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== Federal representation==
== Federal representation==
{{main|New Jersey's congressional districts}}
{{main|New Jersey's congressional districts}}
Following each decennial census, the [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]] forms to realign the districts. New Jersey currently has 12 [[New Jersey Congressional Districts|House districts]] In the 118th Congress, 9 of New Jersey's seats are held by Democrats and 3 are held by Republicans. There are as follows:
Following each decennial census, the [[New Jersey Redistricting Commission]] forms to redraw the districts. New Jersey currently has 12 [[New Jersey's congressional districts|House districts]] In the 118th Congress, 9 of New Jersey's seats are held by Democrats and 3 are held by Republicans:


*[[New Jersey's 1st congressional district]] represented by [[Donald Norcross]] (D)
*[[New Jersey's 1st congressional district]] represented by [[Donald Norcross]] (D)
Line 1,002: Line 1,002:
*[[New Jersey's 12th congressional district]] represented by [[Bonnie Watson Coleman]] (D)
*[[New Jersey's 12th congressional district]] represented by [[Bonnie Watson Coleman]] (D)


New Jersey's two United States Senators are Democrats [[Bob Menendez]] and [[Cory Booker]], serving since 2006 and 2013, respectively.
New Jersey's two United States senators are Democrats [[Bob Menendez]] and [[Cory Booker]], serving since 2006 and 2013, respectively.


New Jersey is part of the [[United States District Court for the District of New Jersey]] in the federal judiciary. The district's cases are appealed to the Philadelphia-based [[United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit]].
New Jersey is part of the [[United States District Court for the District of New Jersey]] in the federal judiciary. The district's cases are appealed to the Philadelphia-based [[United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit]].

Revision as of 21:06, 16 September 2024

United States presidential election results for New Jersey[1]
Year Republican / Whig Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 1,883,313 41.25% 2,608,400 57.14% 73,469 1.61%
2016 1,601,933 41.00% 2,148,278 54.99% 156,512 4.01%
2012 1,478,749 40.50% 2,126,610 58.25% 45,781 1.25%
2008 1,613,207 41.61% 2,215,422 57.14% 48,778 1.26%
2004 1,670,003 46.23% 1,911,430 52.92% 30,704 0.85%
2000 1,284,173 40.29% 1,788,850 56.13% 114,203 3.58%
1996 1,103,078 35.86% 1,652,329 53.72% 320,400 10.42%
1992 1,356,865 40.58% 1,436,206 42.95% 550,523 16.47%
1988 1,743,192 56.24% 1,320,352 42.60% 36,009 1.16%
1984 1,933,630 60.09% 1,261,323 39.20% 22,909 0.71%
1980 1,546,557 51.97% 1,147,364 38.56% 281,763 9.47%
1976 1,509,688 50.08% 1,444,653 47.92% 60,131 1.99%
1972 1,845,502 61.57% 1,102,211 36.77% 49,516 1.65%
1968 1,325,467 46.10% 1,264,206 43.97% 285,722 9.94%
1964 963,843 33.86% 1,867,671 65.61% 15,256 0.54%
1960 1,363,324 49.16% 1,385,415 49.96% 24,372 0.88%
1956 1,606,942 64.68% 850,337 34.23% 27,033 1.09%
1952 1,374,613 56.81% 1,015,902 41.99% 29,039 1.20%
1948 981,124 50.33% 895,455 45.93% 72,976 3.74%
1944 961,335 48.95% 987,874 50.31% 14,552 0.74%
1940 945,475 47.93% 1,016,808 51.55% 10,269 0.52%
1936 720,322 39.57% 1,083,850 59.54% 16,265 0.89%
1932 775,684 47.59% 806,630 49.48% 47,749 2.93%
1928 926,050 59.77% 616,517 39.79% 6,814 0.44%
1924 675,162 62.17% 297,743 27.41% 113,174 10.42%
1920 611,541 67.65% 256,887 28.42% 35,515 3.93%
1916 268,982 54.40% 211,018 42.68% 14,442 2.92%
1912 88,835 20.53% 178,289 41.20% 165,615 38.27%
1908 265,326 56.79% 182,567 39.08% 19,305 4.13%
1904 245,164 56.68% 164,566 38.05% 22,817 5.28%
1900 221,754 55.27% 164,879 41.10% 14,573 3.63%
1896 221,535 59.68% 133,695 36.02% 15,981 4.31%
1892 156,101 46.24% 171,066 50.67% 10,456 3.10%
1888 144,360 47.52% 151,508 49.87% 7,933 2.61%
1884 123,440 47.31% 127,798 48.98% 9,683 3.71%
1880 120,555 49.02% 122,565 49.84% 2,808 1.14%
1876 103,517 47.01% 115,962 52.66% 714 0.32%
1872 91,656 54.52% 76,456 45.48% 0 0.00%
1868 80,131 49.12% 83,001 50.88% 0 0.00%
1864 60,723 47.16% 68,024 52.84% 0 0.00%
1860 58,346 48.13% 62,869 51.87% 0 0.00%
1856 28,338 28.51% 46,943 47.23% 24,115 24.26%
1852 38,556 46.33% 44,305 53.24% 359 0.43%
1848 40,015 51.48% 36,901 47.47% 819 1.05%
1844 38,318 50.46% 37,495 49.37% 131 0.17%
1840 33,351 51.74% 31,034 48.15% 69 0.11%
1836 26,137 50.53% 25,592 49.47% 0 0.00%

New Jersey is one of the fifty U.S. states. The state is considered a stronghold of the Democratic Party and has supported the Democratic candidate in every presidential election since 1992. Democrats have also controlled both chambers of the state legislature since 2004. New Jersey currently has two Democratic United States senators. New Jersey's Class I Senate seat has been Democratic since 1959 (aside from the eight-month tenure of Nicholas F. Brady in 1982). New Jersey's Class II Senate seat has been Democratic since 1979 (aside from the four-month tenure of Jeffrey Chiesa in 2013). In addition, New Jersey's House congressional delegation has had a Democratic majority since 1965, except for a period between 1995-1999 and 2013-2017. As of July 1, 2020, there were more registered Democrats than unaffiliated voters for the first time in history, as there are more Democrats than Republicans as well.

History

Main article: History of New Jersey

American Revolution

In 1776, the first constitution of New Jersey was drafted. Written during the American Revolution, it created a basic framework for state government and allowed "all inhabitants of this Colony, of full age, who are worth fifty pounds proclamation money"[2] to vote (including blacks, spinsters, and widows); married women could not own property under common law. The constitution declared itself temporary and void if there was reconciliation with Great Britain.[3][4] Both parties in elections mocked the other party for relying on "petticoat electors", and accused each other of allowing unqualified women to vote. The state voted for Washington in 1789 and 1792, as well as Adams in 1796.

Nineteenth century

The second version of the constitution was adopted on June 29, 1844, and restricted suffrage to white males. Important components of the second state constitution included the separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The new constitution also provided a bill of rights, and granted voters (instead of the legislature) the right to elect the governor. Throughout the century, the state voted for the Federalist Party twice, the Democratic-Republican Party five times, the National Republican Party once, the Whig Party four times, the Democratic Party ten times, and the Republican Party three times.

Twentieth century

From 1894 to 1973, Republicans usually controlled both houses of the state legislature (with the exceptions of 1907, 1911, 1913–1914, 1932, 1937, 1958–1963, 1966–1967). From 1900 to 1944, New Jersey voted for Democrats five times, and voted for Republicans seven times. After World War II, New Jersey was a Republican-leaning swing state in presidential elections; from the 1948 to the 1988, Republican candidates won nine out of eleven elections. John F. Kennedy won New Jersey in 1960 by 22,000 votes, and Lyndon B. Johnson won in 1964 as a part of his landslide victory. Although New Jersey had several highly populated Democratic urban areas such as Camden, Newark, and Jersey City, the state was also becoming home to suburbs of New York City and Philadelphia. Voters in suburban New Jersey were overwhelmingly white, and more likely to vote Republican. From 1943 to 1979, New Jersey was represented in the US Senate by a Democrat and a Republican.

Since 1992, New Jersey has voted for Democrats in every presidential election. Bill Clinton won a plurality of New Jersey's popular vote that year, and a majority of New Jersey's popular vote in 1996. Among Republican New Jersey voters, those living in rural parts of the state tended to vote for conservative Republicans; suburban voters tended to prefer liberal, or moderate, Republicans. During the 1980s, a significant number of Asian-Americans immigrated to the northeastern and central parts of the state and tended to vote Democratic.

Twenty-first century

Since 2002, the New Jersey Legislature has been overwhelmingly Democratic; in April 2020, there were over 994,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans.[5] Democrats tend to do well in areas near New York City, Philadelphia, and Trenton, and cities such as Jersey City, Newark, Camden, Elizabeth, Trenton, and Paterson are overwhelmingly Democratic. These cities influence their respective counties (namely Hudson, Essex, Camden, Union, Mercer, and Passaic) to vote Democratic. Predominantly suburban and rural counties, especially those along the Jersey Shore and in northwestern New Jersey, tend to vote Republican; these include counties such as Ocean, Warren, Cape May and Hunterdon. Other counties, such as Atlantic, Morris, and Cumberland, are considered "swing" counties; they tend to vote closely within the margins of each party, swaying in one direction or the other with each election.

Statistics

The 2016 presidential election in New Jersey was won by Democrat Hillary Clinton in 12 counties, while Republican Donald Trump won nine counties; overall, Clinton carried the state with a vote percentage of 55.45 to 41.35 percent. Trump won two counties (Gloucester and Salem) which had voted Democratic in 2012. Every county voted identically in 2016 and the 2017 gubernatorial election with the exception of Gloucester, which flipped back to Democratic. In the 2018 Senate election, Atlantic and Gloucester Counties flipped Republican. In the 2020 presidential election, Biden flipped Atlantic, Gloucester, and Morris counties from the 2018 elections.

County votes for 2016 Presidential,[6] 2017 Gubernatorial,[7] 2018 Senate,[8] 2020 Presidential, 2020 Senate, and 2021 Gubernatorial[9]
County 2016 Presidential 2017 Gubernatorial 2018 Senate 2020 Presidential 2020 Senate 2021 Gubernatorial
Atlantic Clinton Murphy Hugin Biden Booker Ciattarelli
Bergen Clinton Murphy Menendez Biden Booker Murphy
Burlington Clinton Murphy Menendez Biden Booker Murphy
Camden Clinton Murphy Menendez Biden Booker Murphy
Cape May Trump Guadagno Hugin Trump Mehta Ciattarelli
Cumberland Clinton Murphy Menendez Biden Booker Ciattarelli
Essex Clinton Murphy Menendez Biden Booker Murphy
Gloucester Trump Murphy Hugin Biden Booker Ciattarelli
Hudson Clinton Murphy Menendez Biden Booker Murphy
Hunterdon Trump Guadagno Hugin Trump Mehta Ciattarelli
Mercer Clinton Murphy Menendez Biden Booker Murphy
Middlesex Clinton Murphy Menendez Biden Booker Murphy
Monmouth Trump Guadagno Hugin Trump Mehta Ciattarelli
Morris Trump Guadagno Hugin Biden Booker Ciattarelli
Ocean Trump Guadagno Hugin Trump Mehta Ciattarelli
Passaic Clinton Murphy Menendez Biden Booker Murphy
Salem Trump Guadagno Hugin Trump Mehta Ciattarelli
Somerset Clinton Murphy Menendez Biden Booker Murphy
Sussex Trump Guadagno Hugin Trump Mehta Ciattarelli
Union Clinton Murphy Menendez Biden Booker Murphy
Warren Trump Guadagno Hugin Trump Mehta Ciattarelli

Recent registration statistics

Nine counties (Burlington, Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, Passaic, and Union) have a plurality of Democratic registrants, and five (Cape May, Hunterdon, Morris, Sussex, and Warren) have a plurality of Republican registrants; the remaining seven have a majority of unaffiliated voters. Of those with an unaffiliated majority, four counties have more Democrats than Republicans (Atlantic, Bergen, Cumberland and Somerset) and four counties (Monmouth, Morris, Ocean and Salem) have more Republicans than Democrats.

Two counties (Essex and Hudson) have an absolute majority of their registrants in one party (Democratic). The highest percentage of unaffiliated voters is in Cumberland at 39.4 percent. The highest percentage of Democrats is in Hudson at 54.4 percent, the highest percentage of Republicans is in Cape May at 43 percent, and the highest percentage registered in other parties is in Cumberland at 1.9 percent. The lowest percentage of unaffiliated is in Cape May at 31.1 percent, Democrats is in Ocean at 21.7 percent, Republicans is in Essex at 10.3 percent, and other parties is a tie between Essex and Hunterdon at 0.9 percent each. The county with the closest Democratic-Republican percentages spread is Salem at 0.3 percent. The county with the largest Democratic-Republican percentage spread is Hudson at 43.4 percent. Bergen County has the largest number of registered voters at 677,213, and Salem County has the least at 49,063.

Voter registration by county on February 1, 2024[5]
County[a] Unaffiliated Una % Democratic Dem % Republican Rep % Other[b] O % Total
Atlantic 71,806 35.58% 69,292 34.33% 57,856 28.67% 2,861 1.42% 201,815
Bergen 261,314 38.75% 253,382 37.57% 152,932 22.68% 6,709 0.99% 674,337
Burlington 123,701 34.21% 139,877 38.68% 93,709 25.91% 4,329 1.20% 361,616
Camden 134,992 34.90% 181,109 46.82% 65,356 16.89% 5,358 1.39% 386,815
Cape May 23,514 31.22% 18,231 24.21% 32,643 43.35% 917 1.22% 75,305
Cumberland 38,273 39.90% 32,047 33.41% 23,774 24.78% 1,834 1.91% 95,928
Essex 213,331 37.06% 296,440 51.49% 60,510 10.51% 5,406 0.94% 575,687
Gloucester 75,931 33.84% 84,420 37.62% 61,080 27.22% 2,938 1.31% 224,369
Hudson 137,002 33.65% 218,491 53.66% 45,978 11.29% 5,714 1.40% 407,185
Hunterdon 32,638 30.71% 30,158 28.38% 42,491 39.98% 984 0.92% 106,271
Mercer 99,602 37.99% 117,792 44.93% 41,112 15.68% 3,651 1.39% 262,157
Middlesex 228,223 39.51% 241,109 41.74% 101,057 17.50% 7,160 1.24% 577,549
Monmouth 196,664 39.59% 139,868 28.16% 154,458 31.09% 5,742 1.16% 496,732
Morris 132,966 34.27% 116,612 30.06% 134,500 34.67% 3,865 1.00% 387,943
Ocean 181,157 38.56% 98,102 20.88% 184,611 39.30% 5,934 1.26% 469,804
Passaic 126,169 38.27% 127,392 38.64% 71,495 21.69% 4,633 1.40% 329,689
Salem 18,335 37.55% 14,469 29.63% 15,210 31.15% 815 1.67% 48,829
Somerset 98,679 38.58% 90,394 35.34% 64,028 25.03% 2,686 1.05% 255,787
Sussex 40,451 34.17% 26,335 22.24% 49,785 42.06% 1,713 1.45% 118,374
Union 137,638 36.05% 177,877 46.58% 61,834 16.19% 4,487 1.17% 381,836
Warren 26,810 30.92% 23,121 26.67% 35,309 40.72% 1,464 1.69% 86,704
Total 2,399,196 36.77% 2,496,518 38.26% 1,549,728 23.75% 79,290 1.21% 6,524,732
  1. ^ Counties are colored based on majority party registration.
  2. ^ Consists of the Conservative Party, Green Party, Libertarian Party, Natural Law Party, Reform Party, Socialist Party and the U.S. Constitution Party.

Eight districts- the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th- have a majority of Democratic registrants, and zero have a majority of Republican registrants; the remaining four have a majority of unaffiliated voters. Of those with an unaffiliated majority, three districts have more Republicans than Democrats- 2nd, 4th, and 7th- and one district- the 5th- has more Democrats than Republicans.

Districts 8 and 10 have an absolute majority of their registrants in one party (Democratic). The highest percentage of unaffiliated voters is in District 4 at 38.9 percent. The highest percentage of Democrats is in District 10 at 55.5 percent; the highest percentage of Republicans is in District 4 at 36.8 percent, and the highest percentage registered in other parties is a tie between District 2, District 6, District 8, and District 9 at 1.4 percent each. The lowest percentage of unaffiliated is in District 8 at 34.1 percent, Democrats is in District 4 at 22.9 percent, Republicans is in District 10 at 8.1 percent, and other parties is in District 11 at 0.8 percent each. The district with the largest Democratic-Republican percentage spread is District 10 at 47.4 percent. The district with the smallest Democratic-Republican percentage spread is District 2 at 0.9 percent. District 7 has the largest number of registered voters at 619,375 and District 8 has the least at 403,953.

Voter registration by congressional district on February 1, 2024[10]
District[a] Unaffiliated Una % Democratic Dem % Republican Rep % Other[b] O % Total
1 196,193 34.53% 253,107 44.55% 111,007 19.54% 7,823 1.38% 568,130
2[c] 208,763 36.11% 174,648 30.20% 186,273 32.22% 8,491 1.47% 578,175
3 220,010 36.60% 216,238 35.97% 157,827 26.26% 7,039 1.17% 601,114
4 223,803 38.94% 128,726 22.39% 215,462 37.49% 6,795 1.18% 574,786
5 218,250 37.62% 204,031 35.17% 152,008 26.21% 5,766 0.99% 580,055
6 198,452 39.13% 206,518 40.72% 95,360 18.80% 6,848 1.35% 507,178
7 214,937 34.69% 190,477 30.74% 207,425 33.48% 6,730 1.09% 619,569
8 141,961 34.87% 214,535 52.70% 44,979 11.05% 5,606 1.38% 407,081
9 182,689 39.17% 188,509 40.41% 88,625 19.00% 6,580 1.41% 466,403
10 177,773 35.71% 272,343 54.71% 41,649 8.37% 6,036 1.21% 497,801
11 212,633 35.61% 220,835 36.99% 158,479 26.54% 5,104 0.85% 597,051
12 203,732 38.63% 226,551 42.96% 90,634 17.18% 6,472 1.23% 527,389
Total 2,399,196 36.77% 2,496,518 38.26% 1,549,728 23.75% 79,290 1.21% 6,524,732
  1. ^ Districts are colored by current political representation, not by the highest percentage of voters in each party.
  2. ^ Consists of the Conservative Party, Green Party, Libertarian Party, Natural Law Party, Reform Party, Socialist Party and the U.S. Constitution Party.
  3. ^ Jeff Van Drew was elected as a Democrat in 2018, but switched parties on January 7, 2020 over Donald Trump's impeachment.

1992–present monthly registration statistics

Historic voter registration statistics on specific months[5]
Month Unaffiliated Una % Democratic Dem % Republican Rep % Other[a] O % Total
Nov. 1992 2,060,989 50.76% 1,175,141 28.94% 817,837 20.14% 6,470 0.16% 4,060,337
Nov. 1998 2,513,962 55.38% 1,141,593 25.15% 872,349 19.22% 11,040 0.24% 4,538,944
Nov. 2000 2,641,861 56.08% 1,179,577 25.04% 876,386 18.60% 12,944 0.27% 4,710,768
Nov. 2005 2,760,558 57.12% 1,157,177 23.94% 893,854 18.49% 21,236 0.44% 4,832,825
Nov. 2010 2,441,291 46.29% 1,755,501 33.28% 1,074,364 20.37% 2,937 0.06% 5,274,093
Nov. 2015 2,605,919 48.11% 1,747,551 32.26% 1,058,277 19.54% 4,816 0.09% 5,416,563
Nov. 2016 2,518,824 43.23% 2,076,528 35.64% 1,213,075 20.82% 17,690 0.30% 5,826,116
Nov. 2017 2,362,630 41.02% 2,122,472 36.85% 1,241,674 21.56% 32,519 0.56% 5,759,295
Nov. 2018 2,394,968 40.30% 2,216,958 37.30% 1,285,034 21.62% 45,720 0.77% 5,942,680
Nov. 2019 2,386,164 39.06% 2,315,853 37.91% 1,334,550 21.84% 72,682 1.19% 6,109,249
Nov. 2020 2,440,416 37.54% 2,529,575 38.91% 1,450,137 22.31% 79,707 1.22% 6,499,835
Nov. 2021 2,416,345 36.70% 2,577,146 39.14% 1,508,212 22.91% 81,835 1.24% 6,583,538
Nov. 2022 2,372,156 36.42% 2,532,844 38.88% 1,528,001 23.45% 81,060 1.24% 6,514,061
Jan. 2023 2,379,791 36.47% 2,534,905 38.84% 1,530,185 23.45% 81,126 1.24% 6,526,007
Apr. 2023 2,383,203 36.49% 2,533,035 38.78% 1,534,241 23.49% 80,826 1.24% 6,531,305
Jul. 2023 2,375,234 36.21% 2,547,517 38.84% 1,555,014 23.71% 80,447 1.23% 6,558,212
Nov. 2023 2,367,992 36.47% 2,504,294 38.57% 1,541,158 23.74% 79,090 1.22% 6,492,534
Dec. 2023 2,375,358 36.54% 2,503,172 38.50% 1,542,994 23.74% 79,132 1.22% 6,500,656
Jan. 2024 2,385,821 36.64% 2,500,412 38.40% 1,545,797 23.74% 79,139 1.21% 6,511,169
Feb. 2024 2,399,196 36.77% 2,496,518 38.26% 1,549,728 23.75% 79,290 1.21% 6,524,732
Mar. 2024 2,407,928 36.86% 2,492,866 38.16% 1,552,051 23.76% 79,270 1.21% 6,532,115
Apr. 2024 2,411,762 36.88% 2,492,598 38.12% 1,555,823 23.79% 79,206 1.21% 6,539,389
May 2024 2,416,960 36.90% 2,494,013 38.08% 1,559,327 23.81% 79,268 1.21% 6,549,568
June 2024 2,422,574 36.92% 2,496,054 38.04% 1,563,771 23.83% 79,295 1.21% 6,561,694
July 2024 2,385,434 36.27% 2,520,768 38.33% 1,590,941 24.19% 78,997 1.20% 6,576,140
August 2024 2,400,038 36.37% 2,521,808 38.22% 1,598,106 24.22% 78,736 1.19% 6,598,688
September 2024 2,415,353 36.48% 2,524,384 38.12% 1,603,550 24.22% 78,646 1.19% 6,621,933
  1. ^ Consists of the Conservative Party, Green Party, Libertarian Party, Natural Law Party, Reform Party, Socialist Party and the U.S. Constitution Party.

Federal representation

Main article: New Jersey's congressional districts

Following each decennial census, the New Jersey Redistricting Commission forms to redraw the districts. New Jersey currently has 12 House districts In the 118th Congress, 9 of New Jersey's seats are held by Democrats and 3 are held by Republicans:

New Jersey's two United States senators are Democrats Bob Menendez and Cory Booker, serving since 2006 and 2013, respectively.

New Jersey is part of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey in the federal judiciary. The district's cases are appealed to the Philadelphia-based United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Issues

See also: Cannabis in New Jersey

The most contentious recent issue in New Jersey has been the conflict between the state government and public-sector unions. The unions, allied with the Democratic Party, believed that their workers were entitled to pensions and healthcare which had been promised to them in the past. Moderate Democrats and Republicans believed that the state could no longer afford to pay for benefits it had promised public workers in the past.[11]

Property taxes are also an issue, since the state has the nation's highest property tax.[12] New Jersey is a densely-populated, high-income, high-cost-of-living state, with more money needed for infrastructure and transportation, and it does not allow counties and municipalities to impose local income or sales taxes. Property taxes fund local government, schools and county expenses, making lowering it difficult.[13]

Legalized gambling is also an issue. In 2011, Governor Chris Christie and Senate President Steve Sweeney promised to limit gambling to Atlantic City for "at least five years" to protect the struggling tourist destination from intrastate competition. Developers are pressuring the legislature to allow gambling in other parts of the state, such as the Meadowlands. New Jersey challenged the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 2014, which had grandfathered Nevada's federal statutory monopoly on legal sports betting. The Supreme Court overturned the appellate-court decision, removing the final barrier to New Jersey sports betting on May 14, 2018. Justice Samuel Alito wrote the opinion supporting New Jersey's assertion that the PASPA infringed on the state's Tenth Amendment rights in Murphy vs. Collegiate Athletic Association.[14] The state quickly moved to capitalize on the ruling and allow sports betting at state-sanctioned sportsbooks at the Meadowlands Racetrack.[15]

In 2010, New Jersey legalized medical cannabis. The law, legalizing the drug for medical use, was passed by a Democratic government just before Christie (who was skeptical about legalized medical marijuana) took office. Christie subsequently vetoed, or requested alterations to, laws expanding the state's program. The issue gained attention during the 2013 gubernatorial election, when the father of a young girl with epilepsy confronted Christie at a diner. In March 2019, a vote on recreational legalization was canceled at the last minute.[16] The state senate did not have the 21 votes needed to pass, since all of its Republicans and nine of its Democrats opposed the bill. A ballot measure to legalize marijuana for recreational use was on the ballot on November 3, 2020.[17] Named Public Question 1, it passed overwhelmingly 67%-33%, with every county supporting legalization.

On October 21, 2019, weeks after California passed a similar bill, state Senators Joseph Lagana (D-Bergen) and Sandra Cunningham (D-Hudson) introduced the New Jersey Fair Play Act. The bill would allow college athletes to be paid for the use of their names, images and likeness, and to hire an agent or lawyer. It intends to protect student athletes, since one injury can cost them their scholarship without a way to pay for school or vocational guidance.[18]

On February 4, 2019, Governor Phil Murphy signed a $15-minimum-wage bill into law. The law will increase the minimum wage by $1 every January 1 until it reaches $15 in 2024. When it was enacted, the state's minimum wage was $8.85. The first increase was on July 1, 2019 (to $10) and it became $12 on January 1, 2021. The bill raises tipped-worker wages from $2.13 to $5.13 per hour; if a worker does not earn the minimum wage through tips, the employer must make up the difference. Farm-workers will only be raised to $12.50 an hour in 2024, then possibly raised to $15 by 2027.[19]

LGBT rights

In April 2004, New Jersey enacted a domestic-partnership law which is available to same- and opposite-sex couples aged 62 and over. In 2006, the Supreme Court of New Jersey ordered the state to provide the rights and benefits of marriage to gay and lesbian couples. The following year, New Jersey became the third state in the U.S. (after Connecticut and Vermont) to offer civil unions to same-sex couples. In 2013, the state supreme court ruled that New Jersey must allow same-sex couples to marry. A 2010 last-minute attempt to legalize same-sex marriage under outgoing Democratic governor failed because of objections by Senate President Steve Sweeney (also a Democrat). From 2010 to 2013, Governor Christie vetoed attempts by the state legislature to legalize same-sex marriage. Since the 2013 New Jersey Supreme Court ruling, three government-recognized relationships have been in effect in the state: domestic partnerships, civil unions, and marriage.

Gun control

New Jersey has some of the country's strictest gun control laws in the nation.

Corruption

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ Leip, David. "Presidential General Election Results Comparison – New Jersey". US Election Atlas. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  2. ^ "New Jersey Constitution of 1776". state.nj.us. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  3. ^ Klinghoffer and Elkis. "The Petticoat Electors: Women’s Suffrage in New Jersey, 1776–1807." Journal of the Early Republic, 12, no. 2 (1992): 159–193.
  4. ^ Connors, R. J. (1775). New Jersey's Revolutionary Experience [Pamphlet]. Trenton, NJ: New Jersey Historical Commission.
  5. ^ a b c "NJ Department of State - Division of Elections". New Jersey Division of Elections. NJ Department of State.
  6. ^ "NJ Department of State" (PDF). NJ DOS - Division of Elections.
  7. ^ "NJ Department of State" (PDF). NJ DOS - Division of Elections.
  8. ^ "New Jersey Election Results 2018: Live Midterm Map by County & Analysis". www.politico.com. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  9. ^ "New Jersey Election Results". The New York Times. 2021-11-02. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  10. ^ "NJ Department of State - Division of Elections". NJ DOS - Division of Elections.
  11. ^ Pérez-Peña, Richard (24 June 2011). "N.J. Legislature Moves to Cut Benefits for Public Workers". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 August 2018.
  12. ^ "Which homeowners around the U.S. pay the highest property taxes?". www.cbsnews.com. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  13. ^ Livio, Susan K. (2017-02-18). "7 reasons why N.J.'s property taxes are highest in U.S. again". nj. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  14. ^ "Docket for 16-476". Archived from the original on July 8, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2019.
  15. ^ Bagli, Charles; Piccoli, Sean (15 July 2018). "For the First Time, Gamblers Bet on Sports at Meadowlands Racetrack". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  16. ^ "New Jersey Cancels Vote On Marijuana Legalization". Point Pleasant, NJ Patch. 2019-03-25. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  17. ^ "NJ Marijuana Legalization Is Alive Again: Here's When It May Come". Newark, NJ Patch. 2019-08-09. Retrieved 2019-10-10.
  18. ^ Sitrin, Carly. "New Jersey bill would allow college athletes to earn endorsement money". Politico PRO. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
  19. ^ L, Katherine; ERGAN. "Murphy signs bill to boost New Jersey's minimum wage to $15". Politico PRO. Retrieved 2019-11-01.
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