The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission reported Thursday that county parties raised more money in 2025 than they had in more than two decades.
The 42 committees — Democrats and Republicans from all 21 counties — raised $22.4 million and spent $21.7 million during last year’s campaigns, according to ELEC. Not adjusted for inflation, county parties hadn’t raised that much since 2003.
Hudson County Democrats raised $2,356,525, more than any other county party. (On the other end of the spectrum, Warren County Democrats raised $2,661.) ELEC said the competitive nature of the 2025 state elections — as well as a 2023 law that increased the limits on donations to county parties — led to the ballooned war chests.
Democratic county committees raised $15.8 million and spent $15.1 million last year, and entered 2026 with a $3.8 million net worth. Republican county committees raised $6.6 million and spent $6.5 million, and now are worth about $1.4 million.
A pair of national political committees helped prop up the counties. Securing American Greatness, a GOP-aligned committee, sent $1.26 million to GOP county parties, while the Democratic Governors Association shared $1.04 million. Uber also gave more than half a million dollars to county parties. ELEC reported that five unions and two companies based outside of New Jersey contributed a total of $2.1 million.
Nine county parties — Bergen, Essex, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex, Somerset, and Union Democrats, and Burlington and Cape May Republicans — report having at least a $200,000 balance.
The 2023 law also allowed for an influx of contributions from public contractors. From 2003 to 2023, public contractors could not donate more than $300 to county parties without risking the loss of their contracts. But the 2023 law means they can now donate up to $118,500, and in 2025, public contractors donated about $3.5 million.
In 2003, before the strict limits were set, public contractors contributed $6.1 million.
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