New Jersey's

New Jersey

New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

 16th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Somerset County

Somerset County, New Jersey

Somerset County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. In 2010, the population was 323,444. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Somerville....

 municipalities of Bedminster Township

Bedminster Township, New Jersey

Bedminster Township is a Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 8,165....

, Bernards Township

Bernards Township, New Jersey

-History:Bernards Township was originally formed by Royal Charter in 1760 as Bernardston Township from remaining portions of Northern precinct. It was incorporated as Bernards Township as one of New Jersey's initial group of 104 townships by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798...

, Bernardsville Borough

Bernardsville, New Jersey

Bernardsville is a borough and affluent suburb in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. Bernardsville has the 10th-highest per capita income in the state. Nationwide, Bernardsville ranks 75th among the 100 highest-income places in the United States...

, Bound Brook Borough

Bound Brook, New Jersey

Bound Brook is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. At the United States 2010 Census, the population was 10,402.Bound Brook was originally incorporated as a town by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 24, 1869, within portions of Bridgewater Township...

, Branchburg Township

Branchburg Township, New Jersey

Branchburg Township is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 14,459....

, Bridgewater Township

Bridgewater Township, New Jersey

Bridgewater Township is a township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. , the township population was 44,464.Bridgewater Township was originally created by Royal Charter on April 4, 1749, from portions of the Northern precinct, and was incorporated as one of New Jersey's initial group of...

, Far Hills Borough

Far Hills, New Jersey

Far Hills is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 919.Far Hills was incorporated as a borough based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature passed on April 7, 1921, from portions of Bernards Township, subject to the results...

, Hillsborough Township

Hillsborough Township, New Jersey

Hillsborough Township is a Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 38,303....

, Manville Borough

Manville, New Jersey

Manville is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 10,344. Manville was named after the Johns-Manville Corporation, which maintained a large manufacturing facility in the borough for decades.Historically, many of...

, Millstone Borough

Millstone, New Jersey

Millstone is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 418.Millstone was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on May 14, 1894, from portions of Hillsborough Township, based on the results of...

, Montgomery Township

Montgomery Township, New Jersey

Montgomery Township is a Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the township population was 22,254, which represents growth of 27% since 2000 and more than 130% since the 1990 Census population figure of 9,612.Montgomery Township was...

, Peapack-Gladstone Borough

Peapack-Gladstone, New Jersey

Peapack and Gladstone is a borough in Somerset County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the borough population was 2,582...

, Raritan Borough

Raritan, New Jersey

Raritan is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 6,881.-Geography:Raritan is located at ....

, Rocky Hill Borough

Rocky Hill, New Jersey

Rocky Hill is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States, named for the Rocky Hill Ridge. It was earlier known as the Devil's Featherbed because it was difficult to travel the rocky terrain by horse and wagon...

, Somerville Borough

Somerville, New Jersey

Somerville is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 12,098. It is the county seat of Somerset County....

 and South Bound Brook Borough

South Bound Brook, New Jersey

South Bound Brook is a Borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 4,563.What is now South Bound Brook was originally formed as a town within Franklin Township...

 and the Morris County

Morris County, New Jersey

Morris County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey, about west of New York City. According to the United States 2010 Census, the population was 492,276. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Morristown....

 municipality of Mendham Borough. As of the 2000 United States Census, the district had a population of 212,000.

Changes to the district made as part of the New Jersey Legislative redistricting in 2001

New Jersey Legislative Districts, 2001 redistricting

The members of the New Jersey Legislature are chosen from 40 electoral districts. Each district elects one Senator and two Assemblymen.New Jersey is one of only seven states with nested state legislative districts, in which two or more state House are coextensive with a single state Senate seat. In...

, based on the results of the 2000 United States Census, added Bound Brook (from the 17th Legislative District

17th Legislative District (New Jersey)

New Jersey's 17th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County municipalities of Highland Park Borough, Milltown Borough, New Brunswick City, North Brunswick Township, Piscataway Township, along with the Somerset County municipality of Franklin Township...

) and removed Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey

Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey

-Communities of Franklin Township:The following are census-designated places, unincorporated enclaves, and historical communities located within Franklin Township...

 (to the 17th Legislative District).

Demographic characteristics

Home ownership is high as is the percentage of college graduates. District residents are comparatively wealthy, with high incomes and property values that have resulted in low municipal and other property taxes. The district has low numbers of African-Americans, the elderly and poor children. Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by a 2 to 1 margin.

Political representation

The district is represented in the New Jersey Senate

New Jersey Senate

The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...

 by Christopher "Kip" Bateman

Christopher Bateman

Christopher "Kip" Bateman is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 16th Legislative District...

 (R

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

, Neshanic Station

Neshanic Station, New Jersey

Neshanic Station is a section of Branchburg Township, Somerset County, New JerseyNeshanic Station comes from Algonquian, meaning "double stream". Neshanic Station is situated at a latitude of 40.508N and a longitude of -74.73W. It is in the Eastern Standard Time Zone with an elevation of 92...

) and in the New Jersey General Assembly

New Jersey General Assembly

The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...

 by Denise Coyle

Denise Coyle

Denise Coyle is an American Republican Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since January 8, 2008, where she represents the 16th Legislative District....

 (R

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

, Basking Ridge

Basking Ridge, New Jersey

- Demographics :As Basking Ridge is not an independent municipality, the following demographic data is based on the United States Census Bureau figures for the ZIP Code Tabulation Area for the 07920 ZIP Code...

). There is a vacancy in the second Assembly seat due to the death of Peter J. Biondi

Peter J. Biondi

Peter J. "Pete" Biondi was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 until his death in 2011, where he represented the 16th Legislative District....

 (R

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

, Hillsborough Township

Hillsborough Township, New Jersey

Hillsborough Township is a Township in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 38,303....

), who had served the district for eight consecutive terms until passing away on November 10, 2011.

Election history

Raymond Bateman

Raymond Bateman

Raymond H. Bateman "Ray" is an American Republican Party politician, who represented the 16th Legislative District in the New Jersey Senate in the 1960s and 70s, and was the Republican candidate for Governor of New Jersey in 1977...

 ran for Governor of New Jersey

Governor of New Jersey

The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...

 in 1977, losing to Brendan Byrne

Brendan Byrne

Brendan Thomas Byrne is an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served as the 47th Governor of New Jersey, from 1974 to 1982.-Early life and education:...

, with John H. Ewing

John H. Ewing

John H. Ewing is an American Republican Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature: in the General Assembly from 1968 to 1977 and in the State Senate from 1978 to 1998, representing the 16th Legislative District.Ewing attended Trinity College, but dropped out after...

 taking Bateman's seat in the Senate and Elliott F. Smith taking Ewing's former seat in the Assembly.

Smith did not run for re-election in 1983 and his Assembly seat was won by John S. Penn. After five terms in office, Penn did not run for re-election in 1993 and was replaced by Christopher Bateman

Christopher Bateman

Christopher "Kip" Bateman is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 16th Legislative District...

.

John Ewing chose not to run for re-election in 1997 after 30 years in the legislature. he was replaced in the Senate by Walter J. Kavanaugh, with Peter J. Biondi

Peter J. Biondi

Peter J. "Pete" Biondi was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 until his death in 2011, where he represented the 16th Legislative District....

 elected to Kavanaugh's former seat in the Assembly. Ewing remarked that "Dear Walter [Kavanaugh] has been waiting and waiting to take my place... he keeps threatening to push me in front of a bus".

Kip Bateman moved up to the Senate to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of Walter Kavanaugh in the 2007 elections. Peter Biondi won re-election and was joined in the Assembly by Denise Coyle

Denise Coyle

Denise Coyle is an American Republican Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since January 8, 2008, where she represents the 16th Legislative District....

, a member of the Somerset County Board of Chosen Freeholders

Board of Chosen Freeholders

In New Jersey, the Boards of Chosen Freeholders are the county legislatures in each of that state's 21 counties.- Origin :New Jersey's system of naming county legislators "freeholders" is unique in the United States...

.

Session	State Senate	Assembly
1976-1977	Raymond Bateman Raymond Bateman Raymond H. Bateman "Ray" is an American Republican Party politician, who represented the 16th Legislative District in the New Jersey Senate in the 1960s and 70s, and was the Republican candidate for Governor of New Jersey in 1977...	John H. Ewing John H. Ewing John H. Ewing is an American Republican Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature: in the General Assembly from 1968 to 1977 and in the State Senate from 1978 to 1998, representing the 16th Legislative District.Ewing attended Trinity College, but dropped out after...	Walter J. Kavanaugh
1978-1979	John H. Ewing John H. Ewing John H. Ewing is an American Republican Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature: in the General Assembly from 1968 to 1977 and in the State Senate from 1978 to 1998, representing the 16th Legislative District.Ewing attended Trinity College, but dropped out after...	Walter J. Kavanaugh	Elliott F. Smith
1980-1981		Walter J. Kavanaugh	Elliott F. Smith
1982-1983	John H. Ewing John H. Ewing John H. Ewing is an American Republican Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature: in the General Assembly from 1968 to 1977 and in the State Senate from 1978 to 1998, representing the 16th Legislative District.Ewing attended Trinity College, but dropped out after...	Walter J. Kavanaugh	Elliott F. Smith
1984-1985	John H. Ewing John H. Ewing John H. Ewing is an American Republican Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature: in the General Assembly from 1968 to 1977 and in the State Senate from 1978 to 1998, representing the 16th Legislative District.Ewing attended Trinity College, but dropped out after...	Walter J. Kavanaugh	John S. Penn
1986-1987		Walter J. Kavanaugh	John S. Penn
1988-1989	John H. Ewing John H. Ewing John H. Ewing is an American Republican Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature: in the General Assembly from 1968 to 1977 and in the State Senate from 1978 to 1998, representing the 16th Legislative District.Ewing attended Trinity College, but dropped out after...	Walter J. Kavanaugh	John S. Penn
1990-1991		Walter J. Kavanaugh	John S. Penn
1992-1993	John H. Ewing John H. Ewing John H. Ewing is an American Republican Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature: in the General Assembly from 1968 to 1977 and in the State Senate from 1978 to 1998, representing the 16th Legislative District.Ewing attended Trinity College, but dropped out after...	Walter J. Kavanaugh	John S. Penn
1994-1995	John H. Ewing John H. Ewing John H. Ewing is an American Republican Party politician who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature: in the General Assembly from 1968 to 1977 and in the State Senate from 1978 to 1998, representing the 16th Legislative District.Ewing attended Trinity College, but dropped out after...	Christopher Bateman Christopher Bateman Christopher "Kip" Bateman is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 16th Legislative District...	Walter J. Kavanaugh
1996-1997		Christopher Bateman Christopher Bateman Christopher "Kip" Bateman is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 16th Legislative District...	Walter J. Kavanaugh
1998-1999	Walter J. Kavanaugh	Christopher Bateman Christopher Bateman Christopher "Kip" Bateman is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 16th Legislative District...	Peter J. Biondi Peter J. Biondi Peter J. "Pete" Biondi was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 until his death in 2011, where he represented the 16th Legislative District....
2000-2001		Christopher Bateman Christopher Bateman Christopher "Kip" Bateman is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 16th Legislative District...	Peter J. Biondi Peter J. Biondi Peter J. "Pete" Biondi was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 until his death in 2011, where he represented the 16th Legislative District....
2002-2003	Walter J. Kavanaugh	Christopher Bateman Christopher Bateman Christopher "Kip" Bateman is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 16th Legislative District...	Peter J. Biondi Peter J. Biondi Peter J. "Pete" Biondi was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 until his death in 2011, where he represented the 16th Legislative District....
2004-2005	Walter J. Kavanaugh	Christopher Bateman Christopher Bateman Christopher "Kip" Bateman is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 16th Legislative District...	Peter J. Biondi Peter J. Biondi Peter J. "Pete" Biondi was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 until his death in 2011, where he represented the 16th Legislative District....
2006-2007		Christopher Bateman Christopher Bateman Christopher "Kip" Bateman is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 16th Legislative District...	Peter J. Biondi Peter J. Biondi Peter J. "Pete" Biondi was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 until his death in 2011, where he represented the 16th Legislative District....
2008-2009	Christopher Bateman Christopher Bateman Christopher "Kip" Bateman is an American Republican Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 16th Legislative District...	Peter J. Biondi Peter J. Biondi Peter J. "Pete" Biondi was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 until his death in 2011, where he represented the 16th Legislative District....	Denise Coyle Denise Coyle Denise Coyle is an American Republican Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since January 8, 2008, where she represents the 16th Legislative District....
2010-2011		Peter J. Biondi Peter J. Biondi Peter J. "Pete" Biondi was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 until his death in 2011, where he represented the 16th Legislative District....	Denise Coyle Denise Coyle Denise Coyle is an American Republican Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since January 8, 2008, where she represents the 16th Legislative District....