Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) released the following statement Thursday on the release of new U.S. Census figures:
“The only way to truly create a government of, by and for the people is to make sure our legislative map is redrawn fairly so that the diversity of our state is represented in a way that does not drown out any particular voice.
“New Jersey has long been a microcosm of the nation in terms of diversity. The best way to ensure that our Legislature reflects the people it is chosen to represent is to respect that diversity when carving out the new district map.
“We’ve made important strides over the last 10 years to elect a greater number of women and minorities to the legislature, but this can easily be undone if the redistricting process gets corrupted by outside influences,” said Watson Coleman.