New Jersey Governor Election 2025 Results: Sherrill Wins, AP Says

UPDATE: The Associated Press has projected that Mikie Sherrill is the winner of the New Jersey governor election. The results remain uncertified; 61 percent of votes were counted as of 9:23 p.m. on Nov. 4.

Garden State voters went to the polls on Tuesday to choose a new governor.

New Jersey has been drawing national attention with one of only two gubernatorial races happening in the U.S. this year.

Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic candidate, and Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate, emerged with their party's nomination after a competitive primary election in June. Third-party candidates appearing on the ballot include Vic Kaplan (Libertarian Party) and Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party).

Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, is term-limited and can’t run again this year.

Here are the unofficial results from the Associated Press with 66 percent of the votes counted:

• Mikie Sherrill – 1,226,156 votes (57.2%)
• Jack Ciattarelli – 960,298 votes (42.5%)
• Vic Kaplan – 7,362 votes (0.3%)
• Joanne Kuniansky – 5,131 votes (0.2%)

Sherrill claimed victory in a social media post, writing that it is the "honor of my life to earn your trust to become this state's 57th governor."

"I promise to listen, lead with courage, and never forget who I serve," she said.

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ELECTION ROUNDUP

The race to replace Murphy has been marked with controversy, accusations and outrage – not to mention a dizzying plethora of polls.

The Democratic and Republican candidates have each gotten a presidential endorsement: Ciattarelli from Donald Trump, and Sherrill from Barack Obama.

Major issues that have weighed heavily on the minds of voters included property and sales taxes, utility bills, school vouchers and consolidation, transportation, public safety and the overall cost of living in New Jersey.

• See Related: Here Are 5 Crucial Issues In NJ Governor Election
• See Related: NJ Voters Say Taxes Are The Top Issue In Governor Race

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.

Polls leading up to Election Day showed a close race between Ciattarelli and Sherrill, with many reporting a single-digit difference.

While much of the spotlight has been focused on Sherrill and Ciattarelli, some third-party candidates – including Kaplan and Green Party candidate Lily Benavides – have said they are being unfairly cast into the shadows. Read More: NJ Third-Party Candidates Face Uneven Playing Field In 2025 Election, Campaigns Say

RECENT NEWS COVERAGE

Catch up on some of our recent election coverage at the links below (click headline to read the article):

5 Takeaways From First NJ Governor Debate: Sherrill vs. Ciattarelli

The debate included tense exchanges over the cost of living, taxes, schools, immigration, political violence and President Donald Trump.

Candidates Clash During Final NJ Governor Debate: ‘Shame On You’

Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli clashed over taxes, energy and affordability. They also lobbed some fiery accusations at each other.

Obama Coming To NJ To Support Sherrill, Counter-Rally Planned For Ciattarelli

Barack Obama is supporting his fellow Democrat – but Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli has scored an endorsement from Donald Trump.

How Accurate Are NJ Governor Polls? Here’s What We Found

Several polls have put Mikie Sherrill in front of Jack Ciattarelli. Here's what they said when he challenged Phil Murphy four years ago.

NJ's Rising Utility Prices Call For State Of Emergency, Gov. Candidate Says

Skyrocketing electricity bills will be a big issue for Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli in 2025. Here's where they each stand.

NJ Republicans Overwhelmingly Support MAGA Movement, New Poll Finds

Who supports – and opposes – MAGA in New Jersey? Here's the latest breakdown by party, race, age, income and more from Rutgers-Eagleton.

Raise Or Lower Business Taxes In NJ? Experts Disagree Amid 2025 Election

Some want the state to raise taxes on wealthy corporations. Others want New Jersey to lower the rate and make the state more "competitive."

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