Mikie Sherrill has been elected by the state of New Jersey to be its new governor.

Sherrill ran against Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli, as well as two independent candidates, Vic Kaplan and Joanne Kuniansky.

As of the time of publication, NBC news reports that 95% of the votes have been counted.

Sherrill was previously a representative for New Jersey’s Morris County, the 11th Congressional District.

While a representative, Sherrill was involved in many legislative and funding achievements. These included the Gateway Program, and she was the primary sponsor, along with Senator Robert Menendez, and Senator Cory Booker, for the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act of 2021. She was named the most effective house member by the non-partisan group, Center for Effective Lawmaking, during the 2021-2022 session.

Sherrill was also previously in the military, graduating from the Naval Academy in 1994.

She was active duty for about ten years, flying missions as a helicopter pilot.

As governor, Sherrill wishes to work on affordability, housing, health care costs, abortion and reproductive rights, early childhood care, education, transportation, energy costs and the environment, public safety and justice, innovation and technology, working families and labor as well as transparency and accountability.

As the fifty-seventh governor, Sherrill is also the first female Democratic governor for New Jersey.

Current governor, Phil Murphy, has a few last minute policies to try to enact before leaving office. These include banning cell phones in schools, housing bills, medical debt relief and clemency initiatives.

Inauguration Day will be January 20, 2026. During the transition period, Sherrill will be hiring her executive team and planning out her first priorities.