Alixon Collazos-Gill

Alixon Collazos-Gill is an American Democratic Party politician serving as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly for the 27th legislative district, having taken office on January 9, 2024.

Alixon Collazos-Gill
Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 27th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 9, 2024 Serving with Rosy Bagolie
Preceded by	Mila Jasey John F. McKeon
Personal details
Political party	Democratic
Education	Rutgers University–Newark
Website	Legislative webpage

Biography

A resident of Montclair, New Jersey, Collazos-Gill emigrated from Colombia and settled with her family in New Jersey, graduating from Long Branch High School and then Rutgers University–Newark. She worked for New Jersey Network, in the office of Congressman Steve Rothman and on Phil Murphy's campaign for governor. She and her husband established a government affairs firm, where she focuses on cannabis-related issues.^[1]

Elective office

Following the 2021 reapportionment, all of the municipalities in Morris County were removed from the district, while the Passaic County municipality of Clifton was shifted from its longtime home in the 34th district.^[2] In the June 2023 Democratic primary, the first held under the 2021 reapportionment, incumbent Senator Richard Codey defeated incumbent 34th district Senator Nia Gill, though Codey announced in August that he would retire at the end of the term. McKeon was selected to replace Codey on the November ballot for Senate^[3] while Mila Jasey retired after her hometown was moved out of the district, with newcomers Rosy Bagolie and Collazos-Gill ultimately chosen to be the two Democratic Assembly candidates.^[4]

Bagolie and Collazos-Gill defeated Republicans Irene DeVita and Michael G. Mecca Jr. in the 2023 New Jersey General Assembly election^[5][6] Collazos-Gill was one of 27 members elected for the first time in 2023 to serve in the General Assembly, more than one-third of the seats.^[7]

Committees

Committee assignments for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:^[8]

• Children, Families and Food Security
• Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste
• Regulated Professions

District 27

Each of the 40 districts in the New Jersey Legislature has one representative in the New Jersey Senate and two members in the New Jersey General Assembly.^[9] The representatives from the 27th District for the 2024—2025 Legislative Session are:^[10]

• Senator John F. McKeon (D)
• Assemblyman Rosy Bagolie (D)
• Assemblywoman Alixon Collazos-Gill (D)

Electoral history

27th Legislative District General Election, 2023^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Rosaura Bagolie	27,303	34.9
	Democratic	Alixon Collazos-Gill	27,245	34.8
	Republican	Irene DeVita	11,916	15.2
	Republican	Michael Mecca Jr.	11,732	15.0
Total votes			78,196	100.0
	Democratic hold
	Democratic hold

References

1. Election profile: 27th Legislative District, NJ Spotlight News. Accessed January 9, 2024. "Hometown: Montclair. I was born in Colombia, immigrated to the United States when I was 14 years old. Graduated from Long Branch High School and then went on to Rutgers University in Newark, where I graduated with a bachelor’s degree with a double major in sociology and Latin American literature. My first job out of college was with NJN (NJ Public Television Station) on a show called Images/Imagenes. I worked for U.S. Rep. Steven Rothman for seven years in the district office, where I served in various roles, including as the director of constituent services. in 2016-17 I served as the co-director of the Latino Outreach Program for gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy."
2. "What's your new NJ legislative district? 20% moved on new map", WKXW, February 25, 2022. Accessed January 24, 2024.
3. Wildstein, David. "McKeon will get Codey’s Senate seat, Brendan Gill will run for Assembly", New Jersey Globe, August 17, 2023. Accessed January 24, 2024. "Democrats have settled on Assemblyman John McKeon (D-West Orange) to replace Richard J. Codey in the State Senate, with Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill (D-Montclair) set to run for the State Assembly, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed.... The deal averts a floor fight between McKeon and Gill for the Senate seat of Richard J. Codey, a former governor who announced on Monday that he would retire from the Senate at the end of his current term after 50 years in the New Jersey Legislature."
4. "Election 2023: Legislative District 27", NJ Spotlight News, May 5, 2023. Accessed January 24, 2024. "Assemblyman John McKeon, a Democrat, an attorney and former mayor of West Orange, was going to defend his seat but now is running instead for the Senate. He is facing Michael D. Byrne of Upper Montclair. Both Democratic Assembly candidates are newcomers, as the other Assembly member, Mila Jasey chose to retire after her hometown was moved into the neighboring 28th District. Rosy Bagolie, a Livingston councilwoman and superintendent of the East Newark School District, is running with Alixon Collazos-Gill, who co-founded a Montclair public affairs firm with her husband, Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill."
5. Connolly, John. "NJ election results 2023: State Senate, Assembly seats decided", The Record, November 9, 2023. Accessed December 23, 2023.
6. Official List Candidates for General Assembly for General Election November 7, 2023, New Jersey Department of State, December 6, 2023. Accessed December 23, 2023.
7. Wildstein, David. "37 new lawmakers take office at noon", New Jersey Globe, January 9, 2024. Accessed January 9, 2024. "The 221st New Jersey Legislature begins today, with 37 new lawmakers – nearly one-third of the legislature – being sworn in at noon. That number includes ten new Senators and 27 new members of the General Assembly."
8. Assemblywoman Alixon Collazos-Gill (D), New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 24, 2024.
9. New Jersey State Constitution 1947 (Updated Through Amendments Adopted in November, 2020): Article IV, Section II, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 28, 2022.
10. Legislative Roster for District 27, New Jersey Legislature. Accessed January 24, 2024.
11. "Candidates for General Assembly - For GENERAL ELECTION 11/07/2023 Election" (PDF). New Jersey Department of State. Retrieved December 6, 2023.