiting to take my place... he keeps threatening to push me in front of a bus".[13]

Kip Bateman moved up to the Senate to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of Walter Kavanaugh in the 2007 elections. Peter Biondi won re-election and was joined in the Assembly by Denise Coyle, a member of the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders.[14] In 2011, Coyle declined to run for re-election and the seat was won by Jack Ciattarelli, a member of the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Peter Biondi died two days after winning re-election, and was replaced by appointment of the Republican County Committee members of the 16th district by Readington Township committeewoman Donna Simon.[15]

Session State Senate[16] Assembly[17]
1976-1977 Raymond Bateman John H. Ewing Walter J. Kavanaugh
1978-1979 John H. Ewing Walter J. KavanaughElliott F. Smith
1980-1981 Walter J. KavanaughElliott F. Smith
1982-1983 John H. Ewing Walter J. KavanaughElliott F. Smith
1984-1985 John H. Ewing Walter J. KavanaughJohn S. Penn
1986-1987 Walter J. KavanaughJohn S. Penn
1988-1989 John H. Ewing Walter J. KavanaughJohn S. Penn
1990-1991[18] Walter J. KavanaughJohn S. Penn
1992-1993 John H. Ewing Walter J. KavanaughJohn S. Penn
1994-1995[19] John H. Ewing Christopher BatemanWalter J. Kavanaugh
1996-1997 Christopher BatemanWalter J. Kavanaugh
1998-1999[20] Walter J. Kavanaugh Christopher BatemanPeter J. Biondi
2000-2001[21] Christopher BatemanPeter J. Biondi
2002-2003[22] Walter J. Kavanaugh Christopher BatemanPeter J. Biondi
2004-2005[23] Walter J. Kavanaugh Christopher BatemanPeter J. Biondi
2006-2007 Christopher BatemanPeter J. Biondi
2008-2009 Christopher Bateman Peter J. BiondiDenise Coyle
2010-2011 Peter J. BiondiDenise Coyle
2012-2013 Christopher Bateman Jack CiattarelliDonna Simon
2014-2015[24] Christopher Bateman Jack CiattarelliDonna Simon

References

  1. ↑ Districts by Number, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 30, 2014.
  2. ↑ Municipalities (sorted by 2011 legislative district), New Jersey Department of State. Accessed January 30, 2014
  3. ↑ DP-1: Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 - 2010 Demographic Profile Data for General Assembly District 16 (2010), United States Census Bureau. Accessed January 30, 2014.
  4. ↑ Statewide Voter Registration Summary, New Jersey Department of State, November 28, 2013. Accessed January 30, 2014.
  5. ↑ District 16 Profile, Rutgers University. Accessed June 26, 2010.
  6. ↑ 2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book. Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. p. 75.
  7. ↑ Legislative Roster 2014-2015 Session, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 30, 2014.
  8. ↑ District 16 Legislators, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 30, 2014.
  9. ↑ Districts by Number, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed June 26, 2010.
  10. ↑ Legislative Districts, New Jersey Legislature, backed up by the Internet Archive as of December 6, 1998. Accessed June 27, 2010.
  11. ↑ Waggoner, Walter H. "G.O.P. Faces Aggressive Challenge In Central Jersey Assembly Race", The New York Times, October 14, 1977. Accessed June 26, 2010.
  12. ↑ Staff. "FOR THE NEW JERSEY LEGISLATURE, 15 NEW FACES", The Philadelphia Inquirer, November 10, 1983. Accessed June 26, 2010.
  13. ↑ Staff. "LEGISLATIVE FACES CHANGE, BUT PARTY CONTROL REMAINS THE SAME", The Press of Atlantic City, January 12, 1998. Accessed June 26, 2010.
  14. ↑ Murphy, Dan. "16th Dist: Bateman moves up to Senate", The Star-Ledger, November 6, 2007. Accessed June 26, 2010.
  15. ↑ Freidman, Matt. "Readington committeewoman Donna Simon is selected to fill assembly seat of late Peter Biondi", The Star-Ledger, January 20, 2012. Accessed January 20, 2012.
  16. ↑ NJ Senate District 16 - History, OurCampaigns.com. Accessed June 26, 2010.
  17. ↑ NJ Assembly 16 - History, OurCampaigns.com. Accessed June 26, 2010.
  18. ↑ 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.
  19. ↑ 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.
  20. ↑ Staff. "THE 1997 ELECTIONS: RESULTS; The Races for the New Jersey Assembly", The New York Times, November 5, 1997. Accessed June 23, 2010.
  21. ↑ 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.
  22. ↑ Staff. "THE 2001 ELECTIONS; RESULTS -- The Races for New Jersey", The New York Times, November 8, 2001. Accessed June 23, 2010.
  23. ↑ 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.
  24. ↑ Official List - Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/05/2013 Election, New Jersey Department of State, December 4, 2013. Accessed January 29, 2014.