Few Gains for Women in New Jersey Politics

Women made virtually no gains in public office in New Jersey from 2024 to 2025, according to the latest New Jersey County Report Card from the Center for American Women and Politics (CAWP), a unit of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University. The number of women mayors serving in the Garden State increased by just two, the number of women serving on municipal councils increased by just 18, and the number of women serving on county commissions was entirely unchanged. The top-ranked county for women’s representation in 2025 is once again Mercer County, while Cape May County remains at the bottom of CAWP rankings.

 

“The 2025 New Jersey primary election is one week away, and voters around the state will be casting votes not just for our governor and state legislature, but also for their local representatives,” said CAWP Associate Director Jean Sinzdak. “Every election is an opportunity for all of us to create change and make progress towards a more representative democracy.”

Here are key findings from this year’s New Jersey County Report Card:

• Overall Rankings: The top three counties for women’s representation – derived from a combined average of the share of mayoralties, town council seats, and county commissionerships held by women – are Mercer, Somerset, and Essex. The bottom three are Passaic, Sussex, and Cape May.
• County Commissioners: The top county for women’s share of county commission seats is Somerset (60%), with Bergen, Mercer, and Middlesex all tied for second place (57%). The bottom-ranked county is Salem, where zero women serve as county commissioners. Passaic (14%) is next to last, and Cape May, Hunterdon, Monmouth, and Sussex all tied for third lowest (20%).
• Mayoralties:  The top counties for women’s representation in mayoral offices are Mercer and Union, where women hold 33% of seats, and Essex and Hunterdon are likewise tied for the next highest with 27%. The bottom counties are Bergen (11%), Middlesex (12%), Sussex (13%), and Passaic (13%).
• Municipal Councils: The top county for women’s share of council seats is Mercer (50%), while Camden, Essex, Bergen, and Somerset are all tied for second (36%). The bottom counties are Cumberland (16%), Cape May (24%), Ocean (25%), Sussex (25%), and Atlantic (25%).

Full tables for the overall county ranking and the rankings for mayoralties, county commissions, and town councils – with rank change from 2024 – follow below. Additional information about women in New Jersey politics, including previous county report cards, milestones, and women officeholders currently and over time, can be found on CAWP’s New Jersey Facts page; for comparisons, see our 2024 New Jersey County Report Card here.