JERSEY SHORE – Legislative districts were redrawn – and some might say gerrymandered – for the next ten years. What does this mean for you?
Every ten years, congressional maps are redrawn. The new ones coincided with the 2020 census data that came in. The state districts have already changed but the federal ones will change in January of 2023.
This article just focuses on the Ocean and Monmouth county towns. The Second, Third and Fourth Congressional Districts are in the coverage area of the newspapers under the Jersey Shore Online banner.
Gerrymandering is the process of drawing congressional districts based on how they vote. Ocean County – especially the southern end – is very conservative in how they vote. Those areas were given to two Republicans while the only local Democrat in the area was moved out of the county. Essentially all three were given safer districts.
Federal Representative
Each town has one federal Representative. This is your person in the 435-member House of Representatives. Whereas New Jersey just has two members of Congress (Cory Booker and Bob Menendez), they have 12 members of the House. Congress and the House make up the legislative branch of our government.
These changes will go into effect in January of 2023.
District 2 is currently helmed by Republican Jeff Van Drew. It always contained the southernmost towns of Ocean County. But next year it will have even more towns. It will contain Barnegat, Barnegat Light, Beach Haven, Berkeley (parts), Eagleswood, Harvey Cedars, Lacey (parts), Little Egg Harbor, Long Beach Township, Ocean Township (Waretown), Ship Bottom, Stafford, Surf City, and Tuckerton.
Van Drew won as a Democrat but switched parties, showing that the 2nd District was competitive. After adding more Ocean County towns, it should be safer for Republicans.
District 3 is currently helmed by Democrat Andy Kim. It has Brick and Toms River. Come January 2023, none of Ocean County will be in District 3. Locally, it will just have these towns in Monmouth County: Allentown, Englishtown, Freehold Township (part) and Borough, Holmdel, Manalapan, Marlboro, Millstone, Roosevelt and Upper Freehold.
This used to be ranked as one of the most competitive districts in the country. After this redistricting, it will be safer for Democrats.
District 4 is currently helmed by Republican Chris Smith. He currently has Lakewood and Jackson – just the top of Ocean County. In January, that district will have Bay Head, Beachwood, parts of Berkeley, Brick, Island Heights, Jackson, Lacey (parts), Lakehurst, Lakewood, Lavallette, Manchester, Mantoloking, Ocean Gate, Pine Beach, Plumsted, Point Pleasant, Point Pleasant Beach, Seaside Heights, Seaside Park, South Toms River and Toms River.
In Monmouth, it has Avon-by-the-Sea, Belmar, Brielle, Colts Neck, Eatontown, Farmingdale, Freehold Township (part), Howell, Lake Como, Manasquan, Middletown, Ocean Township (Monmouth County), Sea Girt, Shrewsbury, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Tinton Falls, and Wall.
This district has been safe for Smith, who has decades in office. By adding more Ocean County towns, it will be even safer for Republicans.
State Districts
Each town also has one senator and two members of the assembly that are sent to Trenton to draft laws just for the state. All of the local state representatives are Republicans. These changes went into effect on March 1.
The 9th District has Senator Chris Connors, and Assembly members Brian Rumpf and DiAnne Gove. It contains: Barnegat Light; Barnegat Twp.; Beach Haven; Beachwood; Berkeley; Eagleswood; Harvey Cedars; Lacey; Little Egg Harbor; Long Beach; Ocean Gate; Ocean Twp. (Waretown); Pine Beach; Seaside Park; Ship Bottom; South Toms River; Stafford; Surf City; and Tuckerton.
The 10th District has Senator James Holzapfel, and Assemblymen Gregory McGuckin and John Catalano. It contains: Bay Head; Brick; Island Heights; Lakehurst; Lavallette; Manchester; Mantoloking; Pt. Pleasant Beach; Seaside Heights; and Toms River.
The 12th District has Senator Samuel Thompson and Assemblymen Ron Dancer and Robert Clifton. Locally, it just has Jackson and Plumsted.
The 30th District has Senator Bob Singer and Assemblymen Sean Kean and Edward Thomson. It contains: Avon-by-the-Sea; Belmar; Bradley Beach; Brielle; Farmingdale; Howell; Lake Como; Lakewood; Manasquan; Point Pleasant; Sea Girt; Spring Lake; Spring Lake Heights; and Wall.
Berkeley Area And Lacey
Berkeley Township will be split between two Congressional districts – 2 and 4, making things a bit confusing for residents. Neighboring Lacey was also split.
On the federal side, most of the Berkeley neighborhoods that went into the 4th District were the senior communities off Route 37. Bayville will be in the 2nd district.
Lacey will almost be entirely in the 4th District, except a puzzle cut-out for the 2nd District.
Your state representative will continue to be the 9th District.
While Beachwood, Ocean Gate, and Pine Beach will also continue to be in the 9th District, South Toms River will be in the 10th District.
South Toms River has a larger percentage of minorities living there than its neighbors, except for the Manitou Park section of Berkeley. These two areas have historically been gerrymandered away from each other to make sure that Black people don’t have too much of a voting block.
Brick And Toms River
These large towns used to be part of the 3rd District, but they will be in the 4th District starting in January.
Their state district has not changed. It will still be the 10th District.
Manchester And Jackson
No changes have been made in this area. You will continue to have Chris Smith as your 4th District Representative.
Manchester will still have Senator Jim Holzapfel (R-10th) as your state representative and Jackson residents will still have Senator Sam Thompson (R-12th) as your state representative.
