Jason O'Donnell

{{short description|American politician}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name=Jason O'Donnell

|image=JayHeadReal.png

|office1=Member of the New Jersey General Assembly from the 31st Legislative District

|term_start1=September 13, 2010

|term_end1=January 2016

|predecessor1=Anthony Chiappone

|successor1=Nicholas Chiaravalloti
Angela V. McKnight

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1971|10|13}}

|party=Democratic

|alma_mater=B.S. New Jersey City University (Fire Science)

|occupation=Director of Public Safety, City of Bayonne

|residence=Bayonne, New Jersey

|spouse=Kerry

|children=3

|website=

}}

Jason O'Donnell (born October 13, 1971) is an American Democratic Party politician who serves in the New Jersey General Assembly, where he has represented the 31st Legislative District since September 13, 2010. O'Donnell is the Director of Public Safety for the City of Bayonne where he also serves as the municipal Democratic Committee Chairman.{{cite web | last=Hester, Sr. | first=Tom | title=Bayonne Democratic chief Jason O'Donnell named to Assembly seat |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311170625/http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/state/bayonne-democratic-chief-jason-odonnell-named-to-assembly-seat |archive-date=March 11, 2012 |url=http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/state/bayonne-democratic-chief-jason-odonnell-named-to-assembly-seat | work=newjerseynewsroom.com | accessdate=January 17, 2016}} O'Donnell is on leave from his full-time position as a captain in the Bayonne Fire Department.

O'Donnell was chosen by the Hudson County Democratic Committee to succeed Anthony Chiappone, who resigned after pleading guilty to the misuse of campaign funds.{{cite news | title=O'Donnell and Schillari win big in Assembly and Sheriff races | url=http://www.hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/10145905/article--O%E2%80%99Donnell-and-Schillari-win-big-in-Assembly-and-Sheriff-races- | accessdate=February 15, 2011 | newspaper=Hudson Reporter | date=November 3, 2010}} O'Donnell won a 2010 special election to complete the remainder of Chiappone's term and was subsequently re-elected to two-year terms in 2011 and 2013. In March 2015, O'Donnell announced he would not seek re-election to a third full term in 2015.{{cite news |url=http://politickernj.com/2015/03/odonnell-opts-out-of-ld-31-reelection-bid/ |title=O'Donnell opts out of LD 31 reelection bid |author=Bonamo, Mark |website=Politicker NJ |date=March 25, 2015 |accessdate=September 5, 2015}}

In the Assembly, O'Donnell served on the Financial Institutions and Insurance, the Housing and Community Development, and the Labor Assembly committees.{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223062146/http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/bio.asp?Leg=327 |archive-date=December 23, 2015 |url=http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/bio.asp?Leg=327 |title=Jason O'Donnell (D) |publisher=New Jersey Legislature |accessdate=January 17, 2016}} In New Jersey, the Democratic nominee for the gubernatorial election typically gets to select the next chair of the State Democratic Committee. In 2013, Democratic nominee Barbara Buono indicated support for O'Donnell to become the next chair, however through backroom discussions, Passaic County Democratic chair John Currie was selected.

O'Donnell is married to wife Kerry and has two sons and one daughter. They live in Bayonne. He is a graduate of New Jersey City University majoring in fire safety.{{cite web |url=http://www.assemblydems.com/memberbio.asp?RosterKey=327 |title=Assemblyman Jason O'Donnell Bio Page |publisher=NJ Assembly Majority Office |accessdate=September 5, 2015}}