Richard Leone, a former state treasurer who is overseeing the transition effort for Mr. Corzine, said that the administration was taking shape right on time.

After the 1980 election, Meese headed Reagan's transition effort.

Lessons Learned But in terms of the transition effort, Bush aides insist they have absorbed the lessons of previous teams.

Mr. Jordan, a lobbyist with a Washington law firm, is to supervise the Washington end of the transition effort.

As the Clinton campaign operation shuts down and the transition effort gears up, lines of authority and information have become blurred.

"I have been lucky enough to assist in the transition efforts at Fort Ord, and that experience has helped me push those issues locally and nationwide."

Other members of Mr. Florio's campaign will now move to the transition effort.

Once the race to the White House was won, Salemme scrounged another $5,000 for the transition effort.

The Mayor-elect said that his campaign manager, and longtime friend, Peter J. Powers, would head his transition effort.

"That would complicate tremendously any transition effort," Mr. Leventhal said.