Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop has backed ranked-choice voting in New Jersey for more than four years and used Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller’s entrance into the 2025 governor’s race to make another push.
“As more and more candidates declare for Governor — I’m happy about it as it’s good for the public as a better policy conversation will benefit New Jersey — it’s worth noting: ranked choice voting would be a great thing for New Jersey,” Fulop said in a social media post on Saturday. “The next governor should push for this change as it’s the next step to strengthen our process.”
Spiller became the fourth announced candidate for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination on Friday, joining Fulop, former Senate President Steve Sweeney, and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. Others could join them, including Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-Wyckoff) and Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair), Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, and former Deputy U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Jim Johnson.
If the field remains large – and with major candidates staying in the race through the June 2025 primary, it’s unlikely that either party can produce a nominee who wins with over 50%.
Since 1969, 11 of 14 gubernatorial elections had at least one primary where the nominee was picked with a margin of less than 50%; half of the winners received less than 50% and just under half of those won primaries with under 33%. Gov. Brendan Byrne won renomination to a second term in 1977 with 30%, and Gov. Thomas Kean became the Republican nominee in 1981 with 31%. In 2017, the last time there was no incumbent in the race, neither candidate hit the 50% mark.
State Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-South Brunswick) has sponsored legislation to allow New Jersey to ease its way into a ranked-choice system, but his bill has not gone anywhere. Gov. Phil Murphy has not expressed any real interest in it.
A 2023 Fairleigh Dickinson University poll showed that New Jerseyans weren’t ready for it. Just 37% of state residents want ranked choice voting in elections, while 42% oppose it.
Earlier this year, Fulop approved a Jersey City Council resolution backing ranked-choice voting in municipal elections.
“Supporting ranked-choice voting is the natural next step to enhance democracy in New Jersey” Fulop said in advance of the vote. “I have been a vocal advocate of ranked-choice voting from the start as it directly aligns with my beliefs and efforts towards a more inclusive and representative democracy”
Fulop called for ranked-choice voting in 2020, saying it “would be a great thing for New Jersey.”
“It would be a very serious and meaningful step to reform the political structure in the state and a meaningful legacy for Governor Murphy,” he said on social media.