Senator Richard Codey (D) Voting-age population 153,793 | Population 204,496 | |
 | ||
Assembly members John F. McKeon (D)
Mila Jasey (D) Registration 39.2% Democratic
21.6% Republican
39.1% unaffiliated Demographics 56.0% White
30.4% Black/African American
0.3% Native American
6.9% Asian
0.0% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
3.8% Other race
2.6% Two or more races
10.8% Hispanic | ||
New Jersey's 27th Legislative District is one of 40 in the New Jersey Legislature. As of the 2011 apportionment, the district includes the Essex and Morris County municipalities of Caldwell Borough, Chatham Township, East Hanover Township, Essex Fells Borough, Florham Park Borough, Hanover Township, Harding Township, Livingston Township, Madison Borough, Maplewood Township, Millburn Township, Roseland Borough, South Orange Village Township, and West Orange Township.
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Demographic characteristics
As of the 2010 United States Census, the district had a population of 204,496, of whom 153,793 (75.2%) were of voting age. The racial makeup of the district was 114,425 (56.0%) White, 62,162 (30.4%) African American, 598 (0.3%) Native American, 14,173 (6.9%) Asian, 38 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 7,813 (3.8%) from some other race, and 5,287 (2.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22,066 (10.8%) of the population. The 27th District had 170,681 registered voters as of December 31, 2016, of whom 66,687 (39.1%) were registered as unaffiliated, 66,971 (39.2%) were registered as Democrats, 36,899 (21.6%) were registered as Republicans, and 304 (0.2%) were registered to other parties.
The district includes a number of comparatively wealthy communities in Western Essex County, as well as a number of relatively poor areas including portions of the City of Newark. The 27th district had one of the lowest percentages in the state of registered Republicans, with Democrats outnumbering Republicans by a more than 2–1 margin.
Apportionment history
In the original creation of the 40-district legislative map in 1973, the 27th District consisted of the northern Essex County municipalities of Nutley, Bloomfield, Glen Ridge, Montclair, Cedar Grove, Verona, Caldwell, and Essex Fells. For the 1981 redistricting, the 27th consisted of the four municipalities of The Oranges: South Orange, West Orange, Orange, and East Orange and a small sliver of the North Ward of Newark. In the next redistricting in 1991, Montclair was added to the district and some Newark wards were removed. With declining population through western Essex County, most of that side of the county made up the 27th District following the 2001 redistricting including Maplewood, Livingston, Fairfield Township, and The Caldwells. East Orange and the portions of the North Ward of Newark were removed but a small portion of Upper Vailsburg, Newark was included in the district this decade.
Changes to the district made as part of the New Jersey Legislative reapportionment in 2011 added Millburn in Essex County, and the Morris County municipalities of Chatham Township, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover Township, Harding Township and Madison, making it more Republican. Shifted out of the district were Fairfield Township, North Caldwell Borough and West Caldwell Township (to District 26) and Orange (to District 34).
Political representation
The district is represented for the 2016–2017 Legislative Session (Senate, General Assembly) in the State Senate by Richard Codey (D, Roseland) and in the General Assembly by John F. McKeon (D, West Orange) and Mila Jasey (D, South Orange).