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...

 17th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County

Middlesex County, New Jersey

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 750,162 people, 265,815 households, and 190,855 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,422 people per square mile . There were 273,637 housing units at an average density of 884 per square mile...

 municipalities of Highland Park Borough

Highland Park, New Jersey

Highland Park is a borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 13,982....

, Milltown Borough

Milltown, New Jersey

Milltown is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 6,893.Milltown was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on January 29, 1889, from portions of North Brunswick Township, based on the...

, New Brunswick City

New Brunswick, New Jersey

New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...

, North Brunswick Township, Piscataway Township

Piscataway Township, New Jersey

The township consists of the following historic villages and areas: New Market, known as Quibbletown in the 18th Century, Randolphville, Fieldville and North Stelton...

, along with 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....

 municipality of Franklin Township

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...

. As of the 2000 United States Census, the district had a population of 207,244.

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, removed Bound Brook (moved to the 16th Legislative District

16th Legislative District (New Jersey)

New Jersey's 16th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Somerset County municipalities of Bedminster Township, Bernards Township, Bernardsville Borough, Bound Brook Borough, Branchburg Township, Bridgewater Township, Far Hills Borough, Hillsborough Township, Manville Borough,...

), Middlesex Borough

Middlesex, New Jersey

Middlesex is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 13,635.Middlesex was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 9, 1913, from portions of Piscataway Township, based on the results...

 (to the 22nd Legislative District

22nd Legislative District (New Jersey)

New Jersey's 22nd Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County municipality of Dunellen Borough and Middlesex Borough, the Somerset County localities of Green Brook Township and North Plainfield Borough, and the Union County municipalities of Clark Township,...

), Plainfield City

Plainfield, New Jersey

Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....

 (to District 22) and South Plainfield borough

South Plainfield, New Jersey

South Plainfield is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 23,385....

 (to the 18th Legislative District) and added Franklin Township (from the 16th Legislative District), Milltown Borough (from District 18

18th Legislative District (New Jersey)

New Jersey's 18th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County municipalities of East Brunswick Township, Edison Township, Helmetta Borough, Metuchen Borough, South Plainfield Borough, South River Borough and Spotswood Borough As of the 2000 United States Census,...

) and North Brunswick Township

North Brunswick Township, New Jersey

-Demographics:At the 2010 census, there were 40,742 people, 13,635 households and 9,367 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,018.3 per square mile . There were 13,932 housing units at an average density of 1,158.8 per square mile...

 (also from District 18).

Demographic characteristics

Home ownership is high population of Asian American

Asian American

Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...

s, 3rd highest in the state, while having the third smallest population of senior citizens among the 40 legislative districts. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by a 3 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 Bob Smith

Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator)

Bob Smith is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District. Smith was elected to his first Senate term November 2001 to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of John Lynch...

 (D

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

, Piscataway) 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 Upendra J. Chivukula

Upendra J. Chivukula

Upendra Joge Chivukula is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District....

 (D

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

, Somerset

Somerset, New Jersey

Somerset is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located at the easternmost section within Franklin Township, in Somerset County, New Jersey. At the 2000 United States Census, the CDP population was 23,040...

) and Joseph V. Egan

Joseph V. Egan

Joseph V. Egan is an American Democratic Party politician, who represents the 17th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has served since 2002....

 (D

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

, New Brunswick

New Brunswick, New Jersey

New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...

).

Election history

After 20 years in office, John A. Lynch, Sr.

John A. Lynch, Sr.

John A. Lynch, Sr. was an American Democratic Party politician who served in the New Jersey Senate for 22 years, where he represented the 17th legislative District, and as Mayor of New Brunswick, New Jersey from 1951 to 1955.-Biography:Lynch was born in New Brunswick in 1908 to John T. Lynch and...

 did not run for re-election in 1977, due to illness. Assembly Speaker William J. Hamilton

William J. Hamilton

William J. Hamilton, Jr. is an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature, where he represented the 17th Legislative District. He was Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 1977 session.-Biography:Hamilton was born in...

 ran for the vacant Senate seat and Joseph D. Patero and David C. Schwartz were the Democratic candidates for Assembly in a district that voted for Democrats by a 2-1 margin.

After losing the support of the Middlesex County Democratic Organization, Assemblymember Angela L. Perun announced in March 1985 that she had switched parties and would run as a Republican in that year's general election, after having served two terms in office as a Democrat and having been a vocal opponent of the Reagan Administration. Bob Smith

Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator)

Bob Smith is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District. Smith was elected to his first Senate term November 2001 to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of John Lynch...

 was given Perun's spot and the Assembly ballot, and he won election together with David C. Schwartz.

Despite his confidence that he would win re-election if he chose to run, David C. Schwartz decided not to run for re-election in 1991 after seven terms of office, saying that he was reluctant to serve in the minority party in the new legislative term. Jerry Green took Schwartz's open seat in the general Election.

Bob Smith was elected to his first Senate term in November 2001 to fill the seat vacated after Lynch retired. Jerry Green was relocated to the 22nd Legislative District in redistricting following the 2000 United States Census, and the two open Assembly seats were filled by Upendra J. Chivukula

Upendra J. Chivukula

Upendra Joge Chivukula is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District....

 and Joseph V. Egan

Joseph V. Egan

Joseph V. Egan is an American Democratic Party politician, who represents the 17th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has served since 2002....

. Chivukula's election made him the first South Asia

South Asia

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...

n to be elected to the New Jersey Legislature and the third Indian American

Indian American

Indian Americans are Americans whose ancestral roots lie in India. The U.S. Census Bureau popularized the term Asian Indian to avoid confusion with Indigenous peoples of the Americas who are commonly referred to as American Indians.-The term: Indian:...

 to be elected to a state assembly in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

Session	State Senate	Assembly
1976-1977	John A. Lynch, Sr. John A. Lynch, Sr. John A. Lynch, Sr. was an American Democratic Party politician who served in the New Jersey Senate for 22 years, where he represented the 17th legislative District, and as Mayor of New Brunswick, New Jersey from 1951 to 1955.-Biography:Lynch was born in New Brunswick in 1908 to John T. Lynch and...	William J. Hamilton William J. Hamilton William J. Hamilton, Jr. is an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature, where he represented the 17th Legislative District. He was Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 1977 session.-Biography:Hamilton was born in...	Joseph D. Patero
1978-1979	William J. Hamilton William J. Hamilton William J. Hamilton, Jr. is an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature, where he represented the 17th Legislative District. He was Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 1977 session.-Biography:Hamilton was born in...	Joseph D. Patero	David C. Schwartz
1980-1981		Joseph D. Patero	David C. Schwartz
1982-1983	John A. Lynch, Jr. John A. Lynch, Jr. John A. Lynch, Jr. is a former American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served in the New Jersey Senate representing the 19th District from 1981 to 2001, where he represented the 17th Legislative District, and was Senate President from 1990 to 1992...	Angela L. Perun	David C. Schwartz
1984-1985	John A. Lynch, Jr. John A. Lynch, Jr. John A. Lynch, Jr. is a former American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served in the New Jersey Senate representing the 19th District from 1981 to 2001, where he represented the 17th Legislative District, and was Senate President from 1990 to 1992...	Angela L. Perun	David C. Schwartz
1986-1987		David C. Schwartz	Bob Smith Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator) Bob Smith is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District. Smith was elected to his first Senate term November 2001 to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of John Lynch...
1988-1989	John A. Lynch, Jr. John A. Lynch, Jr. John A. Lynch, Jr. is a former American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served in the New Jersey Senate representing the 19th District from 1981 to 2001, where he represented the 17th Legislative District, and was Senate President from 1990 to 1992...	David C. Schwartz	Bob Smith Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator) Bob Smith is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District. Smith was elected to his first Senate term November 2001 to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of John Lynch...
1990-1991		David C. Schwartz	Bob Smith Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator) Bob Smith is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District. Smith was elected to his first Senate term November 2001 to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of John Lynch...
1992-1993	John A. Lynch, Jr. John A. Lynch, Jr. John A. Lynch, Jr. is a former American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served in the New Jersey Senate representing the 19th District from 1981 to 2001, where he represented the 17th Legislative District, and was Senate President from 1990 to 1992...	Jerry Green	Bob Smith Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator) Bob Smith is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District. Smith was elected to his first Senate term November 2001 to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of John Lynch...
1994-1995	John A. Lynch, Jr. John A. Lynch, Jr. John A. Lynch, Jr. is a former American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served in the New Jersey Senate representing the 19th District from 1981 to 2001, where he represented the 17th Legislative District, and was Senate President from 1990 to 1992...	Jerry Green	Bob Smith Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator) Bob Smith is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District. Smith was elected to his first Senate term November 2001 to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of John Lynch...
1996-1997		Jerry Green	Bob Smith Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator) Bob Smith is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District. Smith was elected to his first Senate term November 2001 to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of John Lynch...
1998-1999	John A. Lynch, Jr. John A. Lynch, Jr. John A. Lynch, Jr. is a former American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served in the New Jersey Senate representing the 19th District from 1981 to 2001, where he represented the 17th Legislative District, and was Senate President from 1990 to 1992...	Jerry Green	Bob Smith Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator) Bob Smith is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District. Smith was elected to his first Senate term November 2001 to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of John Lynch...
2000-2001		Jerry Green	Bob Smith Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator) Bob Smith is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District. Smith was elected to his first Senate term November 2001 to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of John Lynch...
2002-2003	Bob Smith Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator) Bob Smith is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District. Smith was elected to his first Senate term November 2001 to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of John Lynch...	Upendra J. Chivukula Upendra J. Chivukula Upendra Joge Chivukula is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District....	Joseph V. Egan Joseph V. Egan Joseph V. Egan is an American Democratic Party politician, who represents the 17th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has served since 2002....
2004-2005	Bob Smith Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator) Bob Smith is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District. Smith was elected to his first Senate term November 2001 to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of John Lynch...	Upendra J. Chivukula Upendra J. Chivukula Upendra Joge Chivukula is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District....	Joseph V. Egan Joseph V. Egan Joseph V. Egan is an American Democratic Party politician, who represents the 17th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has served since 2002....
2006-2007		Upendra J. Chivukula Upendra J. Chivukula Upendra Joge Chivukula is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District....	Joseph V. Egan Joseph V. Egan Joseph V. Egan is an American Democratic Party politician, who represents the 17th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has served since 2002....
2008-2009	Bob Smith Bob Smith (New Jersey State Senator) Bob Smith is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District. Smith was elected to his first Senate term November 2001 to fill the seat vacated by the retirement of John Lynch...	Upendra J. Chivukula Upendra J. Chivukula Upendra Joge Chivukula is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District....	Joseph V. Egan Joseph V. Egan Joseph V. Egan is an American Democratic Party politician, who represents the 17th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has served since 2002....
2010-2011		Upendra J. Chivukula Upendra J. Chivukula Upendra Joge Chivukula is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 17th Legislative District....	Joseph V. Egan Joseph V. Egan Joseph V. Egan is an American Democratic Party politician, who represents the 17th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has served since 2002....