2nd Legislative District (New Jersey)


New Jersey's 2nd Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Atlantic County municipalities of Absecon City, Atlantic City, Brigantine City, Buena Borough, Buena Vista Township Egg Harbor City, Egg Harbor Township, Folsom Borough, Hamilton Township, Linwood City, Longport Borough, Margate City, Mullica Township, Northfield City, Pleasantville City, Somers Point City and Ventnor City as of the 2011 apportionment. Except for an eight-year period from 1974 until 1982, the 2nd District is exclusively made up of municipalities from Atlantic County since 1967.

Demographic characteristics

As of the 2010 United States Census, the district had a population of 234,905, of whom 180,063 were of voting age. The racial makeup of the district was 147,970 White, 41,010 African American, 909 Native American, 19,882 Asian, 75 Pacific Islander, 17,287 from other races, and 7,772 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39,771 of the population. The district had 151,253 registered voters as of February 1, 2020, of whom 58,264 were registered as unaffiliated, 53,342 were registered as Democrats, 37,535 were registered as Republicans, and 2,112 were registered to other parties.

Political representation

The district is represented for the 2020–2021 Legislative Session in the State Senate by Chris A. Brown and in the General Assembly by Vince Mazzeo and John Armato.

1965–1973

During the period of time after the 1964 Supreme Court decision in Reynolds v. Sims and before the establishment of a 40-district legislature in 1973, the 2nd District was based around Atlantic County except for the 1965 Senate elections. In that election, the 2nd District encompassed all of Salem and Cumberland counties with the election being won by Democrat John A. Waddington.
In the following sessions, the Senate seat and Assembly seats encompassed all of Atlantic County. Republican Frank S. Farley won the 1967 Senate election but was defeated by Democrat Joseph McGahn in 1971. Republicans Albert S. Smith and Samuel A. Curcio won the 1967 and 1969 Assembly elections but Democrats Steven P. Perskie and James A. Colasurdo won the 1971 election.

District composition since 1973

Upon the creation of the 40 equal-population districts for the State Legislature in 1973, the 2nd District encompassed all of Atlantic County plus Burlington County townships Washington and Bass River and Ocean County's Little Egg Harbor Township and Tuckerton. For the 1980s 2nd District, the Burlington and Ocean County municipalities were removed as were Buena, Buena Vista Township, and Folsom. The 1990s version of the district was made further compact by shifting Hammonton and Egg Harbor City to other districts. In the 2001 redistricting, Egg Harbor City returned to the 2nd but Somers Point shifted to the 1st District.
The 2011 apportionment added Buena, Buena Vista Township, Folsom and Somers Point. Municipalities that had been in the 2nd District as part of the 2001 apportionment that were shifted out of the district are Corbin City, Estell Manor, Galloway Township, Port Republic and Weymouth Township.

Election history

Following the death of Jim Whelan on August 22, 2017, Colin Bell was unanimously selected to fill the remainder of his term by local Democratic committee members on September 5 and was sworn in on October 5.

Election results, 1973–present

Senate

Assembly

Election results, 1965–1973

Senate

Assembly