Name Shavonda Sumter Spouse(s) Kenneth Sumter Role Politician | Children two | |
 | ||
Preceded by Nellie PouElease Evans Education | ||
Conference Leader Sumter on her college affordability legislation
Shavonda E. Sumter (born January 19, 1974) is an American Democratic Party politician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2012, representing the 35th Legislative District.
Contents
- Conference Leader Sumter on her college affordability legislation
- Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter Honors Women of Excellence
- Biography
- District 35
- References
Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter Honors Women of Excellence
Biography
Sumter was born in Paterson, New Jersey, the daughter of Charles and Bonnie Williams. She attended public and private schools in Paterson, Prospect Park, and Haledon. She graduated from Kean University in 1996 with a B.A. degree in political science. She earned an M.B.A. degree in health care administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Sumter has worked in health services and currently serves as Director of Behavioral Health Services at Mountainside Hospital in Glen Ridge.
Sumter has served on the New Jersey Democratic State Committee since 2008. She was one of the members of the electoral college who cast a ballot for Barack Obama and Joe Biden after the 2008 presidential election. In 2010, Sumter was the campaign manager for Jeffery Jones in his successful campaign for Mayor of Paterson.
In the 2011 legislative elections, there were two open Assembly seats in the 35th District, after Nellie Pou decided to run for the State Senate and Elease Evans retired. Sumter and her running mate, Benjie E. Wimberly, defeated the Republican candidates, William Connolly and Donna Puglisi. She was sworn in on January 10, 2012. In the Assembly, Sumter serves on the Assembly Labor Committee (as Vice-Chair), the Health and Senior Services Committee, and the Law and Public Safety Committee. She holds the leadership positions of Majority Conference Leader since 2015 and was Deputy Speaker from 2014 to 2015.
As of September 2016, Sumter was considering a run for the Democratic nomination for Governor in 2017, and was also considered the leading candidate for selection as the party's candidate for lieutenant governor.
A resident of Paterson, she is married to Kenneth Sumter and has two children.
District 35
Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. The other representatives from the 35th District for the 2014-2015 Legislative Session are: