The 1971 New Jersey State Senate election were held on November 2, 1971, during William T. Cahill's term as governor of New Jersey. The Democratic Party gained seven seats, breaking the Republican supermajority in the Senate and narrowing the majority significantly.
Primary elections were held on June 8.
Background Reapportioning
Until 1965, the New Jersey Senate was composed of 21 senators, with each county electing one. However, the 1964 Supreme Court of the United States decision Reynolds v. Sims required state legislative districts to be approximately equal in population. From 1965 through 1973, New Jersey legislative districts were repeatedly modified to comply with the ruling.
In 1965, the Senate was increased to 29 members, with larger counties apportioned multiple seats and smaller counties sharing one or two senators. In 1967, the Senate was increased further to 40 members, which continued to generally follow county lines. In 1971, districts were redrawn by the New Jersey Apportionment Commission to reflect population changes following the 1970 United States census. One seat was eliminated in each of Essex and Hudson, replaced by new seats in Burlington and Monmouth. District 6 (comprising Mercer and Hunterdon counties) also switched from electing its senators at-large to electing them from two single-member districts because it became composed of more than one county. The changes, which moved representation away from the urban counties and towards the suburbs, generally favored the Republican Party.
The new districts were divided as follows: District Counties # 1 Cape May and Cumberland 1 2 Atlantic 1 3A Salem and Gloucester (part) 1 3B Gloucester (part) and Camden (part) 1 3C Camden (part) 1 4A Ocean (part) 1 4B Burlington (part) and Ocean (part) 1 4C Burlington (part) 1 5 Monmouth 3 6A Hunterdon and Mercer (part) 1 6B Mercer (part) 1 7 Middlesex 3 8 Somerset 1 9 Union 3 10 Morris 2 11 Essex 5 12 Hudson 3 13 Bergen 5 14 Passaic 3 15 Warren and Sussex 1
New seats
District 4C was created out of Burlington County. District 5 (Monmouth County) gained one seat.
Seats eliminated
District 11 (Essex County) lost one seat. District 12 (Hudson County) lost one seat.
Retirements A total of 15 senators (3 Democrats and 12 Republicans) retired.
Democratic District 6A: Richard J. Coffee retired. District 6B: Sido L. Ridolfi retired. District 12: Frank J. Guarini retired.
Republican District 1: Robert E. Kay retired. District 3A: John L. White retired. District 3B: Hugh A. Kelly Jr. retired. District 4A: William Hiering retired. District 10: Harry L. Sears retired. District 11: Gerardo Del Tufo retired to run for Essex County freeholder. District 11: Alexander Matturri retired. District 13: Fairleigh Dickinson Jr. retired. District 14: Frank Sciro retired. District 14: Ira Schoem retired. District 14: Edward Sisco retired.
Resignations Republicans District 4B: Edwin B. Forsythe resigned in November 1970 following his election to the U.S. House of Representatives. District 9: Nicholas LaCorte resigned December 7, 1970 following his appointment as a tax judge. District 11: David W. Dowd resigned November 16, 1970 to become general counsel of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
Incumbents defeated In primary elections Democratic
District 12: Frederick Hauser lost to James P. Dugan.
In general elections Republican Two incumbent Republican senators were defeated for re-election: District 2: Frank S. Farley (first elected in 1941) lost to Joseph McGahn. District 11: Milton Waldor (first elected in 1967) lost to Ralph DeRose.
Independent One Republican was denied party support and ran in the general election as an independent: District 13: Willard Knowlton lost to Harold C. Hollenbeck.
Open seats that changed parties
Republican seats won by Democrats
District 3B: won by Joseph A. Maressa. District 11: won by Wynona Lipman and Frank J. Dodd. District 14: won by Joseph Lazzara, William J. Bate, and Joseph Hirkala.
Democratic seats won by Republicans
District 6A: won by William E. Schluter.
Open seats that parties held
Democratic holds
District 6B: won by Joseph P. Merlino.
Republican holds
District 1: won by James Cafiero. District 3A: won by James M. Turner. District 4A: won by John F. Brown. District 4B: won by Barry T. Parker. District 9: won by Jerome Epstein. District 10: won by Peter W. Thomas. District 13: won by Frederick Wendel. Newly created seats
Democratic gain
District 4C: Won by Edward J. Hughes Jr.
Republican gain
District 5: Won by Joseph Azzolina.
Summary of results by district DistrictIncumbent PartyElected Senator Party District 1Robert E. Kay Rep James Cafiero RepDistrict 2 Frank S. Farley Rep Joseph McGahn Dem District 3AJohn L. White Rep James M. Turner RepDistrict 3BHugh A. Kelly Rep Joseph Maressa DemDistrict 3C John L. Miller Rep John L. Miller RepDistrict 3D Frank C. Italiano Rep Frank C. Italiano RepDistrict 4AWilliam Hiering Rep John F. Brown RepDistrict 4BVacant Barry T. Parker RepDistrict 4CNew seat Edward J. Hughes DemDistrict 5 Richard Stout Rep Richard Stout Rep Alfred Beadleston Rep Alfred Beadleston RepNew seat Joseph Azzolina Rep District 6 Richard J. Coffee Dem William Schluter Rep Sido L. Ridolfi Dem Joseph P. Merlino DemDistrict 7 John A. Lynch Sr. Dem John A. Lynch Sr. Dem J. Edward Crabiel Dem J. Edward Crabiel Dem Norman Tanzman Dem Norman Tanzman DemDistrict 8 Raymond Bateman Rep Raymond Bateman RepDistrict 9 Frank X. McDermott Rep Frank X. McDermott Rep Matt Rinaldo Rep Matt Rinaldo RepVacant Jerome Epstein RepDistrict 10 Joseph Maraziti Rep Joseph Maraziti RepHarry L. Sears Rep Peter W. Thomas RepDistrict 11 James Wallwork Rep James Wallwork RepVacant Frank J. Dodd Dem Michael Giuliano Rep Michael Giuliano Rep Milton Waldor Rep Ralph DeRose DemGeraldo Del Tufo Rep Wynona Lipman DemAlexander Matturri RepSeat eliminatedDistrict 12 Frederick Hauser Dem James P. Dugan Dem William F. Kelly Jr. Dem William F. Kelly Jr. Dem William Musto Dem William Musto DemFrank J. Guarini DemSeat eliminatedDistrict 13 Willard Knowlton Rep Harold Hollenbeck Rep Joseph Woodcock Rep Joseph Woodcock RepFairleigh Dickinson Jr. Rep Frederick Wendel Rep Alfred Schiaffo Rep Alfred Schiaffo Rep Garrett Hagedorn Rep Garrett Hagedorn RepDistrict 14Edward Sisco Rep Joseph Hirkala DemIra Schoem Rep William J. Bate DemFrank Sciro Rep Joseph Lazzara DemDistrict 15 Wayne Dumont Jr. Rep Wayne Dumont Jr. Rep Close races Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:
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District 1 Democratic primary Candidates Paul R. Porreca, former member of the Millville city commission and nominee for U.S. House in 1962 Results
Republican primary Candidates James Cafiero, assemblyman from North Wildwood Results
General election Candidates James Cafiero, assemblyman from North Wildwood (Republican) John W. Gotsch (People's) Paul R. Porreca, former member of the Millville city commission and nominee for U.S. House in 1962 (Democratic)
Results
District 2 Democratic primary Candidates Joseph McGahn, mayor of Absecon Bernice Paul, Northfield resident Results
Republican primary Candidates Frank S. Farley, incumbent senator since 1941 Results
General election Candidates Frank S. Farley, incumbent senator since 1941 (Republican) Joseph McGahn, mayor of Absecon (Democratic) Charles Ross (Independent)
Results
District 3A Democratic primary Candidates Louis J. Damminger Jr., former mayor of Paulsboro Results
Republican primary Candidates James M. Turner, assemblyman from Woodbury Results
General election Candidates Louis J. Damminger Jr., former mayor of Paulsboro (Democratic) James M. Turner, assemblyman from Woodbury (Republican)
Results
District 3B Democratic primary Candidates Joseph A. Maressa, Berlin attorney Results
Republican primary Candidates George E. Lord, Bellmawr resident Results
General election Candidates George E. Lord, Bellmawr resident (Republican) Joseph A. Maressa, Berlin attorney (Democratic)
Results
District 3C Democratic primary Candidates Richard F. McCarthy, Camden County highway inspector and West Berlin tax collector (One Democrat for Tax Reforms Now) Morton H. Rappaport, Cherry Hill resident (Regular Democratic Organization)
Results
Republican primary Candidates John L. Miller, incumbent senator since 1968
Results
General election Candidates John L. Miller, incumbent senator since 1968 (Republican) Morton H. Rappaport, Cherry Hill resident (Democratic)
Results
District 3D Democratic primary Candidates Thomas R. Bristow, principal of Woodrow Wilson High School Results
Republican primary Candidates Frank Italiano, incumbent senator since 1968 Results
General election Candidates Thomas R. Bristow, principal of Woodrow Wilson High School (Democratic) Frank C. Italiano, incumbent senator since 1968 (Republican)
Results
District 4A Democratic primary Candidates Wesley K. Bell, member of the Stafford Township committee (Maverick Democrat) John F. Russo, assistant Ocean County prosecutor (Regular Democratic Organization) Results
Republican primary Candidates John F. Brown, assemblyman from Lakewood (Regular Republican) George F. Makin, Ocean County freeholder (Regular Republican Organization)
Results
General election Candidates John F. Russo, assistant Ocean County prosecutor (Democratic) John F. Brown, assemblyman from Lakewood (Republican)
Results
District 4B (special) General election Candidates Walter L. Smith Jr., assemblyman from Cinnaminson (Republican) Charles B. Yates, industrialist and nominee for Assembly in 1969 and U.S. House in 1970 (Democratic)
Results
District 4B Democratic primary Candidates Fred M. Detrick Jr., chair of the Pemberton Township planning board Results
Republican primary Candidates Barry T. Parker, speaker of the General Assembly from Mount Holly
Results
General election Candidates Fred M. Detrick Jr., chair of the Pemberton Township planning board (Democratic) Barry T. Parker, speaker of the General Assembly from Mount Holly (Republican)
Results
District 4C Democratic primary Candidates Edward J. Hughes Jr., Cinnaminson industrialist Results
Republican primary Candidates Walter L. Smith Jr., incumbent senator since March 1971 Results
General election
Candidates
Edward J. Hughes Jr., Cinnaminson industrialist (Democratic) Walter L. Smith Jr., incumbent senator since March 1971 (Republican)
Results
District 5 Democratic primary Candidates William Himelman, Lincroft attorney (Democratic) Walter Gehricke, former mayor of Matawan Township (Democratic) Vincent Miller, Long Branch resident (Democratic) Results
Republican primary Candidates Joseph Azzolina, assemblyman from Middletown Alfred N. Beadleston, incumbent senator since 1968 Richard R. Stout, incumbent senator since 1952
Results
General election Candidates Joseph Azzolina, assemblyman from Middletown (Republican) Alfred N. Beadleston, incumbent senator since 1968 (Republican) William Himelman, Lincroft attorney (Democratic) Walter Gehricke, former mayor of Matawan Township (Democratic) Vincent Miller, Long Branch resident (Democratic) Richard R. Stout, incumbent senator since 1952 (Republican)
Results
District 6A Democratic primary Candidates Robert R. Klein, Mercer County administrator and former aide president Lyndon B. Johnson and aide to governor Richard J. Hughes Results
Republican primary Candidates William E. Schluter, assemblyman from Pennington Results
General election Candidates Robert R. Klein, Mercer County administrator and former aide president Lyndon B. Johnson and aide to governor Richard J. Hughes (Democratic) William E. Schluter, assemblyman from Pennington (Republican)
Results
District 6B Democratic primary Candidates Joseph P. Merlino, assemblyman from Trenton Results