New Jersey’s 2025 gubernatorial election delivered a resounding message: the state’s blue streak is far from over, and voters are as engaged as ever. On November 5, 2025, more than 3.2 million of the state’s 6.5 million registered voters cast ballots, marking the highest turnout for a governor’s race in two decades, according to a WHYY News analysis of county data. This surge in participation—up 10% from the 2021 general election—swept Democrat Mikie Sherrill into the governor’s mansion with a decisive 13-point victory over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, reversing recent trends that had seen New Jersey inching closer to the political center.
Sherrill’s win is historic for several reasons. Not only did she become the first Democrat to secure three consecutive gubernatorial victories for her party since 1961, as reported by CNN and The Associated Press, but she also managed to flip five counties that had swung to Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. These included Morris and Passaic in the north, and Atlantic, Cumberland, and Gloucester in the south, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. In these pivotal counties, turnout soared: 115,000 more votes were cast than in 2021, with about 93,400 more Democratic votes and 21,600 more Republican votes—a testament to the mobilization efforts on both sides, but especially among Democrats.
Hunterdon County led the state with a remarkable 62% turnout. County Clerk Mary H. Melfi credited ongoing community outreach and educational programs for fostering a robust voting culture. “Whether they care about who’s their governor or who’s on their school board, they tend to vote,” Melfi told WHYY News. “They keep voting. It doesn’t matter what the disaster is, they vote.” Even at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, 86% of Hunterdon voters cast ballots by mail for the 2020 presidential election.
South Jersey, long seen as a potential Republican stronghold, didn’t deliver for Ciattarelli this time. Cape May County led the southern region with 57% turnout, but Sherrill dominated overall, taking 57% of the vote across South Jersey and winning key counties like Atlantic, Cumberland, and Gloucester—areas that had previously leaned Republican. Ciattarelli managed to win only Cape May, Ocean, and Salem counties, a far cry from his 2021 performance when he carried nearly all of South Jersey except Camden and Burlington.
So, what drove this dramatic shift? Political observers point to the polarizing influence of President Donald Trump, whose presence loomed large over the race. According to The Hill, Trump’s unpopularity in New Jersey—reflected in a 51% disapproval rating in a recent Emerson College Polling survey—forced Ciattarelli into a tricky balancing act, trying to embrace the president’s base while also distancing himself from Trump’s more controversial stances. Democrats, meanwhile, worked hard to make the election a referendum on Trump and his administration, tying Ciattarelli to the former president at every turn.
“Voters were very clear,” said Nedia Morsy, director of Make the Road Action New Jersey, an immigrant advocacy group. “This was a Trump versus democracy versus anti-authoritarianism versus an anti-fascist regime, and that messaging prevailed.” Morsy’s organization played a significant role in boosting Latino turnout in municipalities such as Elizabeth, Passaic, and Perth Amboy, driving 7 million digital ad impressions, 260,000 calls, 100,000 texts, and knocking on 60,000 doors. The impact was especially pronounced in Passaic County, where 45% of residents are Hispanic. Sherrill’s share of the vote there was 10.2 points higher than Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 performance and 5.7 points higher than Gov. Phil Murphy’s in 2021, reversing a trend of declining Democratic support among Hispanic voters.
The campaign itself grew personal and contentious in its final weeks. Ciattarelli attacked Sherrill over her U.S. Naval Academy graduation, after reports surfaced that she hadn’t walked during her 1994 commencement. Sherrill explained she chose not to walk because she refused to turn in classmates implicated in a cheating scandal, a decision that became a flashpoint. Meanwhile, Sherrill criticized Ciattarelli after an ally of his obtained an unredacted copy of her military records, which included personal information about her and her family. Ciattarelli denied any wrongdoing, and the National Archives accepted responsibility for the incident. Sherrill also accused Ciattarelli’s medical publishing company of contributing to the opioid crisis, an allegation he firmly rejected.
Beneath the drama, key policy issues also shaped the election. The soaring cost of living—especially skyrocketing electricity rates—was top of mind for many voters. Sherrill promised on the campaign trail to declare a State of Emergency on her first day in office and freeze electric rates, a pledge she reiterated during her transition press conference. She noted ongoing conversations with utility companies and policy experts, aiming to leverage resources from the Board of Public Utilities to address the crisis. Atlantic City Electric, which serves many southern New Jerseyans, issued a statement pledging to work with Sherrill to “get energy costs under control for all New Jerseyans.” The utility highlighted its $4 million Customer Relief Fund, which has already helped over 3,500 low- and middle-income families, and expressed eagerness to collaborate on long-term solutions like community solar and battery storage.
Sherrill’s victory also brought new leadership to the lieutenant governor’s office. Dale Caldwell, a longtime New Brunswick resident, will serve as the first male and third Black person to hold the position. Caldwell’s extensive resume includes degrees from Princeton, Wharton, and Seton Hall, as well as leadership roles in nonprofits, state government, and education—including a 26-year tenure on the New Brunswick Board of Education and the presidency of Centenary University since 2023. The lieutenant governor position, created by a 2005 constitutional amendment and first filled in 2009, places Caldwell first in line to succeed the governor.
As Governor-elect Sherrill prepares to take office in January 2026, she faces high expectations. U.S. Rep. Herb Conaway praised her “integrity, courage and dedication,” predicting she would “deliver real results on the issues that matter most, such as lowering costs, improving our schools, strengthening our economy and protecting the rights of every New Jerseyan.” Senator Andy Kim echoed that optimism, calling Sherrill’s election “our moment to bring change and progress to the Garden State.”
With record turnout, shifting political winds, and a new administration poised to tackle affordability and equity, New Jersey’s voters have set the stage for a pivotal era in the state’s history.
