The statewide election in November began with this year’s primary elections on June 6. On Primary Election Day, New Jersey voters participated in the first primary elections for the state’s 80 Assembly and 40 Senate seats under the state’s new legislative district map. A new legislative district map is created every 10 years to better align New Jersey’s 40 legislative districts with the data revealed during the federal census. Adopted by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission on February 18, 2022, the new map replaces the “old” map for the 2023 elections and remains in effect through 2030. Incumbent legislators, however, continue representing the districts into which they were elected in 2022.

The survivors of the Primary will be the candidates on the ballots for Election Day on November 7. The winners of that election will, on January 9, 2024, be sworn in as members of the 221st New Jersey Legislature.

Democrats maintained their majority in the 2022 election. They enjoyed a 46/34 lead in the Assembly and a 25/15 lead in the Senate. The criteria for membership in the 120-member New Jersey Legislature are established in Article IV (Legislative) of the New Jersey State Constitution of 1947. It specifies that the 80 Assembly members must be at least 21 years old, must have resided in their district for one year and the state for two years, and must live in the represented district. The 40 Senators must be at least 30 years old, must have lived in their district for two years and the state for four years.

The new map created a slight wrinkle for some incumbents, though they never changed residences. That is, some towns were reshuffled into adjoining districts. As a result, legislators continue representing their constituents in the “old” districts while they campaign in the newly configured districts. For some legislators, the shuffle created unexpected opportunities. For example, Democrat incumbent Asm. Raj Mukherji, who currently represents District 33, will be campaigning for the Senate seat in District 32, following that Senator’s retirement.

Arguably the most intriguing residency wrinkle created by the new map affected two legislative giants whose hometowns were inserted into one district. Democrat Senator Nia Gill (a Montclair resident serving in the Legislature since 1994 for District 34 constituents) and Democrat Senator Richard J. Codey (a Roseland resident serving in the Legislature since 1974 for District 27 constituents and as Acting Governor in various years) competed against each other in the June 6th Primary Elections. The victor was Sen. Codey, who will be the Democrat Senate candidate in November for the newly configured District 27.

November’s elections slate will also be affected by voluntary departures. This year, 26 incumbent legislators decided to retire from their current seats in the Legislature. Some were silent on why they were exiting. Others revealed their reasons for departing, including seeking election to a different seat within the Legislature, seeking a different political office, or seeking a gubernatorial nomination. The list of incumbents retiring from legislative service are:

• Democrat Sen. Fred Madden (District 4)
• Democrat Asm. Paul Moriarty (District 4) to run for Senate of District 4
• Democrat Asw. Gabriela Mosquera (District 4)
• Republican Sen. Jean Stanfield (District 8)
• Republican Sen. Christopher Connors (District 9)
• Republican Asw. DiAnne Gove (District 9)
• Democrat Asm. Dan Benson (District 14) to run for County Executive of Mercer
• Democrat Sen. Sam Thompson (District 12)
• Republican Asm. John Catalano (District 10) to run for Mayor of Brick
• Democrat Asw. Sadaf Jaffer (District 16)
• Republican Sen. Steve Oroho (District 24)
• Republican Asm. Hal Wirths (District 24)
• Republican Asm. Parker Space (District 24) to run for Senate of District 24
• Democrat Asw. Mila Jasey (District 27)
• Democrat Asm. Ralph Caputo (District 28) to be nominated for a director position
• Sen. Sandra Cunningham (District 31)
• Democrat Asw. Angela McKnight (District 31) to run for Senate of District 31
• Democrat Sen. Nicholas Sacco (District 32) to run for re-election as Mayor of North Bergen
• Democrat Asw. Angelica Jimenez (District 32) to run for Commissioner in West New York
• Democrat Asm. Pedro Mejia (District 32)
• Democrat Asw. Annette Chaparro (District 33)
• Asm. Raj Mukherji (District 33) to run for Senate of District 32
• Asw. Britnee Timberlake (District 34) to run for Senate of District 34
• Republican Asw. DeAnne Fuccio (District 39)
• Republican Asm. Kevin Rooney (District 40)
• Democrat Asm. Tom Giblin (District 34)

For dealers, who are no strangers to adjusting to changing environments, these changes in the New Jersey Legislature will herald a new opportunity to create new bonds while also strengthening the industry’s established relationships in Trenton.

Magdalena Padilla is NJ CAR’s Director of Government Affairs and can be contacted at mpadilla@njcar.org.