1985 New Jersey General Assembly election
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All 80 seats in the New Jersey General Assembly 41 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Elections in New Jersey |
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The 1985 New Jersey General Assembly election was held on November 5, 1985.
The elections coincided with Governor Tom Kean's landslide re-election. The result was a historic victory for Kean's Republican Party, which gained 14 seats to retake the majority in the Assembly. As of 2024, this remains the only election since 1973 in which Republicans won any seats in the Senate or Assembly from Hudson County, where they carried four of six seats.
Incumbents not running for re-election
Democratic
- Thomas W. Long (District 20)
- Nicholas LaRocca (District 33)
Summary of races
Voters in each legislative district elect two members to the New Jersey General Assembly.
- ^ Colburn won a September 1984 special to complete the unexpired term of Assemblyman Robert J. Meyer, who died of a heart attack.
- ^ Shinn won a special election in February 1985 to complete the unexpired term of Assemblyman C. William Haines, who had been elevated to the Senate.
- ^ Rod was elected as a Republican in 1983, but switched parties on August 27, shortly before the election.
- ^ Perun switched parties on March 14.
- ^ Genova won a March 1985 special election to complete the unexpired term of Assemblyman Edward K. Gill, who died of heart disease.
- ^ Martin won a January 1985 special election to complete the unexpired term of Assemblyman Dean Gallo, who resigned to join the U.S. House of Representatives.
- ^ Randall won a March 1985 special election to complete the unexpired term of Assemblyman John W. Markert.
Incumbents not running for re-election • Summary of races • District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11 • District 12 • District 13 • District 14 • District 15 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 19 • District 20 • District 21 • District 22 • District 23 • District 24 • District 25 • District 26 • District 27 • District 28 • District 29 • District 30 • District 31 • District 32 • District 33 • District 34 • District 35 • District 36 • District 37 • District 38 • District 39 • District 40 |
District 1
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' |
District 2
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | J. Edward Kline | 32,092 | 34.1 | 5.6 | |
Republican | Dolores G. Cooper | 27,395 | 29.1 | 2.0 | |
Democratic | Joel Jacovitz | 19,899 | 21.2 | 1.0 | |
Democratic | Lillian E. Bryant | 14,634 | 15.6 | 4.8 | |
Total votes | '94,020' | '100.0' |
District 3
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jack Collins | 27,514 | 26.2 | 3.3 | |
Republican | Gary W. Stuhltrager | 27,032 | 25.7 | 3.5 | |
Democratic | Martin A. Herman | 25,699 | 24.5 | 3.7 | |
Democratic | Thomas A. Pankok | 24,796 | 23.6 | 3.1 | |
Total votes | '105,041' | '100.0' |
District 4
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Anthony S. Marsella | 23,162 | 27.3 | 3.4 | |
Democratic | Dennis L. Riley | 22,703 | 26.8 | 3.4 | |
Republican | Frank F. Senatore | 19,621 | 23.1 | 2.8 | |
Republican | William F. Thomson | 19,307 | 22.8 | 3.9 | |
Total votes | '84,793' | '100.0' |
District 5
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Francis J. Gorman | 22,828 | 30.9 | 2.8 | |
Democratic | Wayne R. Bryant | 22,691 | 30.7 | 3.6 | |
Republican | Charles E. Brimm | 14,514 | 19.6 | 3.3 | |
Republican | William M. Terrell | 13,872 | 18.8 | 3.2 | |
Total votes | '73,905' | '100.0' |
District 6
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John A. Rocco | 32,812 | 32.7 | 4.9 | |
Republican | Thomas J. Shusted | 31,679 | 31.6 | 3.9 | |
Democratic | Carl B. Viniar | 18,425 | 18.4 | 4.8 | |
Democratic | Harry Benn | 17,382 | 17.3 | 4.0 | |
Total votes | '100,298' | '100.0' |
District 7
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Barbara Faith Kalik | 26,452 | 29.4 | 1.3 | |
Democratic | Thomas P. Foy | 25,217 | 28.0 | 1.8 | |
Republican | Renee L. Borstad | 19,318 | 21.4 | 0.3 | |
Republican | Charles J. Ansert | 19,096 | 21.2 | 2.9 | |
Total votes | '90,083' | '100.0' |
District 8
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Harold L. Colburn, Jr. | 29,150 | 34.8 | 3.8 | |
Republican | Robert C. Shinn, Jr. | 29,085 | 34.7 | 3.2 | |
Democratic | Claire B. Cohen | 12,971 | 15.5 | 3.6 | |
Democratic | Harrison B. Slack | 12,285 | 14.7 | 3.7 | |
Socialist Labor | Bernardo S. Doganiero | 189 | 0.2 | N/A | |
Socialist Labor | Paul Ferguson | 170 | 0.2 | N/A | |
Total votes | '83,850' | '100.0' |
District 9
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John T. Hendrickson Jr. (incumbent) | 39,031 | 32.4 | 0.9 | |
Republican | Jeffrey Moran | 37,877 | 31.4 | 1.2 | |
Democratic | Jorge A. Rod (incumbent) | 23,470 | 19.5 | 0.4 (10.7) | |
Democratic | Warren E. Hickman | 19,420 | 16.1 | 2.2 | |
"Time for Change" | Paul David Hedrich | 708 | 0.6 | N/A | |
Total votes | '120,506' | '100.0' |
District 10
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | John Paul Doyle (incumbent) | 30,055 | 25.9 | 3.3 | |
Republican | Robert Singer | 29,621 | 25.5 | 1.9 | |
Republican | Roden S. Lightbody | 28,179 | 24.2 | 3.5 | |
Democratic | Marlene Lynch Ford (incumbent) | 28,159 | 24.2 | 1.5 | |
Libertarian | Wallace Gluck | 217 | 0.2 | N/A | |
Total votes | '116,231' | '100.0' |
District 11
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Joseph A. Palaia | 35,629 | 34.4 | 5.1 | |
Republican | Anthony M. “Doc” Villane | 35,291 | 34.1 | 4.9 | |
Democratic | Craig Alan Frankel | 16,298 | 15.8 | 5.0 | |
Democratic | Daniel P. Jacobson | 16,242 | 15.7 | 5.1 | |
Total votes | '103,460' | '100.0' |
District 12
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John O. Bennett | 33,205 | 32.5 | 2.6 | |
Republican | Marie Sheehan Muhler | 32,346 | 31.6 | 2.0 | |
Democratic | Donald M. Lomurro | 18,584 | 18.2 | 2.3 | |
Democratic | Michael L. Detzky | 18,129 | 17.7 | 2.3 | |
Total votes | '102,264' | '100.0' |
District 13
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Joseph Azzolina | 26,565 | 26.3 | 2.5 | |
Republican | Joann H. Smith | 25,970 | 25.7 | 4.1 | |
Democratic | William E. Flynn | 24,418 | 24.2 | 3.6 | |
Democratic | Jacqueline Walker | 24,058 | 23.8 | 3.0 | |
Total votes | '101,011' | '100.0' |
District 14
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joseph L. Bocchini, Jr. | 28,476 | 26.5 | 2.0 | |
Republican | John K. Rafferty | 27,960 | 26.1 | 3.8 | |
Democratic | Joseph D. Patero | 26,707 | 24.9 | 3.2 | |
Republican | Thomas Colitsas | 24,189 | 22.5 | 1.4 | |
Total votes | '107,332' | '100.0' |
District 15
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | John S. Watson | 25,173 | 28.2 | 3.0 | |
Democratic | Gerald S. Naples | 24,893 | 27.9 | 3.0 | |
Republican | Barbara Marrow | 19,818 | 22.2 | 3.0 | |
Republican | Mary Ann McKee | 19,413 | 21.7 | 3.0 | |
Total votes | '89,297' | '100.0' |
District 16
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Walter J. Kavanaugh | 37,577 | 38.9 | 4.5 | |
Republican | John S. Penn | 35,258 | 36.5 | 5.5 | |
Democratic | William R. Norris II | 11,884 | 12.3 | 4.8 | |
Democratic | Frank M. Reskin | 11,596 | 12.0 | 4.3 | |
Libertarian | Stephen Friedlander | 363 | 0.4 | 0.8 | |
Total votes | '96,678' | '100.0' |
District 17
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | David C. Schwartz | 21,174 | 28.1 | 4.4 | |
Democratic | Bob Smith | 19,556 | 26.0 | 6.1 | |
Republican | Angela L. Perun | 19,104 | 25.4 | 7.4 ( 6.7) | |
Republican | Francis J. Coury | 15,503 | 20.6 | 4.1 | |
Total votes | '75,337' | '100.0' |
District 18
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Thomas H. Paterniti | 30,169 | 26.7 | 1.8 | |
Democratic | Frank M. Pelly | 29,490 | 26.1 | 2.2 | |
Republican | S. Elliott Mayo | 27,101 | 24.0 | 2.1 | |
Republican | Michael Leibowitz | 26,280 | 23.2 | 1.9 | |
Total votes | 113,040 | 100.0 |
District 19
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | George J. Otlowski | 26,187 | 26.7 | 3.3 | |
Democratic | Alan J. Karcher | 24,803 | 25.3 | 2.8 | |
Republican | Emery Z. Toth | 23,673 | 24.1 | 2.8 | |
Republican | Robert De Santis | 23,544 | 24.0 | 3.4 | |
Total votes | '98,207' | '100.0' |
District 20
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Thomas J. Deverin | 19,892 | 25.5 | 9.4 | |
Democratic | George Hudak | 18,085 | 23.1 | 11.7 | |
Republican | Michael A. Posnock | 14,617 | 18.7 | 3.3 | |
Republican | Alice A. Holzapfel | 13,134 | 16.8 | 1.8 | |
Experienced-Competent-Courageous | Tom Dunn | 10,174 | 13.0 | N/A | |
"Inflation Fighting Housewife" | Rose Zeidwerg Monyek | 2,240 | 2.9 | N/A | |
Total votes | '78,142' | '100.0' |
District 21
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Chuck Hardwick | 36,474 | 32.9 | 5.9 | |
Republican | Peter J. Genova | 34,625 | 31.2 | 5.2 | |
Democratic | Andrew K. Ruotolo, Jr. | 20,526 | 18.5 | 5.3 | |
Democratic | Livio Mancino | 18,408 | 16.6 | 6.6 | |
Independent | Fred Palensar III | 818 | 0.7 | N/A | |
Total votes | '110,851' | '100.0' |
District 22
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Maureen Ogden | 39,939 | 36.1 | 2.4 | |
Republican | Bob Franks | 39,284 | 35.5 | 2.4 | |
Democratic | John F. Tully, Jr. | 15,729 | 14.2 | 2.6 | |
Democratic | Florence Martone | 15,650 | 14.1 | 2.2 | |
Total votes | '110,602' | '100.0' |
District 23
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Richard A. Zimmer | 34,051 | 44.0 | 9.4 | |
Republican | Karl Weidel | 32,587 | 42.1 | 7.8 | |
Democratic | Richard C. Allen | 10,774 | 13.9 | 3.3 | |
Total votes | '77,412' | '100.0' |
District 24
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Robert E. Littell | 30,616 | 37.3 | 1.3 | |
Republican | Garabed “Chuck” Haytaian | 29,094 | 35.4 | 0.7 | |
Democratic | Robert T. Davis | 12,806 | 15.6 | 0.4 | |
Democratic | John P. Kilroy, Jr. | 9,617 | 11.7 | 2.3 | |
Total votes | '82,133' | '100.0' |
District 25
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Rodney P. Frelinghuysen | 31,695 | 37.1 | 5.4 | |
Republican | Arthur R. Albohn | 29,043 | 34.0 | 4.6 | |
Democratic | Donald Cresitello | 12,652 | 14.8 | 4.9 | |
Democratic | Carl A. Mottey | 11,955 | 14.0 | 5.2 | |
Total votes | 85,345 | 100.0 |
District 26
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Robert J. Martin | 31,943 | 37.6 | 1.4 | |
Republican | Ralph A. Loveys | 31,898 | 37.5 | 4.7 | |
Democratic | Claude C. Post | 10,697 | 12.6 | 3.0 | |
Democratic | Joseph V. Vender | 10,425 | 12.3 | 3.1 | |
Total votes | '84,963' | '100.0' |
District 27
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Harry A. McEnroe | 20,780 | 31.5 | 5.4 | |
Democratic | Mildred Barry Garvin | 20,680 | 31.3 | 5.1 | |
Republican | Jean Brozyna | 12,345 | 18.7 | 4.9 | |
Republican | Chandler Dennis | 12,167 | 18.4 | 5.4 | |
Total votes | '65,972' | '100.0' |
District 28
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Michael F. Adubato | 12,495 | 30.4 | 4.1 | |
Democratic | James Zangari | 12,092 | 29.4 | 3.0 | |
Republican | Joe Imperiale | 8,604 | 20.9 | 8.3 | |
Republican | Jose Linares | 7,896 | 19.2 | 8.5 | |
Total votes | '41,087' | '100.0' |
District 29
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Willie B. Brown | 12,736 | 35.2 | 7.1 | |
Democratic | Eugene H. Thompson | 12,224 | 33.7 | 7.9 | |
Republican | Della Moses Walker | 5,852 | 16.2 | 7.6 | |
Republican | Kurt A. Culbreath | 5,420 | 15.0 | 7.5 | |
Total votes | '36,232' | '100.0' |
District 30
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | John V. Kelly | 30,820 | 28.3 | 3.1 | |
Republican | Marion Crecco | 28,268 | 26.0 | 8.4 | |
Democratic | Stephen N. Adubato, Jr. | 25,505 | 23.4 | 3.2 | |
Democratic | Buddy Fortunato | 24,290 | 22.3 | 6.0 | |
Total votes | '108,883' | '100.0' |
District 31
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Joseph V. Doria, Jr. | 25,613 | 31.8 | 8.6 | |
Democratic | Joseph Charles, Jr. | 24,612 | 30.6 | 8.8 | |
Republican | Nat S. Amadeo | 15,380 | 19.1 | 9.1 | |
Republican | Bruce M. Shipitofsky | 14,942 | 18.6 | 9.5 | |
Total votes | 80,547 | 100.0 |
District 32
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Frank J. Gargiulo | 25,179 | 27.1 | 10.4 | |
Republican | Charles J. Catrillo | 24,798 | 26.7 | 10.4 | |
Democratic | Paul Cuprowski | 21,018 | 22.7 | 9.4 | |
Democratic | Anthony P. Vainieri | 19,977 | 21.5 | 10.0 | |
Politicians Are Crooks | Edith M. Shaw | 896 | 1.0 | 0.8 | |
Politicians Are Crooks | Herbert H. Shaw | 877 | 0.9 | 0.7 | |
Total votes | '92,745' | '100.0' |
District 33
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Ronald A. Dario | 20,422 | 27.9 | 10.0 | |
Republican | Jose O. Arango | 19,748 | 26.9 | 9.7 | |
Democratic | Robert A. Ranieri | 17,443 | 23.8 | 8.9 | |
Democratic | Mario R. Hernandez | 15,671 | 21.4 | 10.8 | |
Total votes | '73,284' | '100.0' |
District 34
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Gerald H. Zecker | 32,025 | 32.3 | 6.1 | |
Republican | Newton E. Miller | 31,791 | 32.1 | 5.4 | |
Democratic | Joseph F. Palumbo | 17,784 | 18.0 | 5.5 | |
Democratic | Elisa Leib | 17,411 | 17.6 | 4.1 | |
Total votes | '99,011' | '100.0' |
District 35
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | John A. Girgenti | 18,634 | 30.2 | 7.4 | |
Democratic | Vincent “Ozzie” Pellecchia | 16,204 | 26.3 | 8.8 | |
Republican | Walter W. Porter, Jr. | 13,538 | 21.9 | 8.0 | |
Republican | Kenneth Van Rye | 13,352 | 21.6 | 8.2 | |
Total votes | '61,728' | '100.0' |
District 36
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Kathleen A. Donovan | 24,775 | 27.4 | 7.4 | |
Republican | Paul DiGaetano | 24,555 | 27.2 | 7.5 | |
Democratic | Robert P. Hollenbeck | 21,295 | 23.6 | 7.5 | |
Democratic | Richard F. Visotcky | 19,764 | 21.9 | 7.2 | |
Total votes | '90,389' | '100.0' |
District 37
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | D. Bennett Mazur | 27,376 | 27.0 | 3.9 | |
Democratic | Byron Baer | 27,335 | 26.9 | 4.5 | |
Republican | Nicholas Corbiscello | 24,300 | 23.9 | 5.0 | |
Republican | Martin Katz | 22,453 | 22.1 | 3.4 | |
Total votes | '101,464' | '100.0' |
District 38
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | William P. Schuber | 29,606 | 30.8 | 3.9 | |
Republican | Louis F. Kosco | 29,096 | 30.2 | 3.1 | |
Democratic | Thomas K. Hynes | 19,033 | 19.8 | 3.9 | |
Democratic | David S. Turetsky | 18,190 | 18.9 | 3.5 | |
Libertarian | Richard Kraus | 313 | 0.3 | N/A | |
Total votes | '96,238' | '100.0' |
District 39
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Elizabeth E. Randall | 35,172 | 33.3 | 4.4 | |
Republican | John E. Rooney | 33,358 | 31.6 | 2.9 | |
Democratic | Joseph A. Ferriero | 18,714 | 17.7 | 4.2 | |
Democratic | Fay Yeager | 18,257 | 17.3 | 3.2 | |
Total votes | 105,501 | 100.0 |
District 40
General election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Walter M. D. Kern, Jr. | 36,476 | 35.9 | 1.3 | |
Republican | Nicholas R. Felice | 36,369 | 35.8 | 1.9 | |
Democratic | Judy Miller | 14,590 | 14.4 | 1.6 | |
Democratic | Carmine J. Cicchino | 14,050 | 13.8 | 1.7 | |
Total votes | '101,485' | '100.0' |