Bob Smith
New Jersey State Senator, District 17 since 2001. Ran in 16 elections between 1985 and 2023, winning 16. Next on the ballot in 2027.
- In office
- 25 yrs
- Since 2001
- Bills became law
- 15
- 254 sponsored, 2025–2026 session
- Votes missed
- 6.3%
- Chamber median 2.7%
- With party
- 99%
- On votes splitting the parties
- Last margin
- +45.6
- Won 2023
- Next election
- 2027
- Nov 2, 2027
Source: Wikidata, congress-legislators and Open States; 99chambers legislative recordsUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Committees
As of 2026-10.
- Environment and Energy · chair
- Judiciary
- Select
- State House Commission
Source: Open States committeesUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET
Legislation
Became law Sep 2026
Became law Jul 2026
Became law Jul 2026
Became law Mar 2026
Source: Open States billsUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:22 PM ET
Voting record
Where Smith sits in the New Jersey State Senate
Smith is closer to the center than 80% of the chamber's Democrats.
Closest: Joe Cryan, Nellie Pou, Andrew Zwicker
Source: 99chambers roll-call scalingUpdated Nov 6, 2026, 4:57 PM ET
With Smith’s party
- Votes with the chamber's Democrats99%
- Cosponsorships of the other party's bills12%
Black tick: the average of Democrats in the New Jersey State Senate.
Source: 99chambers legislative scores from roll calls and cosponsorships
Key votes
Votes chosen for their effect, not their side: Smith’s vote, each party’s majority, and the result. An orange vote differs from most Democrats.
| Date | Bill | Smith | Dem. majority | Rep. majority | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 22, 2025 | A 3016: Allows follow-up communication by operators of mental health and suicide crisis resources… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 27–6 |
| Dec 18, 2025 | A 2316: Increases traffic threshold for local installation of certain speed humps on certain local… | Yes | Yes | Yes | Passed 35–2 |
| Dec 18, 2025 | S 3776: Establishes Chronic Absenteeism Task Force. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 26–12 |
| Jun 30, 2025 | A 5463: Requires electric public utilities to submit annual report on voting to BPU. | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 29–8 |
| Jun 30, 2025 | S 4476: Permits awarding of contracts for certain preschool education services by resolution of… | Yes | Yes | No | Passed 30–7 |
Source: 99chambers key votes from Congress.gov, Voteview and Open States roll calls
Career
Offices held, and every time Smith was on a ballot. Filled marks are general elections won; hollow marks are primaries; an orange outline is a loss.
Source: 99chambers results archive (MEDSL, Klarner, state election offices)
Elections
Margin against the seat’s presidential baseline: how the seat voted for president in the same or nearest year.
| Year | Race | Result | Margin | Seat | +/− |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | New Jersey State Senate, District 17 | Won | D+45.6 | D+46.3 | −0.7 |
| 2021 | New Jersey State Senate, District 17 | Won | D+38.2 | — | — |
| 2017 | New Jersey State Senate, District 17 | Won | D+42.9 | — | — |
| 2013 | New Jersey State Senate, District 17 | Won | D+19.6 | — | — |
| 2011 | New Jersey State Senate, District 17 | Won | D+28.0 | — | — |
| 2007 | New Jersey State Senate, District 17 | Won | D+23.3 | — | — |
| 2003 | New Jersey State Senate, District 17 | Won | D+21.9 | — | — |
| 2001 | New Jersey State Senate, District 17 | Won | D+37.8 | — | — |
| 1999 | New Jersey General Assembly, District 17 | Won | D+2.6 | — | — |
| 1997 | New Jersey General Assembly, District 17 | Won | D+2.1 | — | — |
| 1995 | New Jersey General Assembly, District 17 | Won | D+0.9 | — | — |
| 1993 | New Jersey General Assembly, District 17 | Won | D+1.0 | — | — |
| 1991 | New Jersey General Assembly, District 17 | Won | D+1.2 | — | — |
| 1989 | New Jersey General Assembly, District 17 | Won | D+0.4 | — | — |
| 1987 | New Jersey General Assembly, District 17 | Won | R+0.7 | — | — |
| 1985 | New Jersey General Assembly, District 17 | Won | R+2.1 | — | — |
Source: 99chambers results archive
Seats Smith has held
- New Jersey State Senate, District 17 · since 2001
- New Jersey General Assembly, District 17 · 1985–2001
Source: 99chambers results archive
Who Smith has run against
- William P. Mikita Jr. (R) · 2023 election, won
- James A. Abate (R) · 2021 election, won
- Daryl J. Kipnis (R) · 2017 election, won
- Brian D. Levine (R) · 2013 election, won
- Jordan Rickards (R) · 2011 election, won
- John Costello (R) · 2007 election, won
- Jeffrey M. Orbach (R) · 2003 election, won
- Matthew House (R) · 2001 election, won
Source: 99chambers results archive
How we know Smith
One person, matched across every source we use.
- Open States ocd-person/177d44ba-0c93-4e26-b245-84aa2239f7b4
Source: Identity links: Wikidata, congress-legislators, Open States, FECUpdated Oct 27, 2026, 9:43 AM ET