Senator Jim Whelan (D) Voting-age population 180,063 | Population 234,905 | |
 | ||
Assembly members Chris A. Brown (R)
Vince Mazzeo (D) Registration 33.5% Democratic
24.4% Republican
41.7% unaffiliated Demographics 63.0% White
17.5% Black/African American
0.4% Native American
8.5% Asian
0.0% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
7.4% Other race
3.3% Two or more races
16.9% Hispanic | ||
New Jersey's 2nd Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Atlantic County municipalities of Absecon City, Atlantic City, Brigantine City, Buena Borough, Buena Vista Township Egg Harbor City, Egg Harbor Township, Folsom Borough, Hamilton Township, Linwood City, Longport Borough, Margate City, Mullica Township, Northfield City, Pleasantville City, Somers Point City and Ventnor City as of the 2011 apportionment. Except for an eight-year period from 1974 until 1982, the 2nd District is exclusively made up of municipalities from Atlantic County since 1967.
Contents
As of the 2010 United States Census, the district had a population of 234,905, of whom 180,063 (76.7%) were of voting age. The racial makeup of the district was 147,970 (63.0%) White, 41,010 (17.5%) African American, 909 (0.4%) Native American, 19,882 (8.5%) Asian, 75 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 17,287 (7.4%) from other races, and 7,772 (3.3%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 39,771 (16.9%) of the population. The district had 138,863 registered voters as of December 31, 2016, of whom 57,931 (41.7%) were registered as unaffiliated, 46,573 (33.5%) were registered as Democrats, 33,863 (24.4%) were registered as Republicans, and 496 (0.4%) were registered to other parties.
Political representation
The district is represented for the 2016–2017 Legislative Session (Senate, General Assembly) in the State Senate by Jim Whelan (D, Atlantic City) and in the General Assembly by Chris A. Brown (R, Ventnor City) and Vince Mazzeo (D, Northfield).
1965–1973
During the period of time after the 1964 Supreme Court decision in Reynolds v. Sims and before the establishment of a 40-district legislature in 1973, the 2nd District was based around Atlantic County except for the 1965 Senate elections. In that election, the 2nd District encompassed all of Salem and Cumberland counties with the election being won by Democrat John A. Waddington.
In the following sessions, the Senate seat (one Senator elected in each election) and Assembly seats (two people elected per election) encompassed all of Atlantic County. Republican Frank S. Farley won the 1967 Senate election but was defeated by Democrat Joseph McGahn in 1971. Republicans Albert S. Smith and Samuel A. Curcio won the 1967 and 1969 Assembly elections but Democrats Steven P. Perskie and James A. Colasurdo won the 1971 election.
District composition since 1973
Upon the creation of the 40 equal-population districts for the State Legislature in 1973, the 2nd District encompassed all of Atlantic County plus Burlington County townships Washington and Bass River and Ocean County's Little Egg Harbor Township and Tuckerton. For the 1980s 2nd District, the Burlington and Ocean County municipalities were removed as were Buena, Buena Vista Township, and Folsom. The 1990s version of the district was made further compact by shifting Hammonton and Egg Harbor City to other districts. In the 2001 redistricting, Egg Harbor City returned to the 2nd but Somers Point shifted to the 1st District.
The 2011 apportionment added Buena (from District 1), Buena Vista Township (1st District), Folsom (9th District) and Somers Point (1st District). Municipalities that had been in the 2nd District as part of the 2001 apportionment that were shifted out of the district are Corbin City (to 1st District), Estell Manor (1st District), Galloway Township (9th District), Port Republic (9th District) and Weymouth Township (1st District).