New Jersey's 1St Legislative District

As of the 2020 United States census, the district had a population of 216,124, of whom 173,507 (80.3%) were of voting age. The racial makeup of the district was 148,837 (68.9%) White, 23,585 (10.9%) African American, 1,536 (0.7%) Native American, 2,710 (1.3%) Asian, 42 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 18,897 (8.7%) from some other race, and 20,517 (9.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 42,561 (19.7%) of the population.

The district had 162,425 registered voters as of December 1, 2023^[update], of whom 58,060 (35.7%) were registered as unaffiliated, 53,502 (32.9%) were registered as Republicans, 48,219 (29.7%) were registered as Democrats, and 2,644 (1.6%) were registered to other parties.

For the 2024-2025 session, the 1st legislative district of the New Jersey Legislature is represented in the State Senate by Mike Testa (R, Vineland) and in the General Assembly by Antwan McClellan (R, Ocean City) and Erik K. Simonsen (R, Lower Township).

It is entirely located within New Jersey's 2nd congressional district.

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 1st district encompassed the entirety of Atlantic, Cape May, and Gloucester counties in the 1965–1967 Senate session (two Senators elected), and Cape May and Cumberland counties in the Senate and Assembly sessions from 1967 through 1973 (one Senator and two Assembly members elected).

In the 1965-1967 Senate session, Republicans John E. Hunt and Frank S. Farley were elected though one seat of the two would become vacant upon Hunt's election to the House of Representatives. In the following two Senate sessions, Republican Robert E. Kay was elected in 1967 for a four-year term followed by Republican James Cafiero for a two-year term in 1971.

For the two-year assembly sessions from 1967 until 1973, Republicans held both seats for the three assembly elections during this period, with Cafiero and James R. Hurley winning in the 1967 and 1969 elections, and Hurley and Joseph W. Chinnici winning in 1971.

For the first iteration of the 1st district implemented under the 40 equal districts plan, the district once again encompassed all of Cape May and Cumberland counties. For the sessions following the 1980 census, the 1st included all of Cape May, but only included the Cumberland County cities of Bridgeton, Millville, and Vineland, and the townships of Deerfield, Maurice River, and Upper Deerfield. The 1991 iteration of the 1st included all of Cape May, only Maurice River Township, Millville, and Vineland in Cumberland, and added Buena and Buena Vista Township in Atlantic County. With the exception of adding Atlantic County's Somers Point, the 2001 iteration of the 1st remained the same as the 1991 district. The 2021 apportionment added Bridgeton, and removed Greenwich Township, Hopewell Township, Shiloh and Stow Creek Township.

Notes:

Senate

2021 New Jersey general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Michael Testa	42,438	64.6	11.2
	Democratic	Yolanda E. Garcia Balicki	23,269	35.4	11.2
Total votes			65,707	100.0

Special election, November 5, 2019

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Mike Testa	27,928	53.4	19.4
	Democratic	Bob Andrzejczak	24,343	46.6	18.2
Total votes			52,271	100.0

New Jersey general election, 2017

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Jeff Van Drew	35,464	64.8	5.4
	Republican	Mary Gruccio	18,589	34.0	5.2
	Cannot Be Bought	Anthony Parisi Sanchez	652	1.2	N/A
Total votes			54,705	100.0

New Jersey general election, 2013

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Jeff Van Drew	34,624	59.4	5.3
	Republican	Susan Adelizzi Schmidt	22,835	39.2	6.7
	Independence For All	Tom Greto	825	1.4	N/A
Total votes			58,284	100.0

2007 New Jersey general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Jeff Van Drew	28,240	55.7	N/A
	Republican	Nicholas Asselta	22,469	44.3	36.6
Total votes			50,709	100.0

2003 New Jersey general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Nicholas Asselta	31,112	80.9	30.5
	HealthCare For All	Steven Fenichel	5,986	15.6	N/A
	English Language Only	George Cecola	1,341	3.5	N/A
Total votes			38,439	100.0

1997 New Jersey general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	James S. Cafiero	35,573	60.8	1.2
	Democratic	John Rauh	21,340	36.5	0.0
	Conservative	Geraldine Caiafa	1,579	2.7	N/A
Total votes			58,492	100.0

1993 New Jersey general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	James S. Cafiero	36,420	62.0	0.0
	Democratic	John Spahn	21,446	36.5	1.5
	Libertarian	Joseph T. Ponczek	957	1.6	N/A
Total votes			58,823	100.0

Special election, 1990

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	James S. Cafiero	33,812	57.6	4.2
	Democratic	Edward H. Salmon	24,925	42.4	4.2
Total votes			58,737	100.0

1987 New Jersey general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	James R. Hurley	29,272	53.4	6.4
	Democratic	Donald H. Rainear	25,512	46.6	6.4
Total votes			54,784	100.0

1983 New Jersey general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	James R. Hurley	30,141	59.8	6.0
	Democratic	Christopher H. Riley	20,232	40.2	6.0
Total votes			50,373	100.0

1977 New Jersey general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	James S. Cafiero	35,416	62.0	3.7
	Democratic	Frank Kneiser	21,702	38.0	3.7
Total votes			57,118	100.0

General Assembly

2021 New Jersey general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Erik Simonsen	40,803	31.6	4.5
	Republican	Antwan McClellan	40,405	31.3	5.2
	Democratic	John P. Capizola Jr.	23,818	18.5	5.1
	Democratic	Julia L. Hankerson	23,055	17.9	5.2
	Libertarian	Michael Gallo	589	0.5	N/A
	Libertarian	Jacob Selwood	399	0.3	N/A
Total votes			129,069	100.0

2019 New Jersey general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Erik Simonsen	27,304	27.1	7.5
	Republican	Antwan McClellan	26,264	26.1	6.7
	Democratic	R. Bruce Land	23,778	23.6	6.1
	Democratic	Matthew W. Milam	23,234	23.1	8.1
Total votes			100,580	100.0

New Jersey general election, 2017

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bob Andrzejczak	32,554	31.2	3.3
	Democratic	R. Bruce Land	30,938	29.7	3.3
	Republican	James R. Sauro	20,445	19.6	3.0
	Republican	Robert G. Campbell	20,250	19.4	3.8
Total votes			104,187	100.0

New Jersey general election, 2015

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bob Andrzejczak	20,231	27.9	0.7
	Democratic	R. Bruce Land	19,140	26.4	2.2
	Republican	Sam Fiocchi	16,818	23.2	1.8
	Republican	Jim Sauro	16,395	22.6	0.9
Total votes			72,584	100.0

New Jersey general election, 2013

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Bob Andrzejczak	29,958	27.2	2.2
	Republican	Sam Fiocchi	27,539	25.0	1.2
	Democratic	Nelson Albano	26,611	24.2	3.7
	Republican	Kristine Gabor	25,903	23.5	0.1
Total votes			110,011	100.0

New Jersey general election, 2009

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Nelson Albano	32,375	27.7	1.1
	Democratic	Matthew Milam	29,810	25.6	0.3
	Republican	Michael J. Donohue	27,705	23.7	0.5
	Republican	John A. McCann	26,778	23.0	0.4
Total votes			116,668	100.0

New Jersey general election, 2007

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Nelson Albano	27,721	28.8	0.7
	Democratic	Matthew Milam	24,422	25.3	10.5
	Republican	Michael J. Donohue	22,402	23.2	1.3
	Republican	R. Norris Clark Jr.	21,820	22.6	8.5
Total votes			96,365	100.0

New Jersey general election, 2005

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Jeff Van Drew	41,381	35.8	9.3
	Democratic	Nelson Albano	32,500	28.1	7.4
	Republican	John C. Gibson	25,324	21.9	3.7
	Republican	George Cecola	16,338	14.1	10.2
Total votes			115,593	100.0

New Jersey general election, 2003

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Jeff Van Drew	25,080	26.5	0.2
	Republican	John C. Gibson	24,187	25.6	0.3
	Republican	Andrew J. McCrosson, Jr.	22,927	24.3	5.3
	Democratic	Maria LaBoy	19,524	20.7	1.9
	Green	Mary A. Snyder	1,193	1.3	N/A
	Green	Carly R. Massey	835	0.9	N/A
	Socialist	Costantino Rozzo	768	0.8	N/A
Total votes			94,514	100.0

New Jersey general election, 1999

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Nicholas Asselta	28,096	35.2	8.2
	Republican	John C. Gibson	26,763	33.5	7.9
	Democratic	Mary D'Arcy Bittner	12,146	15.2	10.3
	Democratic	Maria A. Laboy	11,834	14.8	3.1
	Conservative	Geraldine Caiafa	976	1.2	0.1
Total votes			79,815	100.0

New Jersey general election, 1997

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	John C. Gibson	32,699	27.6	1.6
	Republican	Nicholas Asselta	32,032	27.0	1.3
	Democratic	Jeff Van Drew	30,221	25.5	2.3
	Democratic	Rob O'Donnell	21,278	17.9	3.9
	Conservative	Rosemary Garrison	1,325	1.1	N/A
	Conservative	Marie Pellecchia	1,127	0.9	N/A
Total votes			118,682	100.0

New Jersey general election, 1995

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	John C. Gibson	24,512	29.2	1.3
	Republican	Nicholas Asselta	21,588	25.7	5.5
	Democratic	Louis N. Magazzu	19,441	23.2	2.9
	Democratic	John R. Rauh	18,302	21.8	1.9
Total votes			83,843	100.0

New Jersey general election, 1993

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Frank A. LoBiondo	36,941	31.2	0.5
	Republican	John C. Gibson	32,959	27.9	0.2
	Democratic	Ronald J. Casella	23,983	20.3	0.3
	Democratic	Bruce M. Gorman	23,493	19.9	0.3
	Libertarian	Scott L. Derby	959	0.8	N/A
Total votes			118,335	100.0

1989 New Jersey general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Edward H. Salmon	35,715	28.4	2.5
	Republican	Frank A. LoBiondo	32,600	25.9	1.0
	Democratic	Raymond A. Batten	31,193	24.8	1.2
	Republican	Martin L. Pagliughi	26,440	21.0	2.6
Total votes			125,948	100.0

1987 New Jersey general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Frank A. LoBiondo	28,638	26.9	6.8
	Democratic	Edward H. Salmon	27,561	25.9	9.4
	Republican	Gerald M. Thornton	25,182	23.6	8.5
	Democratic	Raymond A. Batten	25,166	23.6	5.8
Total votes			106,547	100.0

1985 New Jersey general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Joseph W. Chinnici	35,610	33.7	5.5
	Republican	Guy F. Muziani	33,978	32.1	6.0
	Democratic	Raymond A. Batten	18,794	17.8	8.0
	Democratic	Peter L. Amico	17,407	16.5	3.4
Total votes			105,789	100.0

New Jersey general election, 1983

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	Joseph W. Chinnici	28,111	28.2	1.1
	Republican	Guy F. Muziani	25,998	26.1	0.7
	Democratic	Edward H. Salmon	25,790	25.8	2.2
	Democratic	Jeanne L. Gorman	19,890	19.9	1.8
Total votes			99,789	100.0

New Jersey general election, 1979

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	James R. Hurley	31,196	31.8	0.5
	Republican	Joseph W. Chinnici	28,209	28.8	0.0
	Democratic	Randy Wilhelm	20,034	20.5	0.8
	Democratic	Jerry G. Livingston	18,520	18.9	0.4
Total votes			97,959	100.0

New Jersey general election, 1977

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	James R. Hurley	35,993	31.3	1.0
	Republican	Joseph W. Chinnici	33,104	28.8	0.6
	Democratic	James J. Seeley	22,606	19.7	0.9
	Democratic	Jeffrey A. April	22,146	19.3	0.4
	Independent	John Phillips	1,175	1.0	N/A
Total votes			115,024	100.0

New Jersey general election, 1975

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	James R. Hurley	33,213	30.3	0.8
	Republican	Joseph W. Chinnici	32,230	29.4	0.2
	Democratic	Henry R. Ricci	22,570	20.6	0.3
	Democratic	Gary E. Greenblatt	21,653	19.7	0.3
Total votes			109,666	100.0

Senate

General Assembly