Shirley Turner
Encyclopedia
Shirley K. Turner 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
.
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. Before being elected to the State Senate, Turner served in New Jersey's lower house
, the General Assembly
, from 1994 to 1998. In the 1997 general election, Turner defeated incumbent Republican Dick LaRossa
, making him the only Republican Senator to lose his seat.
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.
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
. Turner was born in Dover, New Jersey
and currently resides in the Lawrenceville
section of Lawrence Township
.
She is African American
and is a member of the NAACP. Turner was one of six Democrats to vote against same-sex marriage in New Jersey.
and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly
. The other representatives from the 15th District for the 2008-2009 Legislative Session are:
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, who has been serving in the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
State 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...
since 1998, where she represents the 15th Legislative District
15th Legislative District (New Jersey)
New Jersey's 15th Legislative District is one of 40 in the state, covering the Mercer County municipalities of Ewing Township, Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township, Lawrence Township, Pennington Borough, Princeton Borough, Princeton Township and Trenton...
.
Before entering state politics, Senator Turner served on the Mercer County
Mercer County, New Jersey
As of the census of 2000, there were 350,761 people, 125,807 households, and 86,303 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,552 people per square mile . There were 133,280 housing units at an average density of 590 per square mile...
Board of Chosen Freeholders
Board of Chosen Freeholders
In New Jersey, the Boards of Chosen Freeholders are the county legislatures in each of that state's 21 counties.- Origin :New Jersey's system of naming county legislators "freeholders" is unique in the United States...
from 1983 to 1986, where she served as Freeholder Vice President. Before being elected to the State Senate, Turner served in New Jersey's lower house
Lower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
, the 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...
, from 1994 to 1998. In the 1997 general election, Turner defeated incumbent Republican Dick LaRossa
Dick LaRossa
Richard Joseph "Dick" LaRossa is an American Republican Party politician who served two terms in the New Jersey Senate, from 1994 to 2000, where he represented the 15th Legislative District.- Early years and education :...
, making him the only Republican Senator to lose his seat.
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.
Turner received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey
The College of New Jersey
The College of New Jersey, abbreviated TCNJ, is a public, coeducational university located in Ewing Township, New Jersey, a suburb of Trenton....
) in Education and an M.A. from Rider College
Rider University
Rider University is a private, coeducational and nonsectarian university located chiefly in Lawrenceville, in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States...
in Guidance and Counseling, and has done postgraduate work in education at 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...
. She is the Associate Director of Career Services at Rider University
Rider University
Rider University is a private, coeducational and nonsectarian university located chiefly in Lawrenceville, in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States...
. Turner was born in Dover, New Jersey
Dover, New Jersey
Dover is a town in Morris County, New Jersey on the Rockaway River. Dover is west of New York City and west of Newark, New Jersey. As of the United States Census, 2000, the town's population was 18,188.-Geography:...
and currently resides in the Lawrenceville
Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Lawrenceville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Lawrence Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP population was 3,887...
section of Lawrence Township
Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey
Area residents often refer to all of Lawrence Township as Lawrenceville. Lawrenceville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Lawrence Township...
.
She is African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
and is a member of the NAACP. Turner was one of six Democrats to vote against same-sex marriage in New Jersey.
District 15
Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey SenateNew 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...
and two members in 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...
. The other representatives from the 15th District for the 2008-2009 Legislative Session are:
- Assemblyman Reed GuscioraReed GuscioraReed Gusciora is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1996, where he represents the 15th Legislative District...
, and - Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson ColemanBonnie Watson ColemanBonnie Watson Coleman is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1998, where she represents the 15th Legislative District....
External links
- Senator Turner's legislative web page, New Jersey LegislatureNew Jersey LegislatureThe 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...
- New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure forms
- Senator Shirley K. Turner, Project Vote SmartProject Vote SmartProject Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for public office in the United States...
- New Jersey Senate Democrats website biography for Senator Turner