Oadline Truitt facts for kids

Oadline Truitt (born August 2, 1940) is an American politician. She is a member of the Democratic Party. From 2006 to 2008, she served in the New Jersey General Assembly. She represented the 28th legislative district.

In the Assembly, Truitt was part of the Education Committee. This committee works on laws about schools and learning.

About Oadline Truitt

Oadline Truitt worked as a librarian in Irvington. She has lived in Newark for a long time.

Joining the Assembly

On February 2, 2006, the Essex County Democratic Committee chose Truitt. She was chosen to fill a vacant spot in the Assembly. This spot became open when Assemblywoman Evelyn Williams resigned. Truitt was sworn into the Assembly on February 9, 2006.

Assemblywoman Williams had been elected in December 2005. She filled the spot left by the death of Assemblyman Donald Kofi Tucker. Williams resigned from her position. Truitt was then elected to serve until the November 2006 election results were official.

Truitt then ran in the special election in November 2006. She wanted to serve the rest of the two-year term. In the Democratic primary election, she won against Alton Wheeler. He was the President of the Newark Board of Education. No Republican candidate ran in this race. So, Assemblywoman Truitt won the rest of the term without anyone running against her.

Education and Work

Truitt earned a B.S. degree from Kean College. Her studies focused on Education and Library Media. She works as a school librarian for the Irvington Public Schools. Since 1997, she has also served on the Newark Rent Control Board.

Election Challenges

Truitt's first election faced some challenges.

First Election Dispute

Truitt was first chosen at a special meeting on January 9, 2006. But there was a problem with this meeting. State law said that seven days' notice was needed for such a meeting. However, only three days' notice was given. People also wondered if enough delegates were present. A "quorum" means the minimum number of people needed for a meeting to be official.

Because of these issues, her first election was not approved. The Essex County Democrats and the New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chairwoman Bonnie Watson Coleman did not certify it. This meant she could not take her oath of office.

So, the Democratic Committee held another meeting. Truitt won this second meeting as well. In this new meeting, she won against Cleopatra Tucker. Cleopatra Tucker was the widow of Assemblyman Tucker.

The 2007 Primary Election

In 2007, Truitt and Assemblyman Craig Stanley faced a challenge. Mrs. Tucker and Ralph Caputo ran against them. Ralph Caputo was a former state assemblyman and an Essex County Freeholder. The team of Tucker and Caputo won the election.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker supported the Tucker/Caputo team. He wanted to elect people who supported him to the State Legislature. Assemblywoman Truitt finished fourth in this four-person Assembly race.

New Jersey's 28th District

The New Jersey Legislature has forty districts. Each district has one representative in the New Jersey Senate. It also has two members in the New Jersey General Assembly.

The other representatives from the 28th Legislative District were:

• Assemblyman Craig A. Stanley
• Senator Ronald Rice