New Jersey's 1st legislative district is one of 40 in the state, covering the Atlantic County municipalities of Corbin City, Estell Manor and Weymouth Township; all of Cape May County; and the Cumberland County municipalities of Bridgeton, Commercial Township, Downe Township, Fairfield Township, Lawrence Township, Maurice River Township, Millville and Vineland as of the 2021 apportionment. Districts, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 31, 2024.
Demographic characteristics As of the 2020 United States census, the district had a population of 216,124, of whom 173,507 (80.3%) were of voting age. The racial makeup of the district was 148,837 (68.9%) White, 23,585 (10.9%) African American, 1,536 (0.7%) Native American, 2,710 (1.3%) Asian, 42 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 18,897 (8.7%) from some other race, and 20,517 (9.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 42,561 (19.7%) of the population.
The district had 162,425 registered voters , of whom 58,060 (35.7%) were registered as unaffiliated, 53,502 (32.9%) were registered as Republicans, 48,219 (29.7%) were registered as Democrats, and 2,644 (1.6%) were registered to other parties.Statewide Voter Registration Summary by Legislative District, New Jersey Department of State, December 1, 2023. Accessed January 26, 2023.
Political representation
It is entirely located within New Jersey's 2nd congressional district.
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 1st district encompassed the entirety of Atlantic, Cape May, and Gloucester counties in the 1965–1967 Senate session (two Senators elected), and Cape May and Cumberland counties in the Senate and Assembly sessions from 1967 through 1973 (one Senator and two Assembly members elected).
In the 1965-1967 Senate session, Republicans John E. Hunt and Frank S. Farley were elected though one seat of the two would become vacant upon Hunt's election to the House of Representatives. In the following two Senate sessions, Republican Robert E. Kay was elected in 1967 for a four-year term followed by Republican James Cafiero for a two-year term in 1971.
For the two-year assembly sessions from 1967 until 1973, Republicans held both seats for the three assembly elections during this period, with Cafiero and James R. Hurley winning in the 1967 and 1969 elections, and Hurley and Joseph W. Chinnici winning in 1971.
District composition since 1973 For the first iteration of the 1st district implemented under the 40 equal districts plan, the district once again encompassed all of Cape May and Cumberland counties. For the sessions following the 1980 census, the 1st included all of Cape May, but only included the Cumberland County cities of Bridgeton, Millville, and Vineland, and the townships of Deerfield, Maurice River, and Upper Deerfield. The 1991 iteration of the 1st included all of Cape May, only Maurice River Township, Millville, and Vineland in Cumberland, and added Buena and Buena Vista Township in Atlantic County. With the exception of adding Atlantic County's Somers Point, the 2001 iteration of the 1st remained the same as the 1991 district. The 2021 apportionment added Bridgeton, and removed Greenwich Township, Hopewell Township, Shiloh and Stow Creek Township.Symons, Michael. "What’s Your New NJ Legislative District? 20% Moved on New Map", WPGG, February 25, 2022. Accessed April 19, 2023. "1st Legislative District... ADDS: Bridgeton (10% of the district) LOSES: Greenwich, Hopewell, Shiloh, Stow Creek"
Election history Session Senate General Assembly 1974–1975 James Cafiero (R)James R. Hurley (R) Joseph W. Chinnici (R) 1976–1977 James R. Hurley (R)Joseph W. Chinnici (R) 1978–1979 James Cafiero (R)James R. Hurley (R)Joseph W. Chinnici (R) 1980–1981 James R. Hurley (R)Joseph W. Chinnici (R) 1982–1983 James R. Hurley (R)Guy F. Muziani (R)Joseph W. Chinnici (R) 1984–1985 James R. Hurley (R)Guy F. Muziani (R)Joseph W. Chinnici (R) 1986–1987 Guy F. Muziani (R)Joseph W. Chinnici (R) 1988–1989 James R. Hurley (R)Resigned January 2, 1990 to accept appointment to the Casino Control CommissionFrank LoBiondo (R)Edward H. Salmon (D)1990–1991 James Cafiero (R)Appointed in January 1990, won special election in November 1990 to complete termFrank LoBiondo (R)Edward H. Salmon (D)Resigned to become President of the Board of Public UtilitiesRaymond A. Batten (D)Appointed April 1991 1992–1993 James Cafiero (R)Frank LoBiondo (R)John C. Gibson (R)1994–1995 James Cafiero (R)Frank LoBiondo (R)Resigned upon election to U.S. House of RepresentativesJohn C. Gibson (R)Nicholas Asselta (R)Appointed January 23, 1995 1996–1997 Nicholas Asselta (R)John C. Gibson (R) 1998–1999 James Cafiero (R)Nicholas Asselta (R)John C. Gibson (R) 2000–2001 Nicholas Asselta (R)John C. Gibson (R) 2002–2003 James Cafiero (R)Nicholas Asselta (R)Jeff Van Drew (D) 2004–2005 Nicholas Asselta (R)John C. Gibson (R)Jeff Van Drew (D) 2006–2007 Nelson Albano (D)Jeff Van Drew (D) 2008–2009 Jeff Van Drew (D)Nelson Albano (D)Matthew W. Milam (D) 2010–2011 Nelson Albano (D)Matthew W. Milam (D)2012–2013 Jeff Van Drew (D)Nelson Albano (D)Matthew W. Milam (D)Resigned March 1, 2013Bob Andrzejczak (D)Appointed March 21, 2013 2014–2015 Jeff Van Drew (D)Sam Fiocchi (R)Bob Andrzejczak (D) 2016–2017 R. Bruce Land (D)Bob Andrzejczak (D)2018–2019 Jeff Van Drew (D)Resigned January 2, 2019 following election to the United States House of Representatives R. Bruce Land (D) Bob Andrzejczak (D)Resigned from the Assembly on January 14, 2019, appointed to the Senate on January 15, 2019, defeated in November 2019 special election Bob Andrzejczak (D) Matthew W. Milam (D)Appointed January 31, 2019 Mike Testa (R)Elected in November 2019 special election, seated December 5, 2019 2020–2021 Antwan McClellan (R)Erik K. Simonsen (R) 2022–2023 Mike Testa (R)Antwan McClellan (R)Erik K. Simonsen (R) 2024–2025 Mike Testa (R)Antwan McClellan (R)Erik K. Simonsen (R) 2026–2027 Antwan McClellan (R)Erik K. Simonsen (R) Notes:
Election results, 1973–present Senate
General Assembly
Election results, 1965–1973 Senate
General Assembly
References