New Jersey's Failed Marriage Equality Vote

The first order of business, the posting of the yays, the nays, those abstaining and those absent. 

YES (14)

Sen. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic) (609) 383-1388
Sen. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex) (732) 752-0770
Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) (732) 205-1372
Sen. Raymond J. Lesniak (D-Union), co-sponsor (908) 624-0880
Senate President Richard Codey (D-Essex) (973) 731-6770
Sen. Teresa M. Ruiz (D-Essex) (973) 484-1000
Sen. Sandra B. Cunningham (D-Hudson) (201) 451-5100
Sen. Brian P. Stack (D-Hudson) (201) 861-5091 & (201) 558-7926
Sen. Nia H. Gill (D-Essex) (973) 509-0388
Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), co-sponsor (201) 928-0100
Sen. Robert M. Gordon (D-Bergen) (201) 703-9779
Sen. Nicholas P. Scutari (D-Union) (908) 587-0404
Sen. Joseph F.Vitale (D-Middlesex) (732) 855-7441
Sen. Bill Baroni (R-Mercer) (609) 631-9988

NO (20)

Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May) (609) 465-0700 & (856) 765-0891 & (856) 696-7109 &               (609) 926-3779
Sen. Ronald L. Rice (D- Essex)  (973) 371-5665
Sen. John A. Girgenti (D-Passaic (973) 427-1229
Sen. Nicholas Sacco (D-Hudson) (201) 295-0200
Sen. Fred H. Madden (D-Gloucester) (856) 232-6700 & (856) 401-3073
Sen. Shirley K. Turner (D-Mercer)  (609) 530-3277
Sen. Robert W. Singer (R-Ocean) (732) 901-0702
Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Morris) (973) 227-4012
Sen. Christopher Bateman, (R-Somerset) (908) 526-3600
Sen. Tom Kean Jr. (R -Union) (908) 232-3673 & (908) 918-0414 & (908) 232-2073
Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth ) (732) 933-1591
Sen. Joseph M. Kyrillos (R-Monmouth)  (732) 671-3206
Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Bergen)  (201) 567-2324
Sen. Michael Doherty (R-Hunterdon) (908) 835-0552
Sen. Kevin J. O’Toole (R-Essex) (973) 237-1360
Sen. Philip E. Haines (R-Burlington)   (609) 654-1498
Sen. Christopher J. Connors (R-Ocean) (609) 693-6700
Sen. Anthony R. Bucco (R-Morris) (973) 627-9700                                                                            Sen. Steven V. Oroho (R-Sussex) (973) 300-0200 & (973) 584-4670
Sen. Sean T. Kean (R-Monmouth) (732) 974-0400

ABSTENTIONS (3)

Sen. Paul A. Sarlo (D-Bergen) (201) 804-8118
Sen. Stephen M. Sweeney (D-Gloucester) (856) 251-9801 & (856) 455-1011 & (856) 339-0808
Sen. James Beach (D-Camden) (856) 489-3442

DID NOT ATTEND SESSION (2)

Sen. Diane B. Allen (R-Burlington) (609) 239-2800
Sen. Andrew Ciesla (R-Ocean) (732) 840-9028

First of all, I must thank David Badash for this list, posted at his blog The New Civil Rights Movement, to which I have added phone numbers.  David did a phenomenal job yesterday covering the marriage equality debate and has several posts up, including audio of individual Senators' speeches and excellent critiques of the.

Check out David's responses to Senator Kean, who represents the more LGBT citizens than any other Senator but voted no anyway, and Senator Cardinale who somehow argued against the bill from a procedural standpoint, stating that it "disenfranchised"NJ voters.  I'd suggest he look up disenfranchise.   He is an elected representative of his constituents and his vote on laws that affect them is in fact a direct extension of their vote.  But I digress.

Unlike New York, where every single Republican Senator voted against marriage equality, in New Jersey we can thank  Republican Senator Bill Baroni for his bravery in breaking the status quo of the GOP and delivering this excellent speech, asserting that “unequal treatment by government is always wrong.”


My parents are represented by Republican Senator Philip E. Haines of Burlington County, where I lived for a decade of my life.  Ironically, I have to call his office to ask for his assistance in understanding NJ health insurance law.  After that conversation, we'll be having one about marriage equality, and the fact that he will not get my parents' votes, nor the votes of anyone that I or my parents lobby. 

It's time, today, this very moment, to call NJ Senators who feel that we are not equal citizens and let them know it's time to get on the equality train, or be ready to clean out their offices.