October 16, 2013 2014 → 7001549000000000000♠54.9% 44.0% | 740,742 593,684 | |
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The 2013 United States Senate special election in New Jersey was held on October 16, 2013 to fill the New Jersey United States Senate Class 2 seat for the remainder of the term ending January 3, 2015.
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The vacancy resulted from the death of five-term Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg on June 3, 2013. In the interim, the seat was held by Republican Senator Jeffrey Chiesa, who was appointed on June 6, 2013 by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to serve until the elected winner was sworn in. At the time of his appointment, Chiesa, then New Jersey's Attorney General, announced that he would not be a candidate in the special election.
Following Lautenberg's death, there was a great deal of speculation and controversy over when a special election would or could be scheduled, but the following day, June 4, 2013, Christie announced that the primary would take place on August 13, 2013, and the special election on October 16, 2013. Christie was criticized for scheduling a separate election for Senate when a gubernatorial election was already taking place in November. In the primary elections, the Republicans nominated former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan and the Democrats nominated Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Booker led in every opinion poll and the race was called for him at approximately 9:45pm EDT on October 16, 2013. Booker resigned as Mayor of Newark and was sworn in on October 31, 2013 to become the junior U.S. Senator from New Jersey.
Background
On June 4, 2013, Democrats and Republicans interested in running in the special primary were given six days, until June 10, to collect 1,000 signatures in order to appear on the special primary ballots.
Democratic State Senator Shirley Turner, of Lawrenceville, New Jersey introduced legislation to move the general election on November 5 for all statewide offices, including governor, to the same date, October 16, as the U.S. Senate special election. This legislation was introduced in order to avoid spending an additional $12 million for a separate U.S. Senate election in October in addition to the general statewide election in November. A bill, A4237, finally passed both legislative houses on June 27, 2013. Another bill, A4249, allowing eligible voters who cast ballots on October 16 for senator to also vote early for the November general election, finally passed both legislative houses on June 27. Both bills were sent to Governor Christie for approval or veto with little expectation that either would be signed by Christie into law. The governor vetoed both bills on September 9, 2013.
On June 13, 2013, the Appellate Division of the New Jersey Superior Court unanimously rejected the Democrats' challenge, which was brought by Somerset County Democratic Chairwoman Marguerite M. Schaffer, to force Christie to change the special election date in October to the general election on November 5. They ruled “the Legislature has delegated broad authority to the State’s governor” to set the election date. On June 20, 2013, the New Jersey Supreme Court declined to hear a follow-up challenge to the special election date.
Christie's administration looked into contingency plan options for additional state workers, transportation resources, voting machines and associated hardware, and skilled voting machine technicians in order to avoid any potential conflicts due to the short time span of 20 days between the special election and the general election. Use of any of these options would increase the cost of $12 million for the October election, which would be in addition to $12 million for the August primary, that were both estimated by the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services. Contingency plans would be needed due to potential scheduling and logistical conflicts in the use of the same voting machines for both elections. New Jersey state law requires voting machines to be locked down for 15 days after an election, in case a defeated candidate seeks a recount. Voting machines would also need to be set up several days in advance of the general election. The state has made arrangements to reimburse by December 31, 2013 all necessary expenses after an audit of submitted election costs by each of the County Boards of Elections.
The special primary elections took place on August 13. Former Republican Mayor of Bogota Steve Lonegan and Democratic Mayor of Newark Cory Booker won their respective primaries. They faced off against six Independent/Third Party candidates in the October 16, 2013 general election.