Here’s why we enthusiastically endorse Shirley Turner for LD15 State Senate:

The “County Line” in primary election ballots: Being placed in a preferential ballot position unfairly benefits some candidates and disadvantages others. Recognizing the outsize influence of the “county line” primary election ballots on the outcomes of elections, and the considerable voter confusion that they cause, I will support changing the NJ primary ballot to an “Office Bloc” design as is used in every other state and in some counties in NJ (see http://ggcnj.org/resolution for more information).

Ballot Order: Following best practices in 16 states, I will support implementing a rotational ballot order system that ensures to the greatest extent possible that all candidates running for the same office receive the first and subsequent ballot positions in an equal number of election districts and no candidate is advantaged over other candidates on the basis of their ballot placement (see http://ggcnj.org/resolution for more details).

Voter access: I support adopting parts of H.R.1 in New Jersey in order to increase voter participation, ensure access to the ballot box, and strengthen elections, including specifically same day registration, early voting and a paper trail for machine voting that enables verification.

Ethics reform: I support ethics reforms that would require broader disclosure of financial information and the release of income taxes by candidates for county-level and state-level public office, as a means of transparency.

Campaign funding: I support the public funding of campaigns for all state-level elected offices (i.e., the state legislature and gubernatorial elections).
Comment: In the 2004-2005 legislative session, I was the prime sponsor of S3, which established the “New Jersey Clean and Fair Elections Pilot Project,” which was signed into law 8/11/2004.

Redistricting: I support placing a nonpartisan commission in charge of the legislative redistricting process.

Public Advocate: I support passing legislation to reinstate the statewide Office of the Public Advocate that was eliminated in 2010.

Posting of bills: I support requiring bills to be posted a minimum of 72hrs prior to voting in the legislature, to allow legislators to read bills thoroughly and obtain feedback from the public.

Legislative meetings: I support making all committee meetings accessible to the public for attendance and testimony by online means (e.g., via zoom) and streaming of voting sessions even after COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, to increase availability and transparency of government.

Full time legislature: I support making the state legislature full-time and prohibiting the simultaneous holding of other paid positions, so as to eliminate conflicts of interest and sources of influence and pressure on state legislators.

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More information about Shirley Turner:

Email: senturner@comcast.net
Phone: ‪‬609-369-2415
Social media: Facebook (personal), Twitter, Instagram
Party affiliation: Democratic party

Current Occupation: Full-Time Legislator
Education: B.S. Trenton State College (Education)
M.A. Rider College (Guidance and Counseling)
Rutgers University (Postgraduate Studies/Education)
Public/party service: Mercer County Board of Freeholders 1983-86, Vice President 1986; Township of Lawrence Zoning Board 1979-83; Mercer County Improvement Authority 1979-81; N.J. State Council on the Arts 1977-81; Senate 1998-present, President Pro Tempore 2004-09, Democratic President Pro Tempore 2002-03; General Assembly 1994-98, Associate Minority Leader 1996-98; Senate Education Committee, Vice-Chair; Joint Committee on Economic Justice and Equal Employment Opportunity, Member; Senate Economic Growth Committee, Member; State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee, Member, Education Commission of the States, Commissioner and member of Finance Committee