Latest Edition of TrueNorth

Early voting is underway for New Jersey’s 2025 Primary Election, which will be on Tuesday June 10th.  Voters will  select nominees for Governor, State Assembly, county and municipal offices, and an unexpired State Senate term.  The general election will be on November 4, 2025.

New Jersey holds its gubernatorial elections in the year following a presidential election.  This makes New Jersey one of only two states (along with Virginia) that have gubernatorial elections in the year after a presidential contest. These off-year races often attract national attention as they can be seen as indicators of voter sentiment following a presidential election.

Eleven major party candidates are competing to replace Democrat Phil Murphy, who was first elected in 2017 and is term-limited.

Democrats will choose from among six candidates:

• Mayor Ras J. Baraka of Newark;
• Mayor Steven Fulop of Jersey City;
• Representative Josh Gottheimer, of the 5th Congressional District;
• Representative Mikie Sherrill, of the 11th Congressional District;
• Sean Spiller, the president of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA);
• Stephen Sweeney, a former State Senate president.

The Republican race features three prominent candidates:

• State Senator Jon M. Bramnick;
• Jack Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman;
• Bill Spadea, a longtime radio host.

Mario M. Kranjac, a former mayor of Englewood Cliffs; and Justin Barbera, a contractor, are also running.

Republicans have not won statewide office in New Jersey since Chris Christie was elected to a second term as governor in 2013.  The last time Democrats served three consecutive terms as governor of New Jersey was in 1961, when Richard J. Hughes, a Democrat, was elected to succeed fellow Democrat Robert B. Meyner, who had served two terms.

Early Voting Underway

Early in-person voting began on Tuesday June 3rd with roughly 27,000 voters casting ballots.  Including mail-in ballots, over 308,000 New Jerseyans have already voted.  While turnout in non-presidential year primaries is typically low, more people voted on Tuesday than on the first day of last year’s presidential primary, suggesting a higher level of interest and potentially higher overall turnout once all votes are counted.

New Jersey has a closed primary system, meaning only Democrats and Republicans can vote for their party’s nominees.  Unaffiliated voters may vote if they first declare a party affiliation.  If voting by mail, unaffiliated voters may declare a party by selecting either a Democratic or a Republican ballot.

Voters can find information regarding the election, including polling locations, at the New Jersey Voter Information Portal, here.

Election Spending Records

Election spending in the race has already reached record levels. Together, the candidates for governor have raised at least $59 million, according to most recent campaign filings, and have spent more than $43 million. By comparison, eight years ago, when there was an open seat, candidates for governor spent $35 million on primary races.

Spending by so-called independent expenditure groups, or super PACs, which can raise and spend unlimited sums of money but are barred from directly coordinating with campaigns, has also hit new heights.

While the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) has yet to release a final report of fundraising and spending, analysis of available data shows $155 million raised and $142 million spent by candidates and independent committees supporting them.

About 40% of campaign financial activity is from the 11 candidates, including more than $37 million in public matching funds. The rest is from independent political committees backing one candidate or the other.  Roughly half of all the independent money in the race ultimately came from the NJEA to support Sean Spiller.

Trump Endorses Ciattarelli

Jack Ciattarelli won a pitched battle to secure the coveted support of Donald Trump, besting self-proclaimed Trump ally Bill Spadea and potentially altering the trajectory of the GOP primary.

Both candidates had spent months courting Trump and brandishing their pro-Trump bonafides.

Just before early voting began, Trump held a tele-rally on Monday to support Ciattarelli’s candidacy.  “Jack has what it takes to win,” Trump said. “Jack Ciattarelli has my complete and total endorsement.”

In a sweeping move to modernize and democratize electric vehicle infrastructure, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) has announced it will replace all Tesla Superchargers across its service areas with universal, open-access EV chargers. The transition, which begins June 6, 2025, marks a significant pivot in the state’s approach to EV accessibility and infrastructure equity.

The new chargers—provided by Applegreen Electric—will be installed at all 21 NJTA service areas. The decision follows the expiration of Tesla’s license agreement with NJTA, which previously allowed the company to operate Superchargers at eight service areas.

Applegreen Electric, already a familiar partner to NJTA through its operation of service area restaurants and travel marts, will now expand its footprint to include EV infrastructure. The universal chargers are compatible with all EV makes and models, a move that aligns with New Jersey’s broader zero-emission vehicle mandate targeting full transition by 2035.

As New Jersey accelerates toward its clean transportation goals, the NJTA’s shift to universal chargers is being hailed for its commitment to inclusivity, interoperability, and long-term sustainability on the state’s busiest roadways.

The Gateway Development Commission (GDC) has released a compelling new video that shines a spotlight on the construction workers powering the Hudson Tunnel Project (HTP), the nation’s most urgent infrastructure initiative. Featuring interviews with workers and on-site footage, the video offers a rare, human-centered view of the massive effort underway beneath the Hudson River.

With five of ten construction packages already in progress—including two that are over 50% complete—the HTP is currently supporting more than 20,000 jobs and generating $4.5 billion in economic output. The full project is expected to support 95,000 jobs and nearly $20 billion in economic activity.

“This video puts a human face on the jobs the HTP is already creating,” said GDC Co-Chairs Alicia Glen and Balpreet Grewal-Virk, along with Vice Chair Tony Coscia. “It lets us hear, in their own words, what this project means to the people building it.”

GDC CEO Tom Prendergast added, “Too often, the men and women who build megaprojects like the HTP are invisible. This video gives them a voice, and their message is clear: building the HTP is not just a job—it’s a legacy.”

The video is part of a broader communications campaign aimed at raising awareness among riders and decision-makers in Washington, New York, and New Jersey. It can be viewed on the GDC YouTube channel or via the official press release.

Pine Beach Elementary School recently hosted its inaugural Career Carousel, welcoming professionals from across New Jersey to share their career journeys and inspire the next generation. Among the featured speakers was Gabrielle Liguori, Director of Association Management for NorthStar Strategies, who inspired students with details of her professional story.

Liguori brings a wealth of experience coordinating high-impact initiatives across industry sectors. She is responsible for day-to-day operations for the American Council of Engineering Companies of New Jersey (ACECNJ).  She plays a key role in organizing strategic programming, leads member engagement efforts, and supports advocacy efforts. Her work regularly bridges public and private sector collaboration, and she is known for her effective communications skills and professionalism.

Gabrielle is proud to be a role model for future generations, especially young girls. She is actively involved with the executive leadership of the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore, where she serves on the Fund Development Committee and the Phenomenal Women Under 40 Committee. In 2019, she was honored with the Girl Scouts’ Phenomenal Women Under 40 award for her leadership and community impact.

The Career Carousel event offered Pine Beach Elementary School students a glimpse into a wide range of professions, helping broaden their ideas about the future and sparking interest in fields they may not have previously considered.

Flanked by BPU President Christine Guhl-Sadovy, Senate President Nick Scutari and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, Governor Phil Murphy this week unveiled a $430 million electric bill relief package for the State's ratepayers.

The relief package includes a $100 credit utility bill credit for all 3.9 million residential ratepayers in the state and another $150 for low- and moderate-income ratepayers.

The issue of rising utility rates has dominated debate in Trenton and kitchen table discussion across New Jersey for months. Many Democrats, including Murphy, have  blamed the regional power grid operator PJM for the price spikes. Republicans have attributed increases to supply shortages and place the blame for those shortages on Murphy and his administration's emphasis on renewable energy development.

The $430 million package will be funded from the state’s Clean Energy Fund, the Board of Public Utilities’ share of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative proceeds, and the Solar Alternative Compliance Payment account.