Celeste Riley | |
---|---|
Cumberland County Clerk | |
Assumed office January 1, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Gloria Noto |
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 3rd district | |
In office March 19,2009 –January 1,2015 Servingwith John J. Burzichelli | |
Preceded by | Douglas H. Fisher |
Succeeded by | Adam Taliaferro |
Personal details | |
Born | Cumberland County,New Jersey | February 4,1960
Nationality | American |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Richard Dawson |
Children | 5 |
Residence | Bridgeton,New Jersey |
Alma mater | La Salle University (B.A.) Drexel University (M.S.) |
Website | Legislative web page |
Celeste M. Riley (born February 4,1960) is an American Democratic Party politician,who currently serves as the Clerk of Cumberland County,in the U.S. state of New Jersey. She previously served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2009 to 2015,where she represented the 3rd legislative district. Riley is the first woman to represent this district in the New Jersey Legislature.
Riley is the daughter of Joseph J. Riley Sr.,a physician who served on the Cumberland County Board of Chosen Freeholders in the 1970s and ran unsuccessfully for the General Assembly in 1993. Her brother Joseph Jr. served one term on the Cumberland County Freeholder Board from 2007 to 2009. [1] [2]
Riley graduated from Cumberland Regional High School,earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from La Salle University and a Master's degree from Drexel University in arts administration. [3] She later attended Cumberland County College where she received qualifications to teach computer technology. [2] She taught for the Greenwich-Stow Creek Partnership Schools in Greenwich Township from 2001 to 2014. [4]
Riley is a resident of Bridgeton,and is a member of the parish of The Holy Cross where she cantors. She is a member of Soroptimists International of Cumberland County,an organization devoted to fundraising for various woman's issues and scholarships. In April 2012,Riley was awarded the "Love Shouldn't Hurt" award from the I'm Free Mnistries,a Project of Gererations,Inc. In 2011,Salem County Woman's Center recognized Assemblywoman Riley as "Person of the Year" for her efforts in support of victims of domestic violence. [5]
First elected to the Bridgeton City Council in 2006,she later became City Council President. While on council she helped create the community pride program Building a Better Bridgeton (B3). [3] She has two daughters from her first marriage,she is now married to Richard Dawson and has three stepdaughters. [2]
In March 2009,3rd District Assemblyman Douglas H. Fisher was appointed to head the New Jersey Department of Agriculture. Riley was chosen among a special convention of Cumberland,Gloucester,and Salem county Democrats to replace him in the Assembly. She was sworn in on March 19,2009 becoming the first woman to represent the district. [1]
In her final term in the Assembly,Riley served as Chair of the Higher Education Committee and was a member of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and the Regulated Professions Committee. [4]
Riley sponsored legislation (A-1491) that tightens restrictions on repeat domestic violence offenders by raising bail requirements. [6] She also sponsored A1561,which creates a diversionary program designed to educate teens on the dangers of "sexting" instead of automatically criminalizing the behavior. [7]
Riley sponsored legislation such as,A-3063 and A-3064 that would enhance the State's farm winery industry and could bring more tourism to the area. [8]
The Assemblywoman sponsored legislation that would have increased State support during State Fiscal Year 2011 for the Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled Program,the Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program and the Homestead Property Tax Rebate/Credit program. Assemblywoman Riley has passed legislation that protects assisted living residents from eviction for using Medicaid,after reports from the state Office of the Public Advocate indicated that certain facilities were evicting patients after they exhausted their personal finances and were eligible for Medicaid,in favor of private-pay patients. [9]
In New Jersey,it is no longer legal for employers to specify in their job ads that unemployed persons will not be considered. Assemblywoman Riley was a primary sponsor in legislation that bans overt discrimination against the jobless in print or online was signed into law March 29,2011,by Gov. Chris Christie and is the first legislation of its kind in the United States. Employers would face a penalty of $1,000 for the first offense and $5,000 for subsequent offenses. [10]
In recognition of the importance of the American Red Cross,she was the primary sponsor of legislation,signed by Gov. Christie,that designates March as "American Red Cross" month for the State of New Jersey. [11]
In the 2011 apportionment based on the results of the 2010 United States census,Dominick DiCicco was moved from the 4th Legislative District into District 3. John J. Burzichelli (with 25,172 votes) and Riley (23,960) won re-election,defeating DiCicco (20,268) and his running mate Bob Villare (20,528) [12] DiCicco's loss made his seat the only gain by the Democrats in the Assembly in the 2011 election cycle. [13]
Each of the forty districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly. The other representatives from the 3rd District during the time she was in the Assembly were:
In 2014,Riley challenged incumbent Republican Cumberland County Clerk Gloria Noto,a position she held for 20 years. [2] Riley won the race defeating Noto by two percentage points. [14] As a result of her win,Riley resigned her teaching and Assembly positions. She is now currently serving her second 5-year term. [3]
Cumberland County is a coastal county located on the Delaware Bay in the Southern Shore Region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 census,the county was the state's 16th-most-populous county,with a population of 154,152,a decrease of 2,746 (−1.8%) from the 2010 census count of 156,898. Its county seat is Bridgeton. Cumberland County is named for Prince William,Duke of Cumberland. The county was formally created from portions of Salem County on January 19,1748. The county is part of the South Jersey region of the state.
Bridgeton is a city in Cumberland County,within the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is the county seat of Cumberland County and is located on the Cohansey River near Delaware Bay in the South Jersey region of the state.
Deerfield Township is a township in Cumberland County,in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Vineland--Bridgeton metropolitan statistical area,which encompasses those cities and all of Cumberland County for statistical purposes and which constitutes a part of the Delaware Valley. As of the 2020 United States census,the township's population was 3,136,an increase of 17 (+0.5%) from the 2010 census count of 3,119,which in turn reflected an increase of 192 (+6.6%) from the 2,927 counted in the 2000 census.
Downe Township is a township in Cumberland County,in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Vineland-Bridgeton metropolitan statistical area for statistical purposes. As of the 2020 United States census,the township's population was 1,399,a decrease of 186 (−11.7%) from the 2010 census count of 1,585,which in turn reflected decline of 46 (−2.8%) from the 1,631 counted in the 2000 census.
Hopewell Township is a township in Cumberland County,in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Vineland-Bridgeton metropolitan statistical area,which encompasses those cities and all of Cumberland County for statistical purposes and which constitutes a part of the Delaware Valley. As of the 2020 United States census,the township's population was 4,391,a decrease of 180 (−3.9%) from the 2010 census count of 4,571,which in turn reflected an increase of 137 (+3.1%) from the 4,434 counted in the 2000 census.
Lawrence Township is a township in Cumberland County,in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Vineland-Bridgeton metropolitan statistical area for statistical purposes. As of the 2020 United States census,the township's population was 3,087,a decrease of 203 (−6.2%) from the 2010 census count of 3,290,which in turn reflected an increase of 569 (+20.9%) from the 2,721 counted in the 2000 census.
Stow Creek Township is a township in Cumberland County,in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Vineland-Bridgeton metropolitan statistical area for statistical purposes. As of the 2020 United States census,the township's population was 1,312,a decrease of 119 (−8.3%) from the 2010 census count of 1,431,which in turn reflected an increase of two people (+0.1%) from the 1,429 counted in the 2000 census.
Upper Deerfield Township is a township in Cumberland County,in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Vineland-Bridgeton metropolitan statistical area,which encompasses those cities and all of Cumberland County for statistical purposes and which constitutes a part of the Delaware Valley. As of the 2020 United States census,the township's population was 7,645,a decrease of 15 (−0.2%) from the 2010 census count of 7,660,which in turn reflected an increase of 104 (+1.4%) from the 7,556 counted in the 2000 census.
Lucius Quintius Cincinnatus Elmer was an American Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey's 1st congressional district in the U.S. Congress from 1843 to 1845. He was son of Ebenezer Elmer and nephew of Jonathan Elmer,both of whom also served in Congress.
John J. Burzichelli is an American Democratic Party politician from Paulsboro,New Jersey,who has the Senator from the state's 3rd Legislative District since January 9,2024,a seat which he won by defeating incumbent Edward Durr in the 2023 New Jersey Senate election.
Annette M. Quijano is an American Democratic Party politician,who has represented the 20th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since September 25,2008,having been selected by Union County Democrats to succeed Neil M. Cohen,who resigned on July 28,2008,amid allegations of child pornography on an official computer.
A general election was held in the U.S. state of New Jersey on November 3,2009. Primary elections were held on June 2. Most state positions were up in this election cycle,which includes all 80 seats in the New Jersey General Assembly,as well as Governor and Lieutenant Governor. In addition to the State Legislative elections,numerous county offices and freeholders in addition to municipal offices were up for election. There was one statewide ballot question. Some counties and municipalities may have had local ballot questions as well. Non-partisan local elections,some school board elections,and some fire district elections also happened throughout the year.
Domenick DiCicco Jr. was an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2010 to 2012,where he represented the 4th Legislative District.
New Jersey's 4th legislative district is one of 40 in the state. As of the 2021 apportionment,the district covers the Camden County municipalities of Chesilhurst,Gloucester Township,Waterford,and Winslow Township;the Gloucester County municipalities of Franklin Township,Monroe Township,Newfield Borough,and Washington Township;and the Atlantic County municipalities of Buena and Buena Vista.
New Jersey's 3rd legislative district is one of 40 in the state. As of the 2021 apportionment the district covers the Cumberland County municipalities of Deerfield Township,Greenwich Township,Hopewell Township,Shiloh Borough,Stow Creek Township,and Upper Deerfield Township;the Gloucester County municipalities of Clayton,East Greenwich Township,Elk Township,Glassboro,Greenwich Township,Harrison Township,Logan Township,Mantua Township,National Park,Paulsboro,Pitman,South Harrison Township,Swedesboro,Wenonah Borough,West Deptford Township,Westville,and Woolwich Township,as well as all Salem County municipalities,including Alloway Township,Carneys Point Township,Elmer,Elsinboro Township,Lower Alloways Creek Township,Mannington Township,Oldmans Township,Penns Grove,Pennsville Township,Pilesgrove Township,Pittsgrove Township,Quinton Township,Salem,Upper Pittsgrove Township and Woodstown.
Gabriela M. Mosquera is an American Democratic Party politician,who represented the 4th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly from March 5,2012,until January 9,2024.
John A. Waddington was an American Democratic Party politician who served as Majority Leader of the New Jersey State Senate.
Martin A. Herman is an American Democratic Party politician who served in the New Jersey General Assembly,where he represented the 3rd Legislative District from 1974 to 1986,and was later appointed as a judge in New Jersey Superior Court in Gloucester County.
Beth Sawyer is an American Republican Party politician who has represented the 3rd Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since she took office on January 11,2022.
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