The district had 158,255 registered voters as of December 1, 2021, of whom 59,460 (37.6%) were registered as unaffiliated, 70,920 (44.8%) were registered as Democrats, 26,137 (16.5%) were registered as Republicans, and 1,738 (1.1%) were registered to other parties.[6]
The district had the highest percentage of Asian American residents of any district statewide, with African American, Hispanic, and elderly below statewide averages.[citation needed] Registered Democrats outnumbered Republicans by a better than 2 to 1 margin.
The legislative district overlaps with New Jersey's 6th and 12th congressional districts.
Apportionment historyedit
Since the creation of the 40-district legislative map in 1973, the 18th district has always been centered around central Middlesex County and has always included East Brunswick, Edison, and Metuchen in every decennial redistricting. In addition to those three municipalities, the 1973 version of the district included South Brunswick, North Brunswick, Helmetta, Spotswood, Milltown, and South River.[8] For the 1981 redistricting, South Brunswick and South River were shifted to other districts but the 18th picked up Monroe Township and Jamesburg.[9] Under the 1991 redistricting, Monroe, Jamesburg, Helmetta, and Spotswood were removed, but South River was restored to the district.[10] For the 2001 redistricting, South Plainfield was added to the district for the first time, Spotswood and Helmetta returned to the district, and North Brunswick and Milltown were shifted to the 17th district.[11]
After Christine Todd Whitman became governor in 1994, she named Derman to head the Department of Community Affairs.[15] Republican Joanna Gregory-Scocchi was chosen by a Republican special convention to fill Derman's vacancy. In a November 1994 special election, early favorite Gregory-Scocchi was defeated by Barbara Buono, after disclosures that Gregory-Scocchi's temporary employment firm had hired illegal immigrants.[16]
In the 1995 elections, the Assembly seats swung back to the Democrats, with Barbara Buono holding onto her seat and her running mate Peter J. Barnes Jr. winning too, defeating Republican incumbent Warsh and his running mate Jane Tousman, despite Republicans outspending the Democrats by a 2-1 margin in the bitterly fought battleground district.[17]
In May 2001, Sinagra announced that he would not run for a fourth term, leaving Barbara Buono as the favorite to pick up the seat for the Democrats.[18][19] Buono went on to win the Senate seat, and in the Assembly, Barnes Jr. won re-election together with running mate Patrick J. Diegnan, leaving all three legislative seats controlled by Democrats for the first time since 1991.[20] Sinagra resigned from the Senate shortly before the election to become a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey commissioner; North Brunswick Township's attorney David Himelman was appointed after the election to fill the remaining weeks of Sinagra's term.[21][22]
In the November 2013 gubernatorial election, Barbara Buono chose not to run for re-election, choosing instead to mount an unsuccessful challenge to Chris Christie's bid for re-election as Governor of New Jersey.[24] In the 18th district, Peter J. Barnes III moved from the Assembly to the Senate, winning Buono's seat against East Brunswick mayor David Stahl in a close race. Barnes's seat in the Assembly was won by East Brunswick Township Councilmember Nancy Pinkin.[25]
Upon his appointment to the State Superior Court, Barnes resigned his Senate seat on April 25, 2016. On May 5, Diegnan was selected without opposition to receive an appointment to the Senate seat by the members of the Middlesex County Democratic Organization. A week later, on May 12, Edison Councilman Robert Karabinchak was selected from a ballot of four candidates to receive appointment to Diegnan's Assembly seat. Special elections held on November 8, 2016 elected Diegnan and Karabinchak to serve out the remainder of the terms in their seats.[26] Pinkin would be elected to the position of Middlesex County Clerk in November 2020, and would resign her seat on December 31 to take the county office.[27][28] Democratic committee members in Middlesex County selected East Brunswick Council President Sterley Stanley as her replacement by a 189–136 margin over Edison Council member Joe Coyle on January 12, 2021; he was sworn in on January 27.[29][30]
^"New Jersey Legislative Districts 1974–" (PDF). New Jersey Legislative Services Agency. 1973. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
^"New Jersey Legislative Districts" (PDF). 1981. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
^"1991 Legislative Districts" (PDF). 1991. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
^"2001 Legislative Districts" (PDF). 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 11, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
^"Florio picks assemblyman to be head of lottery agency", The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 15, 1991. Accessed December 13, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Gov. Florio yesterday nominated Assemblyman Frank M. Pelly (D., Middlesex) to be executive director of the New Jersey Lottery."
^"Official Results General Election November 5, 1991" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. December 6, 1991. p. 20. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
^Sullivan, Joseph F. "THE 1993 ELECTIONS: New Jersey Legislature; Cut Taxes 30 Percent? Whitman's Top Statehouse Allies Say Not So Fast", The New York Times, November 4, 1993. Accessed July 4, 2010.
^Preston, Jennifer. "ON POLITICS;Enter Harriet Derman, Lawmaker Turned Insider", The New York Times, June 23, 1996. Accessed July 4, 2010.
^Sullivan, John. "POLITICS;Why a Swing District Swung to the Democrats", The New York Times, November 12, 1995. Accessed July 4, 2010.
^Staff. "Primaries take shape at N.J. filing deadline, Especially in the north, new district boundaries will mean new challenges for legislators.", The Philadelphia Inquirer, May 11, 2001. Accessed July 4, 2010.
^Halbfinger, David M. "Control of the State Senate Hinges on a Handful of Races", The New York Times, November 4, 2001. Accessed July 4, 2010.
^ abStaff. "THE 2001 ELECTIONS; RESULTS -- The Races for New Jersey", The New York Times, November 8, 2001. Accessed June 23, 2010.
^Manual of the Legislature of New Jersey - Two Hundred and Eleventh Legislature (First Session)(PDF). Skinder-Strauss Associates. 2004. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
^Goldberg, Dave (November 29, 2001). "Himelman appointed to Sinagra's Senate post Ex-North Brunswick attorney one of three considered". North/South Brunswick Sentinel. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
^Caiazza, Tom. "Barnes III assumes father's Assembly seat: Barnes Jr. confirmed by state Senate as chair of Parole Board" Archived 2011-07-11 at archive.today, Brick Township Bulletin, March 21, 2007. Accessed July 4, 2010.
^"New Jersey Governor - 2013 Election". The New York Times. New York. November 6, 2013. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
^"New Jersey Ballot Measures and State Legislature - 2013 Election Results". The New York Times. New York. November 6, 2013. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 6, 2013.
^Harris, Vashti (November 24, 2020). "Democratic Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin wins county clerk election". Cranbury Press. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
^"Virtual Convention to Fill Vacancy in 18th Legislative District". Middlesex County Democratic Organization. Retrieved January 8, 2021.
^Loyer, Susan (January 13, 2021). "East Brunswick Councilman Sterley Stanley wins NJ Assembly seat". myCentralJersey.com. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
^Berzok, Maureen (January 28, 2021). "Sterley Stanley Sworn In as New Jersey Assembly Legislator from District 18". TAPinto. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
^"NJ Election Information and Results Archive". Secretary of State of New Jersey. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
^Staff. "Vote Totals for the Elections Held on Tuesday in New York and New Jersey", The New York Times, November 9, 1989. Accessed June 23, 2010.
^Sullivan, Joseph F. "THE 1993 ELECTIONS: New Jersey Legislature; Cut Taxes 30 Percent? Whitman's Top Statehouse Allies Say Not So Fast", The New York Times, November 4, 1993. Accessed June 23, 2010.
^Staff. "THE 1997 ELECTIONS: RESULTS; The Races for the New Jersey Assembly", The New York Times, November 5, 1997. Accessed June 23, 2010.
^Kocieniewski, David. "THE 1999 ELECTIONS: NEW JERSEY ASSEMBLY; Democrats Win Seats in Three Districts, Narrowing Republicans' Majority", The New York Times, November 3, 1999. Accessed June 23, 2010.
^Kocieniewski, David. "THE 2003 ELECTION: THE STATEHOUSE; Democrats Seize Senate And Widen Assembly Gap", The New York Times, November 5, 2003. Accessed June 23, 2010.
^Staff. "2009 Election Results" Archived 2010-02-13 at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times, November 9, 2009. Accessed July 1, 2010.
^ abOfficial List; Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/05/2013 Election Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine, New Jersey Department of State, December 4, 2013. Accessed January 30, 2014.
^"Official List, Candidates for State Senate For GENERAL ELECTION 11/02/2021 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
^"Official List, Candidates for State Senate For GENERAL ELECTION 11/07/2017 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 29, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
^"Official List, Candidates for State Senate for GENERAL ELECTION 11/08/2016 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidates for State Senate for GENERAL ELECTION 11/05/2013 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidate Returns for State Senate for November 2011 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 10, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidate Returns for State Senate for November 2007 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 10, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidate Returns for State Senate for November 2003 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidate Returns for State Senate for November 2001 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official Results, General Election Returns for the Office of State Senate for Election Held November 4, 1997" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^ ab"Official List, General Election Returns for the Office of Senate and Assembly for Election Held November 2, 1993" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^ ab"Official Results, General Election, November 5, 1991" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^ ab"Candidates for the Offices of State Senate and General Assembly" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^ ab"Candidates for the Offices of State Senate and General Assembly" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^ ab"Candidates for the Offices of State Senate and General Assembly" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^ ab"Results of the General Election Held November 8, 1977" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^ ab"Results of the General Election Held November 6, 1973" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/02/2021 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
^"Official List, Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/05/2019 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. December 2, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
^"Official List, Candidates for General Assembly For GENERAL ELECTION 11/07/2017 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. November 29, 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 5, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
^"Official List, Candidates for General Assembly for GENERAL ELECTION 11/08/2016 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidates for General Assembly for GENERAL ELECTION 11/03/2015 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidate Returns for General Assembly for November 2011 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidate Returns for General Assembly for November 2009 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 30, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidate Returns for General Assembly for November 2007 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidate Returns for General Assembly for November 2005 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidate Returns for General Assembly 12-02-2003 for November 2003 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidate Returns for General Assembly for November 2001 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 9, 2015. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official List, Candidate Returns for General Assembly 01-11-2010 for November 1999 General Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official Results, General Election Returns for the Office of State Assembly for Election Held November 4, 1997" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Official List, General Election Results for the Office of General Assembly for Election Held November 7, 1995" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"NJ General Assembly 18". Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
^"Official List, General Election Results for the Office of General Assembly to Fill Unexpired Term for Election Held November 8, 1994" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Candidates for the Office of General Assembly" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Candidates for the Office of General Assembly" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 5, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Results of the General Election Held on November 6, 1979" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 28, 2017. Retrieved January 13, 2016.
^"Results of the General Election Held November 4, 1975" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 3, 2016. Retrieved January 13, 2016.