Government of New Jersey facts for kids
 Logo of the New Jersey government 
|
|
| Polity type | Sub-national administrative division (federated state) |
|---|---|
| Part of | United States of America |
| Constitution | Constitution of New Jersey |
| Legislative branch | |
| Name | Legislature |
| Type | Bicameral |
| Meeting place | New Jersey State House |
| Upper house | |
| Name | Senate |
| Presiding officer | Nicholas Scutari, President |
| Lower house | |
| Name | General Assembly |
| Presiding officer | Craig Coughlin, Speaker |
| Executive branch | |
| Head of State and Government | |
| Title | Governor |
| Currently | Phil Murphy |
| Appointer | Election |
| Cabinet | |
| Name | New Jersey Cabinet |
| Leader | Governor |
| Deputy leader | Tahesha Way |
| Headquarters | State House |
| Judicial branch | |
| Name | Judiciary of New Jersey |
| Courts | Courts of New Jersey |
| Supreme Court of New Jersey | |
| Chief judge | Stuart Rabner |
| Seat | Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex, Trenton |
.jpg)
The government of New Jersey works to serve the people of the state. It is divided into three main parts. These are the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Each branch has different powers and responsibilities.
The Constitution of New Jersey, created in 1947, sets up this system. It gives power to the state legislature, the Governor, and the state courts. The New Jersey Supreme Court leads the court system. New Jersey's capital city is Trenton.
Contents
Executive Branch: Leading the State
The executive branch carries out the state's laws. It is made up of many departments and agencies. The constitution allows for up to twenty main departments. Currently, there are eighteen departments and many agencies. These groups help manage different areas of the state.
The New Jersey Register is a public record. It shares new rules and important notices from state agencies. The New Jersey Administrative Code collects all the rules made by these agencies.
Governor: New Jersey's Chief Executive
The Governor of New Jersey is the leader of the executive branch. This is an elected position. Governors serve for four years. They can serve two terms in a row. There is no limit on how many total terms they can serve.
The Governor's official home is Drumthwacket in Princeton, New Jersey. The Governor's office is in the New Jersey State House in Trenton. The Governor also appoints key officials. These include the New Jersey Attorney General and the Secretary of State of New Jersey. The state senate must approve these appointments.
Lieutenant Governor: Supporting the Governor
The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is the second-highest official. This person is elected alongside the Governor. They also serve a four-year term. The Lieutenant Governor's main role is to take over if the Governor cannot serve.
The state constitution requires the Lieutenant Governor to lead a cabinet department. However, they cannot be the state's Attorney General. Before 2010, New Jersey did not have a Lieutenant Governor. If the Governor's office was empty, the President of the State Senate would take over. After some changes in leadership, a new law created the Lieutenant Governor position. This made sure there was a clear plan for who would lead next.
Kim Guadagno was the first person to serve as Lieutenant Governor in this modern role. She was elected with Governor Chris Christie in 2009.
Departments: How the State Works
The Governor appoints leaders for up to 20 main departments. As of today, there are 15 cabinet-level departments. Each department focuses on a different area to help New Jersey residents.
| Department | What it Does | Cabinet Member |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Agriculture | Helps farmers and food businesses. Manages school meal programs. Protects soil and water. | Douglas H. Fisher |
| Department of Banking and Insurance | Licenses banks and insurance companies. Makes sure they follow the rules. | Marlene Caride |
| Department of Children and Families | Works to keep children safe and healthy. Helps families and communities. | Christine Norbut Beyer |
| Department of Community Affairs | Helps local governments and communities. Works to improve life in New Jersey. | Jacquelyn A. Suárez |
| Department of Corrections | Manages state prisons and youth facilities. Helps people after they are released. | Victoria Kuhn |
| Department of Education | Manages state and federal aid for schools. Makes sure schools follow laws. | Kevin Dehmer (Acting) |
| Department of Environmental Protection | Protects New Jersey's natural resources. Manages air and water quality. | Shawn M. LaTourette |
| Department of Health | Keeps track of important health data. Works to protect public health. | Dr. Kaitlan Baston |
| Department of Human Services | Helps seniors, low-income families, and people with disabilities. | Sarah Adelman |
| Department of Labor and Workforce Development | Helps with job training and unemployment benefits. Protects workers' rights. | Robert Asaro-Angelo |
| Department of Law and Public Safety | Handles public legal cases. Protects civil rights and public safety. Includes the New Jersey State Police. | Matthew J. Platkin |
| Department of Military and Veterans Affairs | Manages the New Jersey Army National Guard and New Jersey Air National Guard. Helps veterans. | Brigadier General Lisa J. Hou, D.O. |
| Department of State | Oversees elections and state records. Promotes tourism and culture. | Tahesha Way |
| Department of Transportation | Manages state roads and public transportation. Helps with rail and bus services. | Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti |
| Department of the Treasury | Manages the state's money and budget. Collects taxes and pays for state services. | Elizabeth Maher Muoio |
Legislative Branch: Making Laws
The legislative branch creates the laws for New Jersey. It has two parts, called a bicameral Legislature. These parts are the Senate and the General Assembly. The Senate has 40 members. The General Assembly has 80 members.
New Jersey is divided into 40 legislative districts. Each district elects one Senator and two Assembly members. Assembly members serve two-year terms. Senators serve either four- or two-year terms. This helps keep elections aligned with population changes.
The Legislature also appoints the New Jersey State Auditor. This is the only state officer they appoint. The laws they create are published in the Laws of New Jersey. These laws are then organized into the New Jersey Statutes.
Senate: The Upper House
The New Jersey Senate is the upper house of the Legislature. It was created in 1844. There are 40 legislative districts. Each district has about 232,225 people (2020 numbers). Each district elects one Senator.
To be a Senator, you must be at least 30 years old. You also need to have lived in New Jersey for four years. Senators serve terms that follow a "2-4-4" cycle. This means they serve a two-year term, then two four-year terms. This cycle helps make sure district boundaries are up-to-date.
General Assembly: The Lower House
The General Assembly has 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 districts. Each district has about 232,225 people (2020 numbers). Assembly members serve two-year terms. Elections happen every odd-numbered year in November.
To run for the Assembly, you must be at least 21 years old. You must have lived in your district for at least one year. You also need to have lived in New Jersey for two years. Being an Assembly member is often a part-time job. Many members have other jobs too.
The Assembly is led by the Speaker. The Speaker is chosen by the Assembly members. The Speaker is third in line to become Governor. This happens if both the Governor and Lieutenant Governor cannot serve. The Speaker sets the Assembly's schedule. They decide which bills are discussed. The current Speaker is Craig Coughlin.
Legislative Leaders: Guiding the Process
These leaders help guide the work of the Senate and Assembly.
| Senate Leadership | Assembly Leadership | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate Position | Senator | Party | Senate District | Assembly Position | Representative | Party | Assembly District | |
| President of the Senate |
Nicholas Scutari |
Democratic | New Jersey's 22nd legislative district | Speaker of the Assembly |
Craig Coughlin |
Democratic | New Jersey's 19th legislative district | |
| President pro tempore | Democratic | New Jersey's 34th legislative district | Speaker pro tempore | Democratic | New Jersey's 15th legislative district | |||
| Majority Leader |
Teresa Ruiz |
Democratic | New Jersey's 29th legislative district | Majority Leader |
Louis Greenwald |
Democratic | New Jersey's 6th legislative district | |
| Minority Leader |
Anthony M. Bucco |
Republican | New Jersey's 25th legislative district | Minority Leader |
John DiMaio |
Republican | New Jersey's 23rd legislative district | |
Judicial Branch: Interpreting Laws
The judicial branch makes sure laws are fair and followed. New Jersey's court system includes the New Jersey Supreme Court. It also has many other courts below it.
Supreme Court of New Jersey: The Highest Court
The Supreme Court is the highest court in New Jersey. It hears appeals from lower courts. It can also review other cases if needed. The Court has a chief justice and six other justices. The Governor appoints all justices. The state senate must approve them.
Justices serve an initial seven-year term. After that, they can be reappointed to serve until age 70. The Supreme Court makes the final decisions on all state cases. It also decides if state laws follow the state constitution.
Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division: Reviewing Decisions
The Appellate Division is the first level of appeals court. It reviews decisions made by trial courts. It also looks at decisions from state agencies. This court makes sure that legal processes were followed correctly.
Superior Court of New Jersey: Trial Courts
The Superior Court is New Jersey's main trial court. It handles many different types of cases. It has three main parts: the Appellate Division, the Law Division, and the Chancery Division. The Law and Chancery Divisions are where trials happen.
Superior Court judges are appointed by the Governor. The State Senate confirms them. They serve initial seven-year terms. If reappointed, they can serve until age 70.
Municipal Court: Local Justice
The Municipal Courts handle most daily court cases. They hear simple traffic tickets and minor criminal offenses. They also deal with small civil matters. These courts are important for local communities.
Tax Court: Handling Tax Issues
The Tax Court is a special court. Its judges hear appeals about tax decisions. These can be from county tax boards or the state Division of Taxation. Appeals from the Tax Court go to the Appellate Division. Tax Court judges are appointed for seven-year terms. They can serve until age 70 if reappointed. There are 12 Tax Court judges.
Local Government: Serving Communities
New Jersey has local governments that serve its communities. These include counties and municipalities.
Counties: Regional Administration
New Jersey has 21 counties. Each county is run by a Board of County Commissioners. These commissioners are elected. They handle many executive and legislative tasks. Most counties elect commissioners from the entire county. Some counties, like Hudson, divide the county into districts.
In some counties, commissioners do both lawmaking and managing. In others, like Atlantic and Bergen, there is an elected county executive. This executive handles daily operations. The Board of County Commissioners then focuses on laws and oversight.
Municipalities: Local Towns and Cities
As of 2023, New Jersey has 564 municipalities. These are cities, towns, townships, boroughs, and villages. Every part of New Jersey belongs to a municipality. There are no areas without local government.
New Jersey's municipalities vary greatly in size. Some are very small, with only a few residents. Others are large cities like Newark or Trenton. They serve hundreds of thousands of people.
School Districts: Educating Students
New Jersey has different types of school districts. Some serve single towns. Others cover larger regions or entire counties. Some districts do not have their own schools. Their students attend schools in other districts.
Each public school district has a board of education. This board governs the schools. There is also a superintendent for each district. County superintendents represent the state Department of Education.
See also
- Elections in New Jersey
- Law of New Jersey
- New Jersey's congressional delegations
- Political party strength in New Jersey
- Politics of New Jersey
