New Jersey's 5th legislative district is one of 40 in the New Jersey Legislature. As of the 2011 apportionment, the district covers the Camden County municipalities of Audubon, Barrington, Bellmawr, Brooklawn, Camden, Collingswood, Gloucester City, Haddon Heights, Mount Ephraim, Merchantville, Pennsauken, Runnemede and Woodlynne; and the Gloucester County municipalities of Deptford Township, Woodbury Heights, and Woodbury.Districts by Number, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 29, 2014.
Demographic characteristics As of the 2020 United States census, the district had a population of 221,612, of whom 168,945 (76.2%) were of voting age. The racial makeup of the district was 119,934 (54.1%) White, 45,434 (20.5%) African American, 1,208 (0.5%) Native American, 6,686 (3.0%) Asian, 87 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 29,335 (13.2%) from some other race, and 18,928 (8.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 51,605 (23.0%) of the population.
The district had 163,507 registered voters as of December 1, 2021, of whom 59,177 (36.2%) were registered as unaffiliated, 75,237 (46.0%) were registered as Democrats, 26,512 (16.2%) were registered as Republicans, and 2,581 (1.6%) were registered to other parties.Statewide Voter Registration Summary, New Jersey Department of State, December 1, 2021. Accessed January 4, 2022.
Political representation
The legislative district overlaps with New Jersey's 1st congressional district.
1965–1973 The 1964 Supreme Court decision in Reynolds v. Sims required legislative districts' populations be equal as possible. As an interim measure, the 5th district in the 1965 State Senate election encompassed all of Ocean and Monmouth counties which elected two members of the Senate at-large. Republicans Richard R. Stout and William T. Hiering won this election for a two-year term. For the 1967 and 1971 elections, the 5th consisted of only Monmouth County and elected two and three Senators respectively. Republicans Stout and Alfred N. Beadleston won the 1967 election for a four-year term while Stout, Beadleston, and Republican Assemblyman Joseph Azzolina won in the 1971 election for a two-year term.
Between 1967 and 1973, the 5th Senate district was split into two Assembly districts, each electing two members. As Monmouth County gained population following the 1970 census, an additional Assembly member was elected at-large for the 1971 election. The members elected to the Assembly from each district are as follows: Session District 5A District 5B District 5 at-large 1968–1969 James M. Coleman (R) Joseph Azzolina (R) Louis R. Aikins (R) Chester Apy (R) 1970–1971 John I. Dawes (R) James M. Coleman (R) Joseph E. Robertson (R) Joseph Azzolina (R) 1972–1973 John I. Dawes (R) Eugene J. Bedell (D) Joseph E. Robertson (R)Resigned on August 6, 1973, to join staff of the Turnpike Authority Brian T. Kennedy (R) Chester Apy (R)
District composition since 1973 Since the creation of the 40-district legislative map in 1973, the 5th district has always been based around the city of Camden and nearby suburbs. In the 1973 iteration of the map, the district began in Camden city and traveled southeast to Hi-Nella. In 1981, some Camden County boroughs and Haddon Township were removed but added to the district were Gloucester City, Bellmawr, and Runnemede in Camden County and Deptford Township and Woodbury Heights. No major changes were made to the district in the 1991 or 2001 reapportionments. The 2011 apportionment added Audubon Park (from the 6th district) and Harrison Township, Mantua Township and Wenonah (all from the 3rd district). Municipalities that had been in the 4th district as part of the 2001 apportionment that were shifted out of the district as of 2011 are Woodbury Heights (to the 3rd district), and Hi-Nella, Somerdale and Stratford (all to the 6th district).Districts by Number, New Jersey Legislature, backed up by the Internet Archive as of November 12, 2011. Accessed April 14, 2013.
The territory currently in the 5th has been in Democratic hands without interruption since 1973. Indeed, the 5th is one of the few districts in the state to have ever elected only one party to all Senate and Assembly seats in every election since 1973.
Assemblyman Arthur Barclay resigned his seat on June 19, 2018, citing health reasons. His resignation came less than two weeks following him being arrested for simple assault at his home. Democratic committee members in Camden and Gloucester Counties selected former Camden City Councilman William Spearman as his replacement in the Assembly on June 27; he was sworn in on June 30.
Election history
Session Senate General Assembly 1974–1975 John J. Horn (D)Resigned September 22, 1976, to join the Department of Labor and Industry James Florio (D)Resigned on January 3, 1975, following his election to Congress Ernest F. Schuck (D) Ronald J. Casella (D)Elected in November 1975 special election to complete the term of James Florio, sworn in on November 14, 1975 1976–1977 Walter Rand (D) Ernest F. Schuck (D) Angelo Errichetti (D)Elected to the Senate in November 1976 special election, sworn in on November 8, 1976 1978–1979 Angelo Errichetti (D)Terminated from the Senate on August 14, 1981, upon his conviction in the Abscam scandal Walter Rand (D)Ernest F. Schuck (D) 1980–1981 Walter Rand (D)Ernest F. Schuck (D) 1982–1983 Walter Rand (D)Wayne R. Bryant (D)Francis J. Gorman (D) 1984–1985 Walter Rand (D)Wayne R. Bryant (D)Francis J. Gorman (D) 1986–1987 Wayne R. Bryant (D)Francis J. Gorman (D)Resigned on March 16, 1987 Joseph J. Roberts (D)Elected in July 28, 1987 special election, sworn into the Assembly on September 10, 1987 1988–1989 Walter Rand (D)Wayne R. Bryant (D)Joseph J. Roberts (D) 1990–1991Staff. "Vote Totals for the Elections Held on Tuesday in New York and New Jersey", The New York Times, November 9, 1989. Accessed June 18, 2010. Wayne R. Bryant (D)Joseph J. Roberts (D) 1992–1993 Walter Rand (D)Wayne R. Bryant (D)Joseph J. Roberts (D) 1994–1995 Walter Rand (D)Died on January 6, 1995Wayne R. Bryant (D)Joseph J. Roberts (D) Wayne R. Bryant (D)Appointed to the Senate on February 9, 1995, elected to fill the remainder of the term in a November 1995 special election Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)Appointed to the Assembly on February 27, 1995 1996–1997 Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)Joseph J. Roberts (D) 1998–1999 Wayne R. Bryant (D)Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)Joseph J. Roberts (D) 2000–2001 Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)Joseph J. Roberts (D) 2002–2003Staff. "THE 2001 ELECTIONS; RESULTS -- The Races for New Jersey", The New York Times, November 8, 2001. Accessed June 17, 2010. Wayne R. Bryant (D)Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)Joseph J. Roberts (D) 2004–2005 Wayne R. Bryant (D)Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)Joseph J. Roberts (D) 2006–2007 Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)Joseph J. Roberts (D) 2008–2009 Dana Redd (D)Resigned on January 5, 2010, to become Mayor of CamdenNilsa Cruz-Perez (D)Joseph J. Roberts (D) 2010–2011 Seat vacant Angel Fuentes (D)Donald Norcross (D)Resigned from the Assembly on January 19, 2010 to be sworn into the Senate, elected to remainder of term in November 2010 special election Donald Norcross (D) Gilbert "Whip" Wilson (D)Appointed to the Assembly on January 25, 2010, elected to remainder of term in November 2010 special election 2012–2013 Donald Norcross (D)Angel Fuentes (D)Gilbert "Whip" Wilson (D) 2014–2015 Donald Norcross (D)Resigned on November 12, 2014 upon his election to CongressAngel Fuentes (D)Resigned June 30, 2015 to become a deputy county clerk Gilbert "Whip" Wilson (D)Resigned December 2, 2015 to become Camden County Sheriff Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)Appointed to the Senate and sworn in on December 15, 2014, elected to remainder of unexpired term in November 2015 special election Patricia Egan Jones (D)Appointed to the Assembly and sworn in on November 16, 2015 Seat vacant 2016–2017 Patricia Egan Jones (D)Arthur Barclay (D)2018–2019 Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)Patricia Egan Jones (D)Arthur Barclay (D)Resigned on June 19, 2018 William Spearman (D)Appointed to the Assembly on June 30, 2018, elected to remainder of unexpired term in November 6, 2018 special election 2020–2021 Bill Moen (D)William Spearman (D) 2022–2023 Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)Bill Moen (D)William Spearman (D) 2024–2025 Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D)Bill Moen (D)William Spearman (D) 2026–2027 Bill Moen (D)William Spearman (D)
Election results, 1973–present Senate
General Assembly
Election results, 1965–1973 Senate
General Assembly District 5A
District 5B
District 5 At-large
References