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| New Jersey State Senate District 5 | ||
| Current incumbent | Nilsa Cruz-Perez  | |
| Population | 210,162 | |
| Race | 57.6% White, 24.6% Black, 0.42% American Indian or Alaskan Native, 2.81% Asian, 0.05% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 11.79% Some other race alone, 2.80% Two or More Races | |
| Ethnicity | 78.3% Not Hispanic or Latino (of any race), 21.7% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | |
| Voting age | 74.6% age 18 and over | |
New Jersey's fifth state senate district is represented by Democratic Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez.
As of the 2010 census, a total of 210,162 civilians reside within New Jersey's fifth state senate district. New Jersey state senators represent an average of 219,797 residents, as of the 2010 Census. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 210,359 residents.
Members of the New Jersey State Senate serve four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Known as the "2-4-4" cycle, Senators serve four-year terms, except in the first term of a new decade, which only lasts for two years. New Jersey legislators assume office at noon of the second Tuesday in January following the election.
Senators must be 30 years of age or older, have lived in the state for a minimum of four years, and have lived in the district they represent.
| State legislators | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $49,000/year | No per diem is paid. |
There are two ways to fill an vacancy in the senate. If the vacancy happens in legislative session, a special election must be called within 51 days of the vacancy. All other vacancies must be filled by the county leadership of the political party that holds the seat.
This district is one of 710 state legislative districts that intersects with one or more Pivot Counties. These 206 Pivot Counties voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012.
The 206 Pivot Counties are located in 34 states. Iowa, with 31, had the most such counties. The partisan makeup of state legislative districts intersecting with Pivot Counties is slightly more Republican than the overall partisan makeup of state legislatures throughout the country.
New Jersey State Senate, District 5 General Election, 2017
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic |  Nilsa Cruz-Perez Incumbent |
66.06% | 29,031 | |
| Republican | Keith Walker | 32.91% | 14,463 | |
| Challenge Promise Fix | Mohammad Kabir | 1.03% | 454 | |
| Total Votes | 43,948 | |||
| Source: New Jersey Department of State | ||||
Incumbent Nilsa Cruz-Perez was unopposed in the Democratic primary and was unchallenged in the general election. Keith Walker (R) was not listed on the official candidate list for the June 2 primary.
Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D) was appointed to the seat on December 15, 2014, to replace Donald Norcross (D), who resigned after he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. A special election was held to determine who would complete the final two years of Norcross' term.
A special election for the position of New Jersey State Senate District 5 was called for November 3. A primary election took place on June 2. The filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 30, 2015.
Elections for the office of New Jersey State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 4, 2013, and a general election on November 5, 2013. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was April 1, 2013. Incumbent Donald Norcross (D) defeated Keith Walker (R) in the general election. Both candidates were unopposed in the June 4 primary elections.
New Jersey State Senate, District 5 General Election, 2013
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Donald Norcross Incumbent |
57.9% | 25,383 | |
| Republican | Keith Walker | 42.1% | 18,448 | |
| Total Votes | 43,831 | |||
Elections for the office of New Jersey State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 7, 2011, and a general election on November 8, 2011. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was April 11, 2011. Incumbent Donald Norcross (D) defeated Keith Walker (R) in the general election. Norcross was unopposed in the Democratic primary, and Walker defeated George Gallenthin, III in the Republican primary to advance to the general election.
New Jersey State Senate District 5 General Election, 2011
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Donald Norcross Incumbent |
56.8% | 17,712 | |
| Republican | Keith Walker | 43.2% | 13,444 | |
| Total Votes | 31,156 | |||
New Jersey State Senate District 5 Republican Primary, 2011
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Keith Walker |
79.8% | 1,539 |
| George A. Gallenthin | 20.2% | 389 |
| Total Votes | 1,928 | |
From 2001 to 2011, candidates for New Jersey State Senate District 5 raised a total of $1,940,554. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $194,055 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.
Campaign contributions, New Jersey State Senate District 5
| Year | Amount | Candidates | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | $1,021,818 | 3 | $340,606 |
| 2007 | $141,862 | 2 | $70,931 |
| 2003 | $501,157 | 3 | $167,052 |
| 2001 | $275,717 | 2 | $137,859 |
| Total | $1,940,554 | 10 | $194,055 |
