October
2002
Trenton's
split personality: Two congresspersons are better than one
By Bill Baroni
Special to the Downtowner
Something historic is about to happen in Trenton. For the first
time in modern history, the City of Trenton is about to elect
two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, a move that
puts Trenton with the largest cities in the state. Jersey City,
Elizabeth, and Newark are all represented by more than one House
member.
Since 1980, the entire City of Trenton ahs been represented by
Congressman Christopher Smith (R-Washington Township). Smith was
elected in an upset over then-Congressman Frank Thompson, who
had been indicted for the ABSCAM sting operation. Since then,
Smith has faced Democratic opposition in each election, and each
time Smith was defeated in Trenton, although by more and more
narrow margins as the years progressed.
Now, Trenton is split between the 4th District (currently represented
by Smith) and the 12th District (currently represented by Congressman
Rush Holt, D-Hopewell).
The story of how that came about is a story about politics and
the growing importance of the city of Trenton.
Every ten years, the United States constitution requires the redistricting
of all congressional districts in the country. Done in the immediate
year after the conclusion of the decennial census, this redistricting
is done to ensure that each district has the same number of people.
This fundamental principle of voting rights-the so called "One
Person One Vote" principle-is held to make sure that each
member of Congress represents the same number of people. That
ensures that each and every one of the people of New Jersey has
equal representation in Washington.
After the delivery of the census, our state constitution kicks
in. A bipartisan commission was formed in January of 2001, with
an equal number of Republicans and Democrats. That commission
was charged with drawing a map that made sure that every N.J.
district was equal in population.
That commission was assisted by another historical act. For the
first time in modern redistricting, the 13 members of Congress
from New Jersey agreed on a compromise-redistricting plan. Since
New Jersey was not "losing" a Congressional seat (which
happens when other states' population growth outpaces ours) we
were able to draw a compromise map that would allow New Jersey
to benefit from the incumbency and committee assignments that
New Jersey has slowly acquired.
In the process of drawing that compromise map (I must disclose
that I served as counsel to the Republican members of the House
of Representatives from New Jersey, including Congressman Smith,
and drew the compromise map), we faced a number of difficult issues,
including what to do with the City of Trenton.
Congressman Smith very much wanted to keep the entire city in
his district. Having represented the city for two decades, Smith
had developed strong community ties and was working on critical
projects for the city, including the building of a new Trenton
train station. However, with the population growth in the 4th
district, it was required to reduce the number of people represented
by Smith. Because the 4th and 12th districts border one another,
the compromise was struck.
Since Congressman Holt already represented both Ewing and Lawrence,
which border Trenton to the north and west, it was felt that putting
the North and West Wards of Trenton (and small parts of the South
Ward to complete the exacting legal principles of equality) made
the most sense. So, after the compromise map was drawn, and accepted
by the commission, Trenton went from one to two congresspeople.
But what does this mean for the people of Trenton? Well, all good
things. Currently, Trenton only has one Congressman. After this
November, Trenton will benefit from two voices on the floor of
the U.S. House of Representatives. This gives two sets of hands
to tackle the issues of Trenton.
Currently Congressman Smith fights alone for Trenton. Next year,
he will have some help.
The presence to two members of Congress that represent Trenton
puts the city on equal footing to three other cities in New Jersey
who rely on Washington to help them fight their problems. Newark,
Jersey City, and Elizabeth all are similar to Trenton in the issues
that cause Trenton to worry. The need to improve safety and the
school system require as much help and assistance from Washington
as possible. Those cities have more than one champion, and so,
now, does Trenton.
Of course having two representatives means two campaigns for Congress
going on at the same time. In the 4th District (The East and South
Wards) Congressman Smith faces Mary Brennan, an attorney from
Burlington County, who is currently serving as a prosecutor in
Hamilton. In the 12th District (The North and West Wards) Congressman
Holt faces a spirited challenge from Reverend DeForest "Buster"
Soaries, former New Jersey Secretary of State and former associate
pastor at Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton. Both of these campaigns
are generating interest among city residents.
Trenton's split personality, between two districts, may confuse
voters on Election Day. Careful attention should be paid to which
ward in the city voters call home. The free sample ballots that
are mailed to all voters a week before the election should provide
guidance to voters to make sure they know who their candidates
are. Also, voters must be registered a month before the election
in order to be legally allowed to vote.
By registering to vote, and voting in November, the voters in
Trenton have the ability to choose not just one, but two members
of Congress from Trenton. It makes Trenton stand out with other
large cities in New Jersey and gives Trenton double the voice
in Washington.
Bill Baroni, Esq, is an attorney and adjunct professor of law
at Seton Hall University School of Law
