the New Jersey Joint Committee on Mentoring since 1999. He served on the New Jersey Tourism Advisory Council in 1998, on the New Jersey Congressional Award Council in 1995 and on the New Jersey Council on Adult Literacy in 1992. He served as Chair of the Newark Housing Authority from 1986–1989 and was Vice-Chair of the Essex County Improvement Authority from 1980-1986. 1994 Newark mayoral election Payne decided to challenge incumbent Mayor of Newark Sharpe James in the May 1994 election. The mayor won re-election to a third term defeating Payne 64%-20%. 2007 New Jersey Senate race In the November 2007 general election, Teresa Ruiz and her Assembly running mates Alberto Coutinho and L. Grace Spencer won the three seats from the district. Ruiz won with 57.8% of the vote, defeating five other candidates, including Democrats-running-as independents Luis Quintana (with 15.9%) in second place and Payne who came in third with 15.7%, earning . Personal life He is divorced and has four children. Payne's brother, Donald M. Payne, served in the House of Representatives representing New Jersey's 10th Congressional district. Following Donald M. Payne's death, Payne's nephew, Donald Payne Jr., was selected by the Essex County Democratic machine to replace his father. Payne's other nephew, Craig A. Stanley, also served in the General Assembly, where he represented the 28th legislative district from 1996 to 2008. District 29 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 29th Legislative District are: Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo, and Senator Sharpe James References External links Assemblyman Payne's Legislative Website Assembly Member William D. Payne, Project Vote Smart New Jersey Voter Information Website 2003 Financial Disclosures From 2000-04 New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure form for 2006 (PDF) New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure form for 2005 (PDF) New Jersey Legislature financial disclosure form for 2004 (PDF) 1932 births African-American state legislators in New Jersey Living people Democratic Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly Politicians from Newark, New Jersey Rutgers University alumni 21st-century American politicians 21st-century African-American politicians 20th-century African-American people