Ken Zisa
Encyclopedia
Charles "Ken" Zisa is an American Democratic Party
politician
and lifelong resident of Hackensack, New Jersey
, who served as a member of the New Jersey
General Assembly
from 1994 to 2002, where he represented the 37th Legislative District
.
Zisa was elected to the Assembly in 1993, filling the seat that had been occupied by Byron Baer
who moved up to the Senate. Zisa gave up his seat in the Assembly to run for Bergen County
Sheriff in 2001, losing in the general election to Joel Trella.
Effective June 1, 1995, Hackensack City Manager James Lacava named Zisa as Acting Police Chief, following the planned departure of John Aletta from the position as of that date. Zisa took the oath of office as Police Chief in December 1995. , Zisa served as the Hackensack Police Chief until 2010.
After the resignation of State Senator
Byron Baer
, Zisa announced his pursuit of the seat with the support of local party chief Joe Ferriero
, facing off against Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg
. The Bergen County Democratic Organization caucused on September 15, 2005, with Zisa winning by a 114-110 margin to fill the seat on an interim basis and by a 112-111 margin to be the party's candidate on the November ballot. Weinberg pursued a series of legal challenges, claiming that five excluded votes from County Committee members from Tenafly
should be counted. After a ruling in Weinberg's favor, the "Tenafly Five" ballots were opened by Judge Peter Doyne on October 5, 2005, and each ballot was cast for Weinberg, thus giving her the slim margin of victory; With these five votes now counted, Weinberg defeated Zisa by one vote in balloting to fill Baer's vacated seat on an interim basis, 115-114, and won the contest for the Democratic ballot spot in November by a total of 116-112.
In 2007, Ferriero endorsed a ticket of Englewood
Mayor Michael Wildes
, and Cid Wilson and Zisa for Assembly, to face off in a primary challenge against incumbents Weinberg, and her Assembly running mates Valerie Huttle
and Gordon M. Johnson
. In a deal brokered by Governor of New Jersey
Jon Corzine
, Ferriero backed off the challenge and announced that he and the county party organization would endorse the three incumbents in the primary.
In January 2008, Zisa announced that he would seek a primary challenge in the 37th District Assembly in 2009, challenging incumbents Valerie Huttle and Gordon M. Johnson.
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and lifelong resident of Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
, who served as a member of the New Jersey
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...
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...
from 1994 to 2002, where he represented the 37th Legislative District
37th Legislative District (New Jersey)
New Jersey's 37th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Bergen County municipalities of Bergenfield, Bogota, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Hackensack, Leonia, Maywood, Palisades Park, Ridgefield Park, Rochelle Park, Teaneck and Tenafly...
.
Zisa was elected to the Assembly in 1993, filling the seat that had been occupied by Byron Baer
Byron Baer
Byron M. Baer was an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature. He served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1972 - 1993 and in the State Senate from 1994 - 2005, where he represented the 37th Legislative District...
who moved up to the Senate. Zisa gave up his seat in the Assembly to run for Bergen County
Bergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
Sheriff in 2001, losing in the general election to Joel Trella.
Effective June 1, 1995, Hackensack City Manager James Lacava named Zisa as Acting Police Chief, following the planned departure of John Aletta from the position as of that date. Zisa took the oath of office as Police Chief in December 1995. , Zisa served as the Hackensack Police Chief until 2010.
After the resignation of State Senator
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...
Byron Baer
Byron Baer
Byron M. Baer was an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature. He served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1972 - 1993 and in the State Senate from 1994 - 2005, where he represented the 37th Legislative District...
, Zisa announced his pursuit of the seat with the support of local party chief Joe Ferriero
Joe Ferriero
Joseph A. Ferriero is an American Democratic Party political leader from New Jersey and former chairman of the Bergen County Democratic Organization. Ferriero, an attorney by profession, resides in Old Tappan...
, facing off against Assemblywoman Loretta Weinberg
Loretta Weinberg
Loretta Weinberg is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served as a member of the New Jersey Senate since 2005, where she represents the 37th Legislative District...
. The Bergen County Democratic Organization caucused on September 15, 2005, with Zisa winning by a 114-110 margin to fill the seat on an interim basis and by a 112-111 margin to be the party's candidate on the November ballot. Weinberg pursued a series of legal challenges, claiming that five excluded votes from County Committee members from Tenafly
Tenafly, New Jersey
Tenafly is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 14,488. Tenafly is an affluent suburb of New York City....
should be counted. After a ruling in Weinberg's favor, the "Tenafly Five" ballots were opened by Judge Peter Doyne on October 5, 2005, and each ballot was cast for Weinberg, thus giving her the slim margin of victory; With these five votes now counted, Weinberg defeated Zisa by one vote in balloting to fill Baer's vacated seat on an interim basis, 115-114, and won the contest for the Democratic ballot spot in November by a total of 116-112.
In 2007, Ferriero endorsed a ticket of Englewood
Englewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
Mayor Michael Wildes
Michael Wildes
Michael J. Wildes is an American immigration lawyer and senior partner of Wildes and Weinberg PC. He is a former Federal Prosecutor for the Eastern District of New York,, and a former Mayor of Englewood, New Jersey. He is recognized as an authority on Immigration Law, and has been referred to as...
, and Cid Wilson and Zisa for Assembly, to face off in a primary challenge against incumbents Weinberg, and her Assembly running mates Valerie Huttle
Valerie Huttle
Valerie Vainieri Huttle is a Democrat who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly where she represents the 37th Legislative District, having taken office on January 10, 2006...
and Gordon M. Johnson
Gordon M. Johnson
Gordon M. Johnson is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2002, where he represents the 37th Legislative District....
. In a deal brokered by 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...
Jon Corzine
Jon Corzine
Jon Stevens Corzine is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs and of MF Global, and a one time American politician, who served as the 54th Governor of New Jersey from 2006 to 2010. A Democrat, Corzine served five years of a six-year U.S. Senate term representing New Jersey before being elected Governor...
, Ferriero backed off the challenge and announced that he and the county party organization would endorse the three incumbents in the primary.
In January 2008, Zisa announced that he would seek a primary challenge in the 37th District Assembly in 2009, challenging incumbents Valerie Huttle and Gordon M. Johnson.