8th Legislative District (New Jersey)


New Jersey's 8th Legislative District is one of 40 in the New Jersey Legislature, covering the Atlantic County municipality of Hammonton; the Burlington County municipalities of Eastampton Township, Evesham Township, Hainesport Township, Lumberton Township, Mansfield Township, Medford Township, Medford Lakes Borough, Mount Holly Township, Pemberton Borough, Pemberton Township, Shamong Township, Southampton Township, Springfield Township, Westampton Township and Woodland Township; and the Camden County municipalities of Berlin Borough, Pine Hill Borough, Pine Valley Borough and Waterford Township as of the 2011 apportionment.

Demographic characteristics

As of the 2010 United States Census, the district had a population of 227,817, of whom 173,341 were of voting age. The racial makeup of the district was 189,220 White, 19,195 African American, 404 Native American, 10,591 Asian, 97 Pacific Islander, 2,737 from some other race, and 5,573 from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11,326 of the population. The district had 162,402 registered voters as of February 1, 2020, of whom 63,712 were registered as unaffiliated, 52,051 were registered as Democrats, 44,969 were registered as Republicans, and 1,670 were registered to other parties.

Political representation

The district is represented for the 2020–2021 Legislative Session in the State Senate by Dawn Marie Addiego and in the General Assembly by Ryan Peters and Jean Stanfield.

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 8th District encompassed the entirety of Somerset County. During the three Senate elections held during this period, Republicans won all three races. Incumbent Senator William E. Ozzard won reelection in 1965 for a two-year term, while for the next two elections, Raymond Bateman was victorious for both elections.
In the terms from 1967 until 1973, the 8th District sent two members to the General Assembly. In all elections for two-year terms, Republicans won both seats. John H. Ewing was one victor in the three regular elections, while Webster B. Todd Jr. served one term from 1968 until 1970, Millicent Fenwick was elected in 1969 and 1971, but resigned on December 14, 1972 to become head of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, and Victor A. Rizzolo was elected in a special election on January 30, 1973 to complete her term.

District composition since 1973

When the Legislature was switched to 40 equal-population districts statewide, the 8th District created for the 1973 elections was an uncompact district in Burlington, Ocean, Monmouth, and Mercer counties. With the Keith line as a center spine, the district had branches to Medford Township, Manchester Township, Florence Township, Roosevelt, East Windsor Township, and Lawrence Township. In the 1980s, the 8th became inclusive of most of Burlington County stretching from Washington Township north to Bordentown. Following the 1990 Census, the district expanded out of Burlington County to Camden County and Atlantic County with the Burlington County portion including suburban townships of Medford, Evesham, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, and Southampton. The 2001 redistricting returned the district to being Burlington only again keeping it through the center of the county.

Election history

Election results, 1973–present

Senate

Assembly

Election results, 1965–1973

Senate

Assembly