Donald Lan

Donald Paul Lan Sr. (December 19, 1930 – April 29, 2019) was an American Democratic Party politician who served as Secretary of State of New Jersey from 1977 to 1982 in the cabinet of Brendan Byrne. He was a member of the Democratic Party committee at the local, county, state, and national level. In 1981, he was an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of New Jersey.

Background Donald Paul Lan was born on December 19, 1930 in Newark, New Jersey and was raised in nearby Maplewood. He graduated from Columbia High School.

He attended Seton Hall University and served in the United States Air Force. He later sold the company in 1988.

Lan was also elected to represent New Jersey on the Democratic National Committee. In April 1975, he resigned as executive secretary to run for Union County chairman again. He was successful, winning 16 of 27 votes from the executive committee. However, amid a political feud between Byrne and state party chairman James P. Dugan, Lan was removed from the national committee in 1976. He endorsed U.S. representative James Florio and became his deputy campaign manager. His dual roles as Secretary of State and campaign operative became controversial when the general election between Florio and Republican nominee Tom Kean proceeded to a statewide recount. Republicans demanded that Lan recuse himself; he refused. Kean won the election by 1,797 votes.

After 1981, Lan and Byrne became friends again.

Personal life and death Lan married his wife, Hannah, in 1951. They had three children.

Lan died on April 29, 2019, at the age of 88.