The 1981 New Jersey Senate elections were held on November 3. The New Jersey legislature reapportioned its state legislative districts in advance of the 1981 election. The new districts resulted in many senators running for re-election in newly re-numbered districts. The election coincided with a tightly contested gubernatorial election between Thomas Kean and James Florio. Republicans gained five seats, narrowing the Democratic majority to 22–18. Democrats flipped districts 10, 14, and 15, while Republicans flipped districts 9, 12, 13, 21, 26, 34, 38, and 39.
A Federal Bureau of Investigation investigation resulted in the retirements of Senators Joseph A. Maressa and Angelo Errichetti, both of whom accepted bribes from the FBI under the guise of Arab oil sheikhs. Errichetti was convicted; Maressa was not prosecuted but opted to retire.
ContentsIncumbents not running • Summary of resultsBy District: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 • 25 • 26 • 27 • 28 • 29 • 30 • 31 • 32 • 33 • 34 • 35 • 36 • 37 • 38 • 39 • 40 __NOTOC__
Incumbents not running for re-election Democratic Joseph A. Maressa (District 4) Angelo Errichetti (District 5) Charles B. Yates (District 7) Joseph P. Merlino (District 13) (ran for governor) William J. Hamilton (District 17) (ran for governor) Frank J. Dodd (District 26) (ran for governor) James A. Galdieri (District 32)
Republican James Cafiero (District 1) Barry T. Parker (District 8) (ran for governor) James Wallwork (District 25) (ran for governor)
Summary of results by State Senate district DistrictIncumbentPartyElected SenatorParty1st Legislative DistrictJames CafieroRepJames R. HurleyRep2nd Legislative DistrictSteven P. PerskieDemSteven P. PerskieDem3rd Legislative DistrictRaymond ZaneDemRaymond ZaneDem4th Legislative DistrictJoseph A. MaressaDem Daniel DaltonDem5th Legislative DistrictVacantWalter RandDem6th Legislative DistrictLee LaskinRepLee LaskinRep7th Legislative DistrictCharles B. YatesDemHerman T. CostelloDem8th Legislative DistrictBarry T. ParkerRepH. James SaxtonRep9th Legislative DistrictJohn F. RussoDemLeonard T. ConnorsRep10th Legislative DistrictBrian T. KennedyRepJohn F. RussoDem11th Legislative DistrictS. Thomas GaglianoRepBrian T. KennedyRep12th Legislative DistrictEugene BedellDemS. Thomas GaglianoRep13th Legislative DistrictJoseph P. MerlinoDemJohn P. GallagherRep14th Legislative DistrictWalter E. ForanRepFrancis J. McManimonDem15th Legislative DistrictWayne DumontRepGerald R. StockmanDem16th Legislative DistrictJohn H. EwingRepJohn H. EwingRep17th Legislative DistrictWilliam J. HamiltonDemJohn A. Lynch Jr.Dem18th Legislative DistrictVacant James Bornheimer Dem19th Legislative DistrictLaurence WeissDemLaurence WeissDem20th Legislative DistrictAnthony E. RussoDem John Gregorio Dem21st Legislative DistrictJohn GregorioDemC. Louis BassanoRep22nd Legislative DistrictDonald DiFrancescoRepDonald DiFrancescoRep23rd Legislative DistrictJohn H. DorseyRepWalter E. ForanRep24th Legislative District James P. VreelandRepWayne DumontRep25th Legislative DistrictJames WallworkRepJohn H. DorseyRep26th Legislative DistrictFrank J. DoddDemJames P. VreelandRep27th Legislative DistrictCarmen OrechioDemRichard CodeyDem28th Legislative DistrictJohn P. CaufieldDemJohn P. CaufieldDem29th Legislative DistrictWynona LipmanDemWynona LipmanDem30th Legislative DistrictFrank E. RodgersDemCarmen OrechioDem31st Legislative DistrictWally SheilDemEdward T. O'Connor Jr.Dem32nd Legislative DistrictJames A. GaldieriDemFrank E. RodgersDem33rd Legislative DistrictWilliam MustoDem William MustoDem34th Legislative DistrictJoseph HirkalaDemJoseph BubbaRep35th Legislative District Frank X. Graves Jr.DemFrank X. Graves Jr.Dem36th Legislative DistrictVacantJoseph HirkalaDem37th Legislative DistrictMatthew FeldmanDemMatthew FeldmanDem38th Legislative DistrictJohn SkevinDemJohn PaolellaRep39th Legislative DistrictFrank HerbertDemGerald CardinaleRep40th Legislative DistrictGarrett W. HagedornRepGarrett HagedornRep
Close races Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
gain
gain
gain
District 1 The first district consisted of all of Cape May County and the Cumberland municipalities of Vineland, Millville, Bridgeton, Upper Deerfield, Deerfield, and Maurice River. Prior to redistricting, it had contained all of Cumberland County.
Incumbent Senator James Cafiero retired.
Republican primary Candidates James R. Hurley, Assemblyman from Millville (Regular Organization Republican-Pat Kramer Team)
Results
Democratic primary Candidates Edward H. Salmon, Cumberland County Freeholder and former mayor of Millville (Sound Off for South Jersey)
Results
General election Candidates James R. Hurley, Assemblyman from Millville (Republican) Edward H. Salmon, Cumberland County Freeholder and former mayor of Millville (Democratic)
Results
District 2 The second district consisted of Atlantic County except for the municipalities of Folsom, Buena, and Buena Vista, which were removed in redistricting. Redistricting also removed Bass River and Washington in Burlington County and Tuckerton and Little Egg Harbor in Ocean County.
Democratic primary Candidates Richard "Reds" Lavin, labor organizer and state government liaison for the Atlantic City Department of Parks and Public Property (The Alternative) Steven Perskie, incumbent Senator since 1978 (Endorsed By Atlantic County Democratic Convention)
Results
Republican primary Candidates Joseph McGahn, former Democratic Senator (Regular Republican)
Results
General election Candidates Joseph McGahn, former Democratic Senator (Republican) Steven Perskie, incumbent Senator since 1978 (Democratic)
Results
District 3 Democratic primary Candidates Raymond Zane, incumbent Senator (Regular Democratic Organization)
Results
Republican primary Candidates D. Paul McMahon Jr., owner of a Woodbury electrical contracting firm
Results
General election Candidates D. Paul McMahon Jr., owner of a Woodbury electrical contracting firm (Republican) Raymond Zane, incumbent Senator (Democratic)
Results
District 4 Democratic primary Candidates Daniel J. Dalton, Assemblyman from Laurel Springs (Regular Democratic Organization) Kenneth A. Gewertz, former Assemblyman from Deptford Township (Regular Democrat Organization)
This primary was a rematch of the 1979 Assembly election, in which Dalton and running mate Dennis L. Riley, who ran with the support of Congressman Jim Florio, unseated Gewertz and Francis J. Gorman, who had the support of Camden mayor and State Senator Angelo Errichetti.Staff. "County Voters Shun Primary - Heavily", Asbury Park Press, June 6, 1979. Accessed September 15, 2016. "Elsewhere in the state, candidates running on a ticket fielded by Florio won the Democratic nominations in two Camden County Assembly districts over an opposing ticket backed by Errichetti.... Four-term Assemblymen Kenneth Gewertz and Francis Gorman were upset by Florio's team of Daniel Dalton and Dennis Riley in the fourth district, which takes in parts of Gloucester and Burlington counties as well as part of Camden." Each candidate had the support of their respective county party; Dalton in Camden and Gewertz in Gloucester.
Results
Republican primary Candidates Connie B. Roggio, Gloucester Township councilwoman (Regular Republican Organization) Frank B. Smith (Organization of Regular Republicans)
Results
General election
Candidates Daniel J. Dalton (Democratic) Frank B. Smith (Republican)
Results
District 5 Democratic primary Candidates Walter Rand, Assemblyman from Camden (Regular Democratic Organization) Ernest F. Schuck, Assemblyman from Barrington (Camden County Democrat Organization) Unlike the neighboring fourth district, both Assemblymen Rand and Schuck were considered allies of Errichetti and shared a legislative office. Their friendly relations were maintained throughout a "kid-gloves" campaign, despite the close margin.
Ultimately, Florio struck an alliance with Rand which propelled him over the top as Florio ran up large numbers in the gubernatorial race.
Results
Republican primary Candidates John H. Lyons Jr. (Regular Republican Organization of Camden County)
Results
General election
Candidates John H. Lyons Jr. (Republican) Walter Rand, Assemblyman from Camden (Democratic)
District 6 Republican primary Candidates Lee Laskin, incumbent Senator since 1978 (Organization of Regular Republicans)
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates James Greenberg (Regular Democratic Organization)
Results
General election Candidates James Greenberg (Democratic) Lee Laskin, incumbent Senator since 1978 (Republican)
District 7 Democratic primary Candidates Herman T. Costello, Assemblyman from Burlington and mayor of Burlington since 1964 (Regular Democratic Organization)
Results
Republican primary Candidates Michael J. Conda (Regular Republican Organization)
Results
General election Candidates Michael J. Conda (Republican) Herman T. Costello, Assemblyman from Burlington and mayor of Burlington since 1964 (Democratic)
District 8
Republican primary Candidates Jim Saxton, Assemblyman from Mount Holly (Regular Republican Organization)
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates Raymond J. Storck (Regular Democratic Organization)
Results
General election Candidates Jim Saxton, Assemblyman from Mount Holly (Republican) Raymond J. Storck (Democratic)
District 9 Republican primary Candidates Leonard T. Connors, Ocean County Freeholder and mayor of Surf City since 1966 (Regular Republican Organization of Ocean County)
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates Wesley K. Bell, former mayor of Stafford Township and candidate for U.S. Senate in 1978 (Official Regular Democrat Organization)
Results
General election Candidates Wesley K. Bell, former mayor of Stafford Township and candidate for U.S. Senate in 1978 (Democratic) Leonard T. Connors, Ocean County Freeholder and mayor of Surf City since 1966 (Republican)
District 10 All of the new tenth district had previously been contained within the boundaries of the ninth district in Ocean County. It consisted of Lakewood, Brick, and Toms River, and the shore towns of Lavallette, Mantoloking, Bay Head, Seaside Park, Seaside Heights, Ocean Gate, Point Pleasant Beach, and Point Pleasant.
Democratic primary
Candidates John F. Russo, incumbent Senator since 1974 (Democratic)
Results
Republican primary Candidates Hazel Gluck, Assemblywoman from Lakewood (Republican)
Results
General election
Candidates
Hazel Gluck, Assemblywoman from Lakewood (Republican) John F. Russo, incumbent Senator since 1974 (Democratic)
Results
District 11
Republican primary Candidates Brian T. Kennedy, incumbent Senator since 1978 (Regular Republican)
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates George Callas (Regular Democratic Organization of Monmouth County)
Results
General election
Candidates
George Callas (Democratic) Stan Johnson (Citizens) Brian T. Kennedy, incumbent Senator since 1978 (Republican)
Results
District 12
Republican primary
Candidates S. Thomas Gagliano, incumbent Senator since 1978 (Regular Republican)
Results
Democratic primary
Candidates Roger J. Kane (Regular Democratic Organization of Monmouth County)
Results
General election
Candidates
S. Thomas Gagliano, incumbent Senator since 1978 (Republican) Roger J. Kane (Democratic)
Results
District 13
Democratic primary
Candidates Eugene J. Bedell, incumbent Senator since 1974 (Regular Democratic Organization of Monmouth County)
Results
Republican primary
Candidates John P. Gallagher, investment banker and former executive director of the New Jersey Highway Authority (Regular Republican)
Results
General election
Candidates
Eugene J. Bedell, incumbent Senator since 1974 (Democratic)