Context:
In United States Government, midterm elections are usually held halfway through a president’s term. They determine local elections, like governor, as well as federal seats in both the House of Representatives and Senate. They are crucial to not only gauge whether public sentiment for the President is high, but also critical to see which party controls the Legislative branch for the next couple of years. In the midterm elections, voters decide all of the seats in the United States House of Representatives (about 435) and about one third of the United States Senate (33 or 34 seats). Looking at historical contexts, the president’s political party typically loses seats in Congress during the midterm elections. Midterms also help to fund presidential campaigns, and help them to get a headstart in the vote gathering process. While most midterm elections (to decide governors) are still fairly far away (late November of 2026), NJ’s gubernatorial (state governor) elections are not. This is because New Jersey, unlike other states, holds them on odd numbered years (similar to Virginia). This atypical norm is due to a clause in a constitution devised by some delegates in 1947. On the other hand, most states have gubernatorial elections on the midterm ballot including New York, Arizona, etc. With that being said, it is important to understand who are the candidates running in New Jersey’s early “midterms.”
New Jersey Governor:
For the past few months, many candidates have been running in primaries, campaigning, and debating. As a result of their work, two candidates have emerged: Jack Ciattarelli of the Republican Party and Mikie Sherrill of the Democratic Party. Ciattarelli’s message is that he wants to decrease the cost of living in New Jersey. That looks like reducing the Corporation Business Tax (CBT) and prohibiting property tax increases on homes that were “improved.” He also wants to decrease energy costs by building nuclear reactors and installing solar power. Not to mention, Ciattarelli was personally endorsed by Trump, with some of his main campaigning points being: strong immigration restriction policies, and lenient gun rights. Regarding schools, Ciattarelli wants to ensure fairness and restructure school funding formulas. Sherrill also agrees with Ciattarelli insofar as both want to reduce costs. However, the ways in which Sherrill wants to accomplish these goals are different. Sherrill wants to make costs more affordable for the everyday family as opposed to businesses. This can look like the Child Tax Credit or an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Sherill also plans to make healthcare premiums more transparent and enforce reproductive rights. Regarding energy, Sherrill plans to freeze energy rates, as she has done before, and implement clean energy initiatives. Elections begin on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, with early voting beginning on October 25th.
You As A Voter
It is important to vote. Even if you are not politically aligned, the votes casted will impact you and the future of the country. Doing proper research from nonpartisan news sources are important as well. Anything else encourages dogmatism and bias for a certain side. We are all hoping for a better America.
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