New Jersey- Meet Your New Senator
December 7th, 2005 by MatthewIt is now being reported that Governor elect Corzine will tap…
Congressman Robert Menendez to fill his seat in the state of New Jersey. Menendez is the highest-ranking Hispanic in Congressional history. You can read more here.
December 8th, 2005 at 12:40 pm
So is there now a special election to fill Menendez’s seat or does Corzine get to appoint someone there as well?
December 9th, 2005 at 2:25 pm
By looking at the nj statutes it looks like there is a special election not an appointment.
nj – 19:3-26, “Vacancies in United States senate; election to fill; temporary appointment by governor” states in part “The governor of this state may make a temporary appointment of a senator of the United States from this state whenever a vacancy shall occur by reason of any cause other than the expiration of the term; and such appointee shall serve as such senator until a special election or general election shall have been held pursuant to law and the board of state canvassers can deliver to his successor a certificate of election.”
nj – 19:3-27. “Vacancies in United States house of representatives; election to fill” doesn’t allow for the special sppointment. It reads, “When a vacancy shall happen in the representation of this state in the United States house of representatives, it shall be the duty of the governor to issue a writ of election to fill such vacancy, unless the term of service for which the person whose office shall become vacant will expire within six months next after the happening of the vacancy.”
A power to make an appointment may be derived from elsewhere in the statutes of nj, but it is not found here.
December 12th, 2005 at 5:36 pm
John: Best comment to date.