These 5 NJ Counties Flipped Blue In Tuesday’s Election, AP Says

Democrat Mikie Sherrill is projected to be the next governor of the Garden State with a 13 percent lead over Republican Jack Ciattarelli, with nearly all votes counted, according to the Associated Press. And she got there by flipping five counties blue.

All of New Jersey's 21 counties, including ones that remained red during this election, shifted towards the Democrats, according to the Associated Press. However, helping Sherrill get a lead of over 400,000 votes was that five of those counties flipped from red to blue compared to last year’s presidential election.

A majority of Cumberland, Gloucester, Atlantic, Morris, and Passaic county voters supported Mikie Sherrill during the election, AP reports as of 12:09 p.m. Wednesday.

See the unofficial numbers below, with around 95 percent of votes tallied (AP):

Cumberland County

• Mikie Sherrill: 20,281 (51.6%)
• Jack Ciattarelli: 18,751 (47.7%)

Gloucester County

• Mikie Sherrill: 64,680 (51.4%)
• Jack Ciattarelli: 60,270 (47.9%)

Atlantic County

• Mikie Sherrill: 49,599 (51.1%)
• Jack Ciattarelli: 46,876 (48.3%)

Morris County

• Mikie Sherrill: 109,796 (50.1%)
• Jack Ciattarelli: 108,370 (49.5%)

Passaic County

• Mikie Sherrill: 82,152 (57.1%)
• Jack Ciattarelli: 60,649 (42.2%)

Additionally, these counties supported Democrat Joe Biden during the 2020 Presidential Election, and flipped to support Jack Ciattarelli’s gubernatorial run in 2021, bar Passaic, which would later flip red for the 2024 Presidential Election.

According to state election data, there were 2.52 million registered Democrats, 1.67 million registered Republicans, and 2.34 million unaffiliated voters in New Jersey as of Oct. 1. Voters in New Jersey cast 741,924 early in-person and 617,845 mail-in ballots before Election Day, the Associated Press reports.

While the results have not yet been certified, Sherrill’s margin is not expected to change. Ciattarelli conceded the election Tuesday night.

“I called and congratulated Mikie Sherrill, and gave her my very best wishes… In hopefully solving New Jersey,” he said. “Nobody is more disappointed than I am, but I’m proud of the efforts of my team that are here tonight.”

Sherrill is aimed to be the Garden State’s second woman governor, and its first Democratic woman governor.

“New Jersey, it is the honor of my life to earn your trust to become this great state’s 57th Governor,” the governor-elect posted. “I promise to listen, lead with courage, and never forget who I serve.”

With reporting from Eric Kiefer and the Associated Press

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