Shirley K. Turner
President pro tempore of the New Jersey Senate
Assumed office
January 9, 2024
Preceded bySandra Bolden Cunningham
In office
January 8, 2002 – January 12, 2010
Co-Presidency with Joseph A. Palaia until
January 13, 2004
Preceded byJoseph A. Palaia
Succeeded byNia Gill
Member of the New Jersey Senate
from the 15th district
Assumed office
January 13, 1998
Preceded byDick LaRossa
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 15th District district
In office
January 11, 1994 – January 13, 1998
Preceded byJohn W. Hartmann
John S. Watson
Succeeded byBonnie Watson Coleman
Personal details
Born (1941-07-03) July 3, 1941
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseDonald Turner
ResidenceLawrenceville, New Jersey
Alma materB.A. The College of New Jersey (Education)
M.A. Rider University (Guidance and Counseling)
OccupationAssociate Director of Career Services, Rider University
WebsiteLegislative web page

Shirley Kersey Turner (born July 3, 1941) is an American Democratic Party politician, who has been serving in the New Jersey State Senate since 1998, where she represents the 15th Legislative District.

Early life

Turner was born in Dover, New Jersey and graduated from Dover High School in 1960.[1] She received a B.A. from Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) in Education and an M.A. from Rider College in Guidance and Counseling, and has done postgraduate work in education at Rutgers University.[2]

Turner resides in the Lawrenceville section of Lawrence Township.[3] Before entering state politics, Senator Turner served on the Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders from 1983 to 1986, where she served as Freeholder Vice President.[2] Before being elected to the State Senate, Turner served in New Jersey's lower house, the General Assembly, from 1994 to 1998.[2]

New Jersey Senate

In the 1997 general election, Turner defeated incumbent Republican Dick LaRossa, making him the only Republican Senator to lose his seat.[4] Turner was Senate President Pro Tempore, a position which she has held since 2004 to 2010. She serves in the Senate on the Education Committee (as Chair) and as a member of the Budget and Appropriations Committee.[2] In a 2010 vote on same sex marriage, Turner was one of six Democrats to vote against the bill to legalize it. However, in a 2012 vote on a similar bill, she supported the measure (which would be vetoed by Governor Chris Christie).[5]

Committees

Committee assignments for the current session are:[2]

  • Education, Vice-Chair
  • Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity
  • Economic Growth
  • State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation

District 15

Each of the 40 districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly.[6] The representatives from the 15th District for the 2022—23 Legislative Session are:[7]

Election history

Senate

New Jersey general election, 2017[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Shirley K. Turner 36,624 74.0 Increase 10.7
Republican Lee Eric Newton 12,839 26.0 Decrease 10.7
Total votes '49,463' '100.0'
New Jersey State Senate elections, 2013[9]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shirley Turner (incumbent) 30,250 63.3
Republican Donald J. Cox 17,507 36.7
Democratic hold
New Jersey State Senate elections, 2011[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shirley K. Turner (incumbent) 21,512 66.4
Republican Donald J. Cox 10,900 33.6
Democratic hold
New Jersey State Senate elections, 2007[11]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shirley K. Turner (incumbent) 20,100 62.8
Republican Bob Martin 11,924 37.2
Democratic hold
New Jersey general election, 2003[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Shirley K. Turner 24,053 67.4 Decrease 1.7
Republican Calvin O. Iszard 11,638 32.6 Increase 2.9
Total votes '35,691' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 2001[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shirley K. Turner 32,289 69.1
Republican Norbert E. Donelly 13,871 29.7
Libertarian Thomas D. Abrams 563 1.2
Total votes 46,723 100.0
New Jersey general election, 1997[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Shirley K. Turner 29,995 53.9 Increase 6.2
Republican Dick LaRossa 25,630 46.1 Decrease 6.2
Total votes '55,625' '100.0'

Assembly

New Jersey general election, 1995[15][16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Shirley K. Turner 20,681 28.2 Increase 2.5
Democratic Reed Gusciora 19,294 26.3 Increase 2.6
Republican Joe Constance 15,319 20.9 Decrease 2.6
Republican Gloria S. Teti 14,675 20.0 Increase 1.0
Conservative George E. Borchers 1,131 1.5 N/A
Libertarian Robert D. Figueroa 1,105 1.5 N/A
Conservative Beverly Kidder 1,029 1.4 N/A
Total votes '73,234' '100.0'
New Jersey general election, 1993[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Shirley K. Turner 25,759 25.7 Increase 4.4
Democratic Joseph Yuhas 23,714 23.7 Increase 4.2
Republican John Hartmann 23,495 23.5 Decrease 1.7
Republican Donald C. Addison, Jr. 19,062 19.0 Decrease 2.2
Independent Carl J. Mayer 6,531 6.5 N/A
For the People Tony Belardo 1,361 1.4 N/A
Constitutional Enforcer Clinton C. Barlow 235 0.2 N/A
Total votes '100,157' '100.0'

References

  1. ↑ Hall of Fame, Dover High School. Accessed March 21, 2022. "Senator Shirley (Kersey) Turner Class of 1960
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Senator Shirley K. Turner (D), New Jersey Legislature. Accessed April 27, 2022.
  3. ↑ Senator Shirley K. Turner, Project Vote Smart. Accessed October 22, 2007.
  4. ↑ via Associated Press. "Election '97 / Two Incumbents From Each Party Lose In Senate", The Press of Atlantic City, November 5, 1997. Accessed June 24, 2010.
  5. ↑ Duffy, Erin (February 19, 2012). "Turner flip-flops on gay marriage". The Times of Trenton. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  6. ↑ New Jersey State Constitution 1947 (Updated Through Amendments Adopted in November, 2020): Article IV, Section II, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022.
  7. ↑ Legislative Roster for District 15, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 11, 2022.
  8. ↑ "2017-official-general-election-results-state-senate.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Official List Candidates for State Senate For GENERAL ELECTION 11/05/2015 Election" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. December 4, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  10. ↑ Official List Candidate Returns for State Senate For November 2011 General Election, New Jersey Department of State, December 14, 2011, p. 15. Accessed February 4, 2012.
  11. ↑ Official List Candidate Returns for State Senate For November 2007 General Election, New Jersey Department of State, December 3, 2007, p. 15. Accessed February 4, 2012.
  12. ↑ "2003g_s_candidate_tally.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  13. ↑ "2001-general-elect-state-senate-tallies.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  14. ↑ "1997-general-election-results-state-senate.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Official List, General Election Results for the Office of General Assembly for Election Held November 7, 1995" (PDF). Secretary of State of New Jersey. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  16. ↑ "NJ General Assembly 15". Our Campaigns. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
  17. ↑ "1993-general-election-results-state-sen-gen-assembly.pdf" (PDF). New Jersey Secretary of State. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
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