Shirley Turner

For other people named Shirley Turner, see Shirley Turner (disambiguation).
Shirley K. Turner
Member of the New Jersey Senate
from the 15th Legislative District
Assumed office
January 13, 1998
Preceded by Dick LaRossa
President Pro Tempore of the New Jersey Senate
In office
January 13, 2004 – January 12, 2010
Succeeded by Nia Gill
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly
from the 15th Legislative District
In office
January 11, 1994 – January 13, 1998
Preceded by John W. Hartmann
John S. Watson
Succeeded by Bonnie Watson Coleman
Personal details
Born (1941-07-03) July 3, 1941
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Donald
Residence Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Alma mater B.A. The College of New Jersey (Education)
M.A. Rider University (Guidance and Counseling)
Occupation Associate Director of Career Services, Rider University
Website Legislative 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.

Political career

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.[1] Before being elected to the State Senate, Turner served in New Jersey's lower house, the General Assembly, from 1994 to 1998.[1] In the 1997 general election, Turner defeated incumbent Republican Dick LaRossa, making him the only Republican Senator to lose his seat.[2]

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.[1]

Turner 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. She is the Associate Director of Career Services at Rider University.[1] Turner was born in Dover, New Jersey and currently resides in the Lawrenceville section of Lawrence Township.[3]

She is African American and is a member of the NAACP.[3] 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).[4]

District 15

Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. The other representatives from the 15th district for the 2014-2015 Legislative Session are:[5]

Election History

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
New Jersey State Senate elections, 2013[6]
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[7]
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[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Shirley K. Turner (incumbent) 20,100 62.8
Republican Bob Martin 11,924 37.2
Democratic hold

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Senator Turner's legislative web page, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed April 23, 2008.
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. 1 2 Senator Shirley K. Turner, Project Vote Smart. Accessed October 22, 2007.
  4. ↑ Duffy, Erin (February 19, 2012). "Turner flip-flops on gay marriage". The Times of Trenton. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Legislative Roster 2014-2015 Session". New Jersey Legislature. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  6. ↑ "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.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ 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.
New Jersey Senate
Preceded by
Dick LaRossa		 Member of the New Jersey Senate for the 15th District
January 13, 1998 – present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
New Jersey General Assembly
Preceded by
John W. Hartmann
John S. Watson		 Member of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 15th District
January 11, 1994 – January 13, 1998
With: Joseph Yuhas, Reed Gusciora		 Succeeded by
Bonnie Watson Coleman
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