Voter Participation Camden Reports

Transcription

1 Voter Participation Camden Reports SECTOR CIVIC PHASE I PRELIMINARY YEAR

2 Camden Reports is a work in progress. We welcome your comments. To obtain copies of this report, and other Camden Reports, become a member and obtain all reports on-line at CAMConnect is a partnership committed to sharing and using information that will lead to informed decisions and better policy making to improve the quality of life of all Camden citizens. CAMConnect is based on a model for the use of advanced neighborhood level information systems in policy making and local capacity building. Our partnership includes community and neighborhood groups, government, community-based organizations, hospitals, educational institutions, businesses, and other organizations that use and collect information. Data Source: Camden City Clerk, Camden County Clerk, U.S. Census 2000, Camden County Board of Elections, Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs (Rutgers) Data Limitations: This report is intended to show voter participation in the City of Camden. The primary indicator used is the number of voters relative to the voting age population. Data pertaining to voter registration are not emphasized in this report, because voter registration records are not always an accurate reflection of those citizens who can vote. Future Work: This report will be updated with information from elections before 1997 and subsequent to Also, statistical analysis to further determine which demographic characteristics influence voting patterns in Camden is a possible future objective. DRAFT 2 CAMConnect October 2003

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The following report is based on data obtained from the Camden City Clerk and the Camden County Clerk for elections from 1997 through For the purposes of this study, the primary indicator used is a comparison of actual voters to the voting age population (VAP) in each election district in the City of Camden. Among the findings of the report, which are illustrated in the following pages: Residents in Camden City vote at a lower rate than residents of adjacent municipalities or other jurisdictions in Camden County. However, the voter participation rate in Camden is comparable to that of other similar communities in New Jersey, such as Paterson, Elizabeth, and Trenton. Although the rate of voter participation in Camden City is lower than surrounding communities, the rate of voter registration is not. This suggests that efforts to improve voter turnout in Camden must focus on education and getting citizens to the polls, not just on registration drives. Voter participation in Camden has declined over the last election cycle, following similar trends that are occurring statewide. Age is an indicator of voting tendencies. Residents in the neighborhood of Parkside, which has a relatively large population of people over 50 voted at a higher rate than did residents of East Camden and Cramer Hill, which have lower median ages. Residents in primarily Latino neighborhoods of Camden are less likely to vote than residents of primarily African-American neighborhoods or neighborhoods of mixed ethnicity. Voter participation for the last comparable election for the State Legislature in 1999 was 12 percent of registered voters and 9 percent of the voting age population. Voter participation varies greatly between different elections. Participation peaked in the 2000 Presidential election, when 45 percent of registered voters, or 34 percent of the voting age population actually voted. Participation has likely been affected by the perceived quality and background of the candidates and voter apathy following political scandals like the conviction of former or Milton Milan. Participation reached 24 percent of the voting age population during the 1997 oral race with five candidates including one Latino, three African-Americans, and one Caucasian, representing a spectrum of demographic groups of the City. In the following oral election of 2001, turnout plummeted to 16 percent when only two candidates were on the ballot, both African-American. The dropoff was particularly significant in predominately Latino sections of the City, such as parts of North Camden, Cramer Hill, and East Camden. DRAFT 3 CAMConnect October 2003

4 Voter Participation Report, City of Camden, The following report is based on data obtained from the Camden City Clerk and the Camden County Clerk for elections from 1997 through The Camden County Board of Elections maintains the paper maps of election districts, which CAMConnect recreated as GIS shapefiles. Many voter participation studies compare the number of actual voters to the number of registered voters. While this indicator is useful, CAMConnect does not believe that it represents the best possible measure of civic engagement. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (commonly known as the motor voter law) made purging registration rolls far more difficult, meaning that the registration lists do not always reflect who is actually available to vote. Therefore, for the purposes of this study, the primary indicator used is a comparison of actual voters to the voting age population (VAP) in each election district in the City of Camden. To be sure, the VAP measure also has some limitations because it includes some people who aren t eligible to vote, such as noncitizens and convicted felons. Accordingly, population data used for this CAMConnect study were adjusted to remove those people at Camden County Jail or Riverfront State Prison. Election district boundaries do not correspond with census tract boundaries in many instances. In order to determine accurate estimates of population and demographics for each election district, CAMConnect staff identified the census blocks that made up each election district. Data pertaining to the census blocks were aggregated to provide an indication of the demographic elements of each election district Census data were used as the basis for all demographic comparisons presented in this report. While some of the election data date from before 2000 and some from after, CAMConnect identified the 2000 Census as an ideal baseline that provides the best possible snapshot of demographic characteristics within each election district. Most of the maps in this report reflect the election districts that were in effect from the early 1990s through As required by law, the City of Camden redistricted following the 2000 Census. The first redistricting relating to this Census resulted in the election map that was used for the November 2002 election. Subsequent to that election, a court decision invalidated the revised map, forcing another redistricting. This second redistricting resulted in the creation of the election map used for the 2003 election, and ostensibly for all elections for the next seven or eight years. DRAFT 4 CAMConnect October 2003

5 WARD AND ELECTION DISTRICT BOUNDARIES Boundaries in effect through 2001 Boundaries in effect 2003 and future Source: Camden County Board of Elections DRAFT 5 CAMConnect October 2003

6 ELECTION DISTRICT DEMOGRAPHICS VOTING AGE POPULATION AND PERCENT REGISTERED Source: U.S. Census 2000 Ward Voting Age Population 1 12, , , ,949 TOTAL 49,486 Source: Camden County Clerk Percent of Voting Age Population Registered (2002) WARD % WARD % WARD % WARD % TOTAL 73.0% Camden County 76.7% N.J. 75.2% DRAFT 6 CAMConnect October 2003

7 ELECTION DISTRICT DEMOGRAPHICS Source: U.S. Census 2000 Source: U.S. Census 2000 DRAFT 7 CAMConnect October 2003

8 BLOCK GROUP DEMOGRAPHICS MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT Source: U.S. Census 2000 Source: U.S. Census 2000 DRAFT 8 CAMConnect October 2003

9 1997 MAY ELECTION VOTER PARTICIPATION PERCENT OF VOTING AGE POPULATION THAT VOTED Source: Camden City Clerk Votes Cast Offices: Camden or Camden City Council At-Large Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 TOTAL 3,178 3,183 2,697 2,990 12,048 Percent of Voting Age Population that Voted oral Candidate Total Votes Milton Milan 4,850 Arnold W. Webster 3,206 Donald D. Council 1,627 Rosemary R. Jackson 1,507 Frank Fulbrook 858 TOTAL 12, % 35.0% 30.0% 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0% 24.3% 25.1% 26.8% 22.5% 23.1% Citywide Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 DRAFT 9 CAMConnect October 2003

10 1998 NOVEMBER ELECTION VOTER PARTICIPATION PERCENT OF VOTING AGE POPULATION THAT VOTED Source: Camden County Clerk Votes Cast Offices: U.S. Representative, District 1 Robert E. Andrews (DEM) Ronald L. Richards (REP) Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 TOTAL 2,187 2,310 1,694 1,582 7,773 Percent of Voting Age Population that Voted 40.0% 35.0% 30.0% 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 15.7% 17.3% 19.4% 14.1% 12.2% 5.0% 0.0% Citywide Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 DRAFT 10 CAMConnect October 2003

11 1999 MAY ELECTION VOTER PARTICIPATION PERCENT OF VOTING AGE POPULATION THAT VOTED Source: Camden City Clerk Votes Cast Offices: Camden City Council, Districts 1-4 Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 TOTAL 1,478 1,435 1, ,359 Percent of Voting Age Population that Voted 40.0% 35.0% 30.0% 25.0% Contested Elections: Ward 1 Ward 3 Candidates Michael McGuire, Frank Fulbrook Frank Moran, Deborah Polk 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0% 10.8% 11.7% 12.1% 13.0% 6.9% Citywide Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 DRAFT 11 CAMConnect October 2003

12 1999 NOVEMBER ELECTION VOTER PARTICIPATION PERCENT OF VOTING AGE POPULATION THAT VOTED Source: Camden County Clerk, New Jersey Division of Elections Votes Cast Offices: N.J. Assembly, District 5 Joseph Roberts (DEM) Nilsa Cruz-Perez (DEM) William E. Spencer (REP) Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 TOTAL 1,128 1,273 1,023 1,025 4,449 Percent of Voting Age Population that Voted % of Voting Age Population that Voted 40.0% Camden City 9.0% 35.0% Camden County 23.3% New Jersey 22.6% 30.0% 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 9.0% 8.9% 10.7% 8.5% 7.9% 5.0% 0.0% Citywide Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 DRAFT 12 CAMConnect October 2003

13 2000 NOVEMBER ELECTION VOTER PARTICIPATION PERCENT OF VOTING AGE POPULATION THAT VOTED Source: Camden County Clerk, Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs Offices: U.S. President Al Gore (DEM) George W. Bush (REP) U.S. Senate Jon Corzine (DEM) Bob Franks (REP) Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 TOTAL Votes Cast 4,375 4,620 3,860 3,991 16,846 U.S. Representative, District 1 Percent of Voting Age Population that Voted % of Voting Age Population that Voted Camden City 33.9% 40.0% 35.0% 33.9% 34.6% 38.9% 32.2% 30.8% Pennsauken 50.5% Collingswood 54.1% Haddon Twp. 69.4% Gloucester City 48.5% Camden County 53.2% New Jersey 53.7% 30.0% 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0% Citywide Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 DRAFT 13 CAMConnect October 2003

14 2000 NOVEMBER ELECTION VOTER PARTICIPATION COMPARISON OF CAMDEN WITH SIMILAR CITIES Population Older than 18 % of Voting Age Population that Voted Total Population Total that Voted Camden City 79,904 49,486 16, % Trenton 85,403 61,757 21, % Elizabeth 120,568 88,888 24, % Paterson 149, ,785 32, % % of Voting Age Population that Voted 40.0% 35.0% 30.0% 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0% Camden City Trenton Elizabeth Paterson Source: David Lublin and D. Stephen Voss "Federal Elections Project." American University, Washington, DC and the University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY. DRAFT 14 CAMConnect October 2003

15 2001 MAY ELECTION VOTER PARTICIPATION PERCENT OF VOTING AGE POPULATION THAT VOTED Source: Camden City Clerk Votes Cast Offices: Camden or Camden City Council At-Large Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 TOTAL 2,167 2,458 1,696 1,648 7,969 Percent of Voting Age Population that Voted 40.0% 35.0% 30.0% oral Candidate Total Votes Gwendolyn Faison 4,237 Gilbert Whip Wilson 3,732 TOTAL 7, % 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0% 16.1% 17.3% 20.3% 13.5% 12.9% Citywide Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 DRAFT 15 CAMConnect October 2003

16 2001 MAYOR S RACE ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS Source: Camden City Clerk Source: Camden City Clerk DRAFT 16 CAMConnect October 2003

17 2001 NOVEMBER ELECTION VOTER PARTICIPATION PERCENT OF VOTING AGE POPULATION THAT VOTED Source: Camden County Clerk, Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs Offices: N.J Governor Jim McGreevey (DEM) Bret Schundler (REP) N.J. State Senate, District 5 N.J. Assembly, District 5 Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 TOTAL Votes Cast 2,483 2,581 2,061 2,111 9,236 Percent of Voting Age Population that Voted % of Voting Age Population that Voted Camden City 18.6% Pennsauken 32.7% Collingswood 34.2% Haddon Twp. 53.5% Gloucester City 35.7% Camden County 34.6% New Jersey 37.1% 40.0% 35.0% 30.0% 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0% 18.6% 19.6% 21.7% 17.2% 16.3% Citywide Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 DRAFT 17 CAMConnect October 2003

18 2002 NOVEMBER ELECTION VOTER PARTICIPATION PERCENT OF VOTING AGE POPULATION THAT VOTED Source: Camden County Clerk, Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs Votes Cast Offices: U.S. Senate Frank Lautenberg (DEM) Doug Forrester (REP) U.S. Representative, District 1 Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 TOTAL 2,019 2,194 1,765 2,375 8,353 Percent of Voting Age Population that Voted % of Voting Age Population that Voted Camden City 16.0% Pennsauken 32.4% Collingswood 35.7% Haddon Twp. 48.8% Gloucester City 36.6% Camden County 34.6% New Jersey 35.2% 40.0% 35.0% 30.0% 25.0% 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0% 18.5% 19.2% 16.8% 16.0% 14.0% Citywide Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 DRAFT 18 CAMConnect October 2003

19 2003 MAY ELECTION VOTER PARTICIPATION PERCENT OF VOTING AGE POPULATION THAT VOTED Source: Camden City Clerk Votes Cast Offices: Camden City Council, Districts 1-4 Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 TOTAL 1, ,137 Percent of Voting Age Population that Voted 40.0% 35.0% 30.0% 25.0% Contested Elections: Ward 1 Candidates Michael McGuire, Gilbert Whip Wilson 20.0% 15.0% 10.0% 5.0% 0.0% 6.3% 8.6% 6.3% 6.9% 3.8% Citywide Ward 1 Ward 2 Ward 3 Ward 4 DRAFT 19 CAMConnect October 2003

20 DETAIL WARD 1 Numbers indicate Election Districts currently in effect. Number of Voters in Elections Ward District Population Over * 2 1, * 3 1, , * , , , * Indicates that District boundaries changed as a result of redistricting in 2002 and Please see Page 5 for a comparison of the current boundaries and district numbers with those previously in effect. Note that Population Over 18 is for the current District boundaries. DRAFT 20 CAMConnect October 2003

21 DETAIL WARD 2 Numbers indicate Election Districts currently in effect. Ward District Population Over Number of Voters in Elections , , , , , , , *2 9 1, , * Indicates that District boundaries changed as a result of redistricting in 2002 and Please see Page 5 for a comparison of the current boundaries and district numbers with those previously in effect. Note that Population Over 18 is for the current District boundaries. DRAFT 21 CAMConnect October 2003

22 DETAIL WARD 3 Numbers indicate Election Districts currently in effect. Number of Voters in Elections Ward District Population Over , , , , , , , * Indicates that District boundaries changed as a result of redistricting in 2002 and Please see Page 5 for a comparison of the current boundaries and district numbers with those previously in effect. Note that Population Over 18 is for the current District boundaries. DRAFT 22 CAMConnect October 2003

23 DETAIL WARD 4 Numbers indicate Election Districts currently in effect. Number of Voters in Elections Ward District Population Over , , , , , , , , , *4 10 1, * Indicates that District boundaries changed as a result of redistricting in 2002 and Please see Page 5 for a comparison of the current boundaries and district numbers with those previously in effect. Note that Population Over 18 is for the current District boundaries. DRAFT 23 CAMConnect October 2003

24 ELECTED OFFICIALS REPRESENTING CAMDEN RESIDENTS FEDERAL President of the United States George W. Bush Party: Republican Phone: Fax: Washington Office: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, US Next Election: 2004 U.S. Senate from New Jersey Jon Corzine Party: Democrat Phone: Fax: Barrington Commons 208 White Horse Pike, Suite 18 Barrington, NJ Next Election: 2006 Frank Lautenberg Party: Democrat Phone: Fax: One Gateway Center Twenty-Third Floor Newark, NJ Next Election: 2008 U.S. Representative, New Jersey Congressional District 1 Robert E. Andrews Party: Democrat Phone: Fax: A White Horse Pike Haddon Heights, NJ Washington DC Phone: Next Election: 2004

25 ELECTED OFFICIALS REPRESENTING CAMDEN RESIDENTS STATE Governor James McGreevey Party: Democrat Phone: Fax: State House, P.O. Box 001 Trenton, NJ Next Election: 2005 State Senate, District 5 Wayne Bryant Party: Democrat Phone: SenBryant@njleg.org 501 Cooper St. Camden, NJ Next Election: 2003 General Assembly, District 5 Joseph Roberts Party: Democrat Phone: AsmRoberts@njleg.org Brooklawn Shopping Plaza RT. 130 & Browning Rd. Brooklawn, NJ Next Election: 2003 Nilsa Cruz-Perez Party: Democrat Phone: AswCruz-Perez@njleg.org 514 Cooper St. Camden, NJ Next Election: 2003

26 ELECTED OFFICIALS REPRESENTING CAMDEN RESIDENTS CITY or Gwendolyn Faison or's Office Phone: Market Street City Hall, Fourth Floor P.O. BOX Camden, New Jersey Next Election: 2005 City Council Phone: Fax: Next Election: 2005 At Large Dana L. Redd Phone: City Hall: City Line: C. Louise Dobbs Phone: City Hall: City Line: Israel Nieves Phone: City Hall: Office: (Hispanic Affairs) City Line: Office of City Council 520 Market Street City Hall, Suite 201 P.O. Box Camden, New Jersey Districts 1-4 Michael McGuire, Ward 1 Phone: City Hall: City Line: Ali Sloan-El, Sr., Ward 2 Phone: City Hall: City Line: Francisco Moran, Ward 3 Phone: City Hall: City Line: Angel Fuentes, Ward 4 City Council President Phone: City Hall: City Line:

27 ELECTED OFFICIALS REPRESENTING CAMDEN RESIDENTS COUNTY Board Of Chosen Freeholders Jeffrey L. Nash, Director Phone: Market Street 15th Floor Camden, NJ Edward T. McDonnell, Deputy Director Phone: Market Street 7th Floor Camden, NJ Helen Albright Phone: Market Street 12th Floor Camden, NJ Annette Castiglione-Degan Phone: Market Street 8th Floor Camden, NJ Riletta L. Cream Phone: Market Street 8th Floor Camden, NJ Laurelle A. Cummings Phone: Market Street 11th Floor Camden, NJ Thomas Gurrick Phone: Market Street 12th Floor Camden, NJ 08102

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