Alan Karcher
Encyclopedia
Alan J. Karcher was an American
Democratic Party
politician whose highest office was Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
. He was a member of the Assembly from 1973 to 1990 and was a one-time candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of New Jersey
.
Karcher was born in New Brunswick
in 1943. He graduated from Rutgers University
in 1964 and from Rutgers School of Law-Newark in 1967. He was admitted to the bar associations in New Jersey and Washington D.C. in the same year. He was later admitted to the Florida bar. In addition to his law degree, Mr. Karcher earned a master's degree in liberal studies from the New School for Social Research
in New York City.
Between 1967 and 1969, he served Governor Richard J. Hughes
as assistant counsel and secretary to the governor. After leaving Gov. Hughes' staff, Mr. Karcher went into private legal practice, which continued during his political career.
Karcher represented the 19th Legislative District
, based in Middlesex County, for 17 years. He succeeded Christopher Jackman
as speaker of the Assembly, serving from 1982 to 1985 during an activist Legislature. He played a key role in the adoption of the state's first Uniform Penal code, which provided guidelines for priority sentences. He also fought battles for senior citizens, tax reform, workers' rights, environmental cleanup, job creation and additional support for education and the arts. In 1982, he argued against the restoration of the death penalty and in favor of using the resources that would go into enforcing the death penalty for law-enforcement measures.
Karcher was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
in both 1984
and 1988
.
After leaving elected office in 1990, Karcher continued in his law practice and remained active in partisan politics, mainly as Democratic chair of Mercer County, and became a political mentor to many budding politicians at the local, county and state levels.
In 1989, Karcher published his book, New Jersey's Multiple Municipal Madness, in which he advocated that many of the state's 566 municipalities be eliminated, or at least combined.
Karcher was a resident of Princeton Borough
at the time of his death on July 26, 1999.
Alan Karcher's daughter, Ellen Karcher
, was elected in 2003 to represent a Monmouth County district in the New Jersey Senate
, making her the fourth generation of Karcher's family to serve in the New Jersey Legislature
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician whose highest office was Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly
New Jersey General Assembly
The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
. He was a member of the Assembly from 1973 to 1990 and was a one-time candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
The Office of the Governor of New Jersey is the executive branch for the U.S. state of New Jersey. The office of Governor is an elected position, for which elected officials serve four year terms. While individual politicians may serve as many terms as they can be elected to, Governors cannot be...
.
Biography
Politics, and service in the state Assembly, was a family tradition for Alan Karcher. His father, Joseph T. Karcher, served in the Assembly from 1930 to 1933 and his great uncle, John J. Quaid, served from 1898 to 1900.Karcher was born in New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
in 1943. He graduated from Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
in 1964 and from Rutgers School of Law-Newark in 1967. He was admitted to the bar associations in New Jersey and Washington D.C. in the same year. He was later admitted to the Florida bar. In addition to his law degree, Mr. Karcher earned a master's degree in liberal studies from the New School for Social Research
The New School
The New School is a university in New York City, located mostly in Greenwich Village. From its founding in 1919 by progressive New York academics, and for most of its history, the university was known as the New School for Social Research. Between 1997 and 2005 it was known as New School University...
in New York City.
Between 1967 and 1969, he served Governor Richard J. Hughes
Richard J. Hughes
Richard Joseph Hughes was an American Democratic Party politician, who served as the 45th Governor of New Jersey from 1962 to 1970, and as Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1973–1979...
as assistant counsel and secretary to the governor. After leaving Gov. Hughes' staff, Mr. Karcher went into private legal practice, which continued during his political career.
Karcher represented the 19th Legislative District
19th Legislative District (New Jersey)
New Jersey's 19th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Middlesex County municipalities of Carteret Borough, Perth Amboy City, Sayreville Borough, South Amboy City and Woodbridge Township...
, based in Middlesex County, for 17 years. He succeeded Christopher Jackman
Christopher Jackman
Christopher J. "Chris" Jackman was an American Democratic Party politician from New Jersey, who served in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature. He was Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly from 1978 until 1982....
as speaker of the Assembly, serving from 1982 to 1985 during an activist Legislature. He played a key role in the adoption of the state's first Uniform Penal code, which provided guidelines for priority sentences. He also fought battles for senior citizens, tax reform, workers' rights, environmental cleanup, job creation and additional support for education and the arts. In 1982, he argued against the restoration of the death penalty and in favor of using the resources that would go into enforcing the death penalty for law-enforcement measures.
Karcher was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
in both 1984
1984 Democratic National Convention
The 1984 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party was held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California from July 16 to July 19, 1984, to select a candidate for the 1984 United States presidential election. At the convention Walter Mondale was nominated for President and Geraldine...
and 1988
1988 Democratic National Convention
The 1988 National Convention of the U.S. Democratic Party was held at The Omni in Atlanta, Georgia from July 18–July 21, 1988 to select a candidate for the 1988 United States presidential election. At the convention Gov. Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts was nominated for President and...
.
After leaving elected office in 1990, Karcher continued in his law practice and remained active in partisan politics, mainly as Democratic chair of Mercer County, and became a political mentor to many budding politicians at the local, county and state levels.
In 1989, Karcher published his book, New Jersey's Multiple Municipal Madness, in which he advocated that many of the state's 566 municipalities be eliminated, or at least combined.
Karcher was a resident of Princeton Borough
Borough of Princeton, New Jersey
The Borough of Princeton is a borough and is one of the two municipalities making up Princeton, New Jersey. It lies in Mercer County, New Jersey, and is completely surrounded by Princeton Township, from which it was formed in 1894...
at the time of his death on July 26, 1999.
Alan Karcher's daughter, Ellen Karcher
Ellen Karcher
Ellen Karcher is an American Democratic Party politician, who served in the New Jersey State Senate from 2004 until 2008, where she represented the 12th Legislative District....
, was elected in 2003 to represent a Monmouth County district in the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
, making her the fourth generation of Karcher's family to serve in the New Jersey Legislature
New Jersey Legislature
The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the Senate...
.