The New Jersey Senate was established as the

upper house An upper house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house.''Bicameralism'' (1997) by George Tsebelis The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smaller and often has more restric ...

of the

New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...

by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232,225 (2020 figure). Each district has one senator and two members of the New Jersey General Assembly, the lower house of the legislature. Prior to the election in which they are chosen, senators must be a minimum of 30 years old and a resident of the state for four years to be eligible to serve in office. From 1844 until 1965 (when the '' Reynolds v. Sims'' US Supreme Court decision mandated all state legislators be elected from districts of roughly equal population), each county was an electoral district electing one senator. Under the 1844 Constitution, the term of office was three years, which was changed to four years with the 1947 Constitution. Since 1968 the Senate has consisted of 40 senators, who are elected in a "2-4-4" cycle. Senators serve a two-year term at the beginning of each decade, with the rest of the decade divided into two four-year terms. The "2-4-4" cycle was put into place so that Senate elections can reflect the changes made to the district boundaries on the basis of the decennial United States Census.Our Legislature

. Accessed January 10, 2018. "Legislative elections are held in November of each odd-numbered year. Members of the Assembly serve two-year terms. Senators serve four-year terms, except for the first term of a new decade, which is only two years. This '2-4-4' cycle allows for elections from new districts as soon as possible after each reapportionment." If the cycle were not put into place, then the boundaries would sometimes be four years out of date before being used for Senate elections. Rather, with the varied term, the boundaries are only two years out of date. Thus elections for Senate seats take place in years ending with a "1", "3", or "7" (i.e. next elections in 2023, 2027, and 2031). Interim appointments are made to fill vacant legislative seats by the county committee or committees of the party of the vacating person (since a constitutional amendment passed on November 8, 1988). The office is on the ballot for the next general election, even if the other Senate seats are not up for election in that year (such as in years ending with a "5" or "9", such as 2009 or 2015). The sole exception to this is if the vacancy occurred within 51 days of the election, in which case the appointment stands until the following general election.

Senatorial courtesy

Senatorial courtesy is a senate tradition that allows home county legislators to intercede to prevent consideration of a local resident nominated by the Governor for a position that requires Senate confirmation. Any of the senators from the nominee's home county can invoke senatorial courtesy to block a nomination, temporarily or permanently, without any obligation to justify the basis of their actions. Governor Corzine nominated Stuart Rabner on June 4, 2007, to be the next Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court, replacing

James R. Zazzali James Ronald Zazzali (born June 17, 1937) is an American jurist who served as Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from October 26, 2006, until his retirement on June 17, 2007. He previously served as an associate justice of the Supreme ...

, who was nearing mandatory retirement age. Shortly after the nomination, two members of the Senate from Essex County, where Rabner resides, blocked consideration of his confirmation by invoking senatorial courtesy. State Senator Ronald Rice had initially blocked the nomination, but relented on June 15, 2007, after a meeting with the governor. Nia Gill dropped her block on June 19, 2007, but did not explain the nature of her concerns, though anonymous lawmakers cited in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' indicated that the objection was due to Rabner's race and Governor Corzine's failure to consider a minority candidate for the post.Jones, Richard G
"Senator Drops Objections to Corzine Court Nominee"
''

'', June 20, 2007. Accessed June 20, 2007. "Senator Gill had delayed Mr. Rabner's confirmation hearing by using "senatorial courtesy" — an obscure practice through which senators who represent the home county of nominees may block consideration of their confirmations." Also in June 2007,

Loretta Weinberg Loretta Weinberg (born February 6, 1935) is an American Democratic Party politician, who served as a member of the New Jersey Senate from 2005-2022, where she represented the 37th Legislative District. She also served as Senate Majority Leader. ...

used senatorial courtesy privileges to hold up consideration of a new term in office for Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli.Carmiel, Oshrat
"Deadline looms for Molinelli's job"
'' The Record (Bergen County)'', June 20, 2007. Accessed June 20, 2007. "Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli, whose term expired last month, may have to wait until the fall to be considered again for a second term if state Sen. Loretta Weinberg doesn't sign off on his nomination today.... Weinberg is invoking an unwritten practice called senatorial courtesy, which allows state senators to block consideration of gubernatorial nominees from their home counties without explanation. The courtesy tradition, as applied to Molinelli, requires each senator from Bergen County to sign off on his nomination before the Judiciary Committee can consider the nomination."

Acting governor

Until 2010, in the event of a gubernatorial vacancy, the New Jersey Constitution had specified that the President of the Senate (followed by the Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly) would assume the role of Acting Governor and retain their role in the Senate (or Assembly). An Acting Governor would then assume the governorship while retaining the reins of power in their house of the legislature. The

Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey The lieutenant governor of New Jersey is an elected constitutional officer in the executive branch of the state government of New Jersey in the United States. The lieutenant governor is the second highest-ranking official in the state governmen ...

took office for the first time on January 19, 2010, following a conjoint election with the

Governor of New Jersey The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of New Jersey. The office of governor is an elected position with a four-year term. There is a two consecutive term term limit, with no limitation on non-consecutive terms. The official r ...

. The position was created as the result of a

Constitutional amendment A constitutional amendment is a modification of the constitution of a polity, organization or other type of entity. Amendments are often interwoven into the relevant sections of an existing constitution, directly altering the text. Conversely, ...

to the

New Jersey State Constitution The Constitution of the State of New Jersey is the basic governing document of the State of New Jersey. In addition to three British Royal Charters issued for East Jersey, West Jersey and united New Jersey while they were still colonies, the sta ...

passed by the voters on November 8, 2005. While the amendment itself took effect as of January 17, 2006, and made some interim changes to the succession to the governorship, the first

lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

was not elected until November 3, 2009.

Composition

List of state senators

Committees and committee chairs

Committee chairs for the 2018–2019 Legislative Session are: * Budget and Appropriations -

Paul Sarlo Paul Anthony Sarlo (born August 31, 1968) is an American construction industry executive and Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey State Senate since 2003, where he represents the 36th Legislative District. Sarlo is a f ...

(D-Wood-Ridge) * Commerce -

Nellie Pou Nelida "Nellie" Pou (born May 20, 1956; pronounced "Poe") is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey Senate since 2012, representing the 35th Legislative District. She previously represented the 35th district in ...

(D-North Haledon) * Community and Urban Affairs - Troy Singleton (D-Palmyra) * Economic Growth -

Nilsa Cruz-Perez Nilsa Cruz-Perez (born January 21, 1961) is an American Democratic Party politician who was sworn into office to represent the 5th Legislative District in the New Jersey Senate on December 15, 2014, to fill the vacant seat of Donald Norcross. Sh ...

(D-Barrington) * Education - Vin Gopal (D-Long Branch) * Environment and Energy - Bob Smith (D-Piscataway) * Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens - Joe F. Vitale (D-Woodbridge Township) * Higher Education - Sandra Bolden Cunningham (D-Jersey City) * Judiciary - Brian P. Stack (D-Union City) * Labor - Fred H. Madden (D-Washington Township, Gloucester County) * Law and Public Safety - Linda R. Greenstein (D-Plainsboro Township) * Legislative Oversight -

Richard J. Codey Richard James Codey (born November 27, 1946) is an American Democratic Party politician who served as the 53rd governor of New Jersey from 2004 to 2006. He has served in the New Jersey Senate since 1982 and served as the President of the Senate ...

(D-Roseland) * Military and Veterans' Affairs - Joseph Cryan (D-Union Township) * Rules and Order - TBD * Select Committee on School Funding Fairness - TBD * State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation -

James Beach James "Jim" Beach (born October 28, 1946) is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey Senate since 2009, where he represents the 6th legislative district. He has been the Assistant Majority Leader in the Sena ...

(D-Voorhees Township) * Transportation -

Patrick J. Diegnan Patrick J. Diegnan Jr. (born March 19, 1949) is an American Democratic Party politician who has represented the 18th Legislative District in the New Jersey Senate since 2016. Early life The youngest of seven children born to immigrants from ...

(D-South Plainfield)

List of Senate presidents

The following is a list of presidents of the New Jersey Senate since the adoption of the 1844 State Constitution: * 1845–1848: John C. Smallwood, Gloucester * 1849–1850: Ephraim March, Morris * 1851: Silas D. Canfield, Passaic * 1852: John Manners, Hunterdon * 1853–1856: William C. Alexander, Mercer * 1857–1858: Henry V. Speer, Middlesex * 1859: Thomas H. Herring, Bergen * 1860: Charles L. C. Gifford, Essex * 1861: Edmund Perry, Hunterdon * 1862: Joseph T. Crowell, Union * 1863: Anthony Reckless, Monmouth * 1864: Amos Robbins, Middlesex * 1865: Edward W. Scudder, Mercer * 1866: James M. Scovel, Camden * 1867: Benjamin Buckley, Passaic * 1868–1869: Henry S. Little, Monmouth * 1870: Amos Robbins * 1871–1872: Edward Bettle, Camden * 1873–1875: John W. Taylor, Essex * 1876: William J. Sewell, Camden * 1877: Leon Abbett, Hudson * 1878: George C. Ludlow, Middlesex * 1879–1880: William J. Sewell * 1881–1882: Garret Hobart, Passaic * 1883: John J. Gardner, Atlantic * 1884: Benjamin A. Vail, Union * 1885: Abraham V. Schenck, Middlesex * 1886: John W. Griggs, Passaic * 1887: Frederick S. Fish, Essex * 1888:

George H. Large George Hall Large (December 1, 1850 – August 15, 1939) was an American lawyer and Republican Party politician who served as President of the New Jersey Senate. He was also the longest surviving participant in the first-ever college footbal ...

, Hunterdon * 1889:

George T. Werts George Theodore Werts (March 24, 1846January 17, 1910) was an American attorney, judge, and Democratic Party politician who served as the 28th governor of New Jersey from 1893 to 1896. His term in Governor coincided with the precipitous decl ...

, Morris * 1890: Henry M. Nevius, Monmouth * 1891–1893: Robert Adrain, Middlesex * 1894: Maurice A. Rogers, Camden * 1895:

Edward C. Stokes Edward Casper Stokes (December 22, 1860November 4, 1942) was an American Republican Party politician, who served as the 32nd governor of New Jersey, from 1905 to 1908. Biography Stokes was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1860. He attende ...

, Cumberland * 1896: Lewis A. Thompson, Somerset (resigned March 30) * 1896–1897: Robert Williams, Passaic * 1898: Foster M. Voorhees, Union (became Acting Governor February 1) * 1898: William H. Skirm (pro tem), Mercer * 1899: Charles A. Reed, Somerset * 1900: William M. Johnson, Bergen * 1901: Mahlon Pitney, Morris * 1902: Charles Asa Francis, Monmouth * 1903:

Elijah C. Hutchinson Elijah Cubberley Hutchinson (August 7, 1855 in Washington Township, New Jersey – June 25, 1932 in Trenton, New Jersey) was an American Republican Party politician who represented from 1915 to 1923. Biography Hutchinson was born in the Windso ...

, Mercer * 1904: Edmund W. Wakelee, Bergen * 1905: Joseph Cross, Union (resigned March 30) * 1905–1906: William J. Bradley, Camden * 1907: Bloomfield H. Minch, Cumberland * 1908: Thomas J. Hillery, Morris * 1909: Samuel K. Robbins, Burlington (resigned April 16) * 1909–1910:

Joseph S. Frelinghuysen Joseph Sherman Frelinghuysen Sr. (March 12, 1869 – February 8, 1948) represented New Jersey as a U.S. Republican Party, Republican in the United States Senate from 1917 to 1923. Early life and family He was born in Raritan, New Jersey, on M ...

, Somerset * 1911:

Ernest R. Ackerman Ernest Robinson Ackerman (17 June 1863 – 18 October 1931) was an American Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1919 to 1931. Early years Ackerma ...

, Union * 1912: John Dyneley Prince, Passaic * 1913: James F. Fielder, Hudson (became Acting Governor March 1) * 1913: James A. C. Johnson (pro tem), Bergen * 1914: John W. Slocum, Monmouth * 1915: Walter E. Edge, Atlantic * 1916:

William T. Read William Thackara Read (November 22, 1878 – August 7, 1954) was an American lawyer and politician from New Jersey. Read Read was born on November 22, 1878 in Camden, New Jersey, the son of William Thackara Read and Lucretia Swindell McCormick. ...

, Camden (resigned March 29) * 1916–1917: George W. F. Gaunt, Gloucester * 1918:

Thomas F. McCran Thomas Francis McCran (December 2, 1875 – September 19, 1925) was an American jurist and Republican Party politician who served as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly, President of the New Jersey Senate, and Attorney General of New Je ...

, Passaic * 1919: William N. Runyon, Union * 1920:

Clarence E. Case Clarence Edwards Case (September 24, 1877, Jersey City, New Jersey – September 3, 1961, Somerville, New Jersey) was the acting governor of New Jersey in 1920. Case graduated from Rutgers University in and was awarded a Bachelor of Laws, LL.B. d ...

, Somerset * 1921: Collins B. Allen, Salem * 1922: William B. Mackay Jr., Bergen * 1923: Joseph F. Wallworth, Camden * 1924: Firman M. Reeves, Cumberland * 1925:

William H. Bright William is a male given name of Germanic origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conquest of Engl ...

, Cape May * 1926: Morgan F. Larson, Middlesex * 1927: Francis B. Davis, Gloucester * 1928:

William A. Stevens William Asher Stevens (July 19, 1879 – March 9, 1941) was an American jurist and Republican Party politician who served as President of the New Jersey Senate and New Jersey Attorney General. As Attorney General he conducted the early phase of ...

, Monmouth * 1929: Thomas A. Mathis, Ocean * 1930:

Arthur N. Pierson Arthur Newton Pierson (June 23, 1867 – March 8, 1957) was an American businessman and United States Republican Party, Republican Party politician who served as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly and President of the New Jersey Senate ...

, Union * 1931: Joseph G. Wolber, Essex * 1932: A. Crozer Reeves, Mercer * 1933: Emerson Lewis Richards, Atlantic * 1934:

Clifford R. Powell Clifford Ross Powell (July 26, 1893March 28, 1973) was an American, who served as the acting governor of New Jersey from January 3, 1935, to January 8, 1935. Biography He was born in Lumberton Township, New Jersey on July 26, 1893. He was educa ...

, Burlington * 1935: Horace G. Prall, Hunterdon * 1936:

John C. Barbour John C. Barbour (April 18, 1895 – May 25, 1962) was an American politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1929 to 1932 and in the New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jers ...

, Passaic (resigned June 26) * 1936–1937: Frank Durand, Monmouth * 1938: Charles E. Loizeaux, Union * 1939:

Robert C. Hendrickson Robert Clymer Hendrickson (August 12, 1898December 7, 1964) was an American attorney, politician, and diplomat who served as a United States senator from New Jersey. Early life and education Born in Woodbury, New Jersey, Hendrickson attended publ ...

, Gloucester * 1940: Arthur F. Foran, Hunterdon * 1941–1942: I. Grant Scott, Cape May * 1943: George H. Stanger, Cumberland * 1944: Howard Eastwood, Burlington (resigned August 31) * 1944: George H. Stanger * 1945: Frank S. Farley, Atlantic * 1946:

Haydn Proctor Haydn Proctor (June 16, 1903 – October 2, 1996) was an American politician and judge who served as President of the New Jersey Senate and Associate Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court. Biography Proctor was born in 1903 in the Oce ...

, Monmouth * 1947:

Charles K. Barton Charles King Barton (August 16, 1886 – January 25, 1958) was an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1943 to 1948. Barton was born in Paterson, New Jersey, the youngest of seven children of a silk dyer. He attended scho ...

, Passaic * 1948: John M. Summerill Jr., Salem * 1949: David Van Alstyne, Bergen * 1950: Samuel L. Bodine, Hunterdon * 1951: Alfred B. Littell, Sussex * 1952: Harold W. Hannold, Gloucester * 1953: David Young III, Morris * 1954: W. Steelman Mathis, Ocean * 1955: Bruce A. Wallace, Camden * 1956: Wayne Dumont Jr., Warren * 1957:

Albert McCay Albert McCay (1901–1969) was a Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1944 to 1948 and in the New Jersey Senate from 1952 to 1960. Born in Philadelphia, McCay was raised in Mansfield Township, Burlingt ...

, Burlington * 1958: Richard R. Stout, Monmouth * 1959: Wesley L. Lance, Hunterdon * 1960: George B. Harper, Sussex * 1961: Thomas J. Hillery, Morris * 1962: Robert C. Crane, Union (resigned January 9) * 1962: Frank S. Farley * 1963: William E. Ozzard, Somerset * 1964–1965: Charles W. Sandman, Cape May * 1966: John A. Lynch Sr., 7th District * 1967: Sido L. Ridolfi, 6th District * 1968:

Edwin B. Forsythe Edwin Bell Forsythe (January 17, 1916 – March 29, 1984) was an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey who represented parts of Burlington, Ocean, and Camden Counties in the United States House of Representatives from 1970 until ...

, 4B District * 1969:

Frank X. McDermott Francis "Frank" X. McDermott (October 15, 1924 – December 15, 2011) was an American Republican Party (United States), Republican Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature. Biography McDermott was born in New York ...

, 9th District * 1970–1972: Raymond Bateman, 8th District * 1973: Alfred N. Beadleston, 5th District * 1974–1975:

Frank J. Dodd Frank J. "Pat" Dodd (February 4, 1938 – May 14, 2010) was an American businessman and Democratic Party politician who served as President of the New Jersey Senate from 1974 to 1975.O'Connor, Julie"Former N.J. Senate president Frank 'Pat' Dodd ...

, 26th District * 1976–1977: Matthew Feldman, 37th District * 1978–1981: Joseph P. Merlino, 13th District * 1982–1986: Carmen A. Orechio, 30th District * 1986–1990: John F. Russo, 10th District * 1990–1991: John A. Lynch Jr., 17th District * 1992–2002:

Donald DiFrancesco Donald Thomas DiFrancesco (born November 20, 1944) is a retired American politician who served as the 51st governor of New Jersey from 2001 to 2002. He succeeded Christine Todd Whitman after her resignation to become Administrator of the Environm ...

, 22nd District * 2002–2004:

John O. Bennett John Orus Bennett III (born August 6, 1948) is an American former politician from New Jersey. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a state senator, and between 2002 and 2004, as president of the state senate. Bennett served as acting ...

, 12th District and Richard Codey, 27th District (co-presidents, with the Senate split 20-20) * 2004–2008: Richard Codey, 27th District (resigned January 7, 2008)Heininger, Claire
"Richard Codey ends run as N.J. Senate president"
''

The Star-Ledger ''The Star-Ledger'' is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to '' The Jersey Journal'' of Jersey City, ''The Times'' of Trenton and the '' Staten Island Advance'', all of ...

'', January 12, 2010, updated April 1, 2019. Accessed January 16, 2022. "So it went Monday, Codey's last at the center of New Jersey politics. Starting today, the Essex County Democrat and former governor will become just another face in the crowd when South Jersey Sen. Stephen Sweeney succeeds him as Senate President following a nasty internal fight.... He led the Democrats’ Senate caucus for 12 years and became Senate president in 2004." * 2008: Bernard Kenny, 33rd District (served January 7 to January 8, after Codey resigned to honor Kenny) * 2008–2010: Richard Codey, 27th District * 2010–2022: Stephen Sweeney, 3rd District; he was the longest-serving Senate President. * 2022–present

Nicholas Scutari Nicholas Paul Scutari (born November 18, 1968) is an American politician and attorney who is the 115th and current President of the New Jersey Senate. A member of the Democratic Party, he has served in the New Jersey Senate since 2004, represen ...

, 22nd DistrictRacioppi, Dustin
"Nick Scutari, a 'poor kid from Linden,' selected to become NJ's next Senate president"
''

The Record The Record may refer to: Music * ''The Record'' (album), a 1982 studio album by the hardcore-punk band Fear * The Records, an English power pop band * '' Their Greatest Hits: The Record'', a 2001 greatest-hits album by the pop-music group Bee G ...

'', November 12, 2021. Accessed January 16, 2022. "Fellow Democrats on Friday chose Nicholas Scutari to succeed Stephen Sweeney as New Jersey's next Senate president, the second-most powerful position in state government."

Past composition

References

External links

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