We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing upon our endeavors to secure and transmit the same unimpaired to succeeding generations, do ordain and establish this Constitution.[9]

"Rights and Privileges"

Article I, as is usual for constitutions, establishes the rights and freedoms inherent people and relevant operation of the government. The rights discussed in this Article largely mirror the Constitution of the United States. Such rights include freedom of speech, a speedy and public trial, and religious freedom.[10] Article I also contains a Victims' Bill of Rights.[11] The article is a de facto enumeration of the rights of the common man; Article I, Section I, Paragraph 21 deliberately states:

21. This enumeration of rights shall not be construed to impair or deny others retained by the people.

This Article is similar to the U.S. Constitution's enumeration of rights. Similar to the U.S. Bill of Rights, the document also still has "holdover" rights, or rights left over from fear of Britain during the Revolutionary War. These passages still do guarantee important rights to New Jerseyans, but violations are not necessarily common. Such rights include:

11. No person shall, after acquittal, be tried for the same offense. All persons shall, before conviction, be bailable by sufficient sureties, except for capital offenses when the proof is evident or presumption great... 16. No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner; nor in time of war, except in a manner prescribed by law.

"Elections and Suffrage"

[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:New_Jersey_congressional_districts_by_party_contr

Constitution of New Jersey

Constitution of New Jersey

American state constitution

Constitution of the State of New Jersey
The Great Seal of the State of New Jersey
Overview
Jurisdiction
Presented
Ratified
Dateeffective
Chambers
Executive
Judiciary
History
Amendments
Signatories
Full text
Constitution of New Jersey at Wikisource

The Constitution of the State of New Jersey is the basic governing document of the State of New Jersey. In addition to three British Royal Charters issued for East Jersey, West Jersey and united New Jersey while they were still colonies, the state has been governed by three constitutions. The first was adopted on July 2, 1776, shortly before New Jersey ratified the United States Declaration of Independence and the second came into effect in 1844. The current document was adopted in 1947 and has been amended several times.[1]

The state constitution reinforces the basic rights found in the United States Constitution, but also contains several unique provisions, such as regulations governing the operation of casinos. At 26,159 words,[2] the document is slightly shorter than the average American state constitution (about 28,300 words).[3]