Over 25 NJ Democratic Party Candidates Challenge Democratic Party Sponsored Law to Immediately Impose Increased Petition Requirements
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1/31/2025
Contact: DemocratsforChange@outlook.com
Statewide Coalition of Assembly and Commissioner Challengers Urge Governor Murphy to Delay Implementation of Ballot Petition Signature Increase
A coalition of more than 25 State Assembly and County Commissioner candidates across New Jersey, running under the slogan Democrats for Change with Jersey City Mayor and 2025 gubernatorial candidate Steven Fulop, released a statement calling on Governor Phil Murphy to veto or delay the implementation of a recently passed bill that increases the ballot petition signature requirement.
They question the intent of its last-minute implementation and the barriers it creates for candidates: “New Jersey families are struggling with rising costs and an uncertain political landscape. They elect representatives with the rightful expectation that those in office will serve them—not themselves. Yet time and again, the political establishment in Trenton fails residents and proves that its priority is self-preservation, not public service.
The latest and most blatant example? Passing legislation to raise ballot access thresholds to make it harder for challengers to run and to protect incumbents. Instead of lowering costs for families, funding schools, or fixing New Jersey ’ s crumbling public transit, establishment politicians waste time and resources rigging the system in their favor. And they did this in an election year when, for the first time, many will compete without the protection of the county line.
That’ s not leadership—it’ s cowardice. It’ s a desperate attempt to cling to power and avoid accountability. With an election already underway, now is not the time to change the rules. Doing so disrupts campaigns, gives an unfair advantage to well-funded, establishment-backed candidates, and makes it harder for grassroots challengers to compete. That’ s why our coalition wrote to Governor Murphy, urging him to either veto this legislation or, at the very least, delay its implementation until the next election cycle. We did not mince words.
We called this legislation an abuse of power and an assault on the democratic process—because that’ s exactly what it is. Those committed to fairness should not let it stand. We hope Governor Murphy shows leadership and joins us in opposing it. It is wrong. He knows it. And he has the power to stop it.
But even if he does not, we are not afraid. We are not deterred. If Trenton raises the thresholds, we will meet them—and every other challenge the political establishment puts in our way. Their efforts to hinder us only make us stronger. They reaffirm the need for real change in Trenton. They strengthen our resolve to put New Jersey ’ s residents first. And they make it clear that while the establishment fights to protect itself, we fight for the people.
Brandon Saffold (LD1), Carolyn Rush (LD1), Lisa Bonanno (LD2), Bruce Weekes (LD2), Brian K. Everett (LD4), Vonetta Hawkins (LD4), Kevin Ryan (LD6), Rebecca Holloway (LD6), Eric Holliday (LD7), Eddie Freeman (LD8), Rosalee Keech (LD9), Donald Campbell (LD9), Debra Di Donato (LD10), Freshta Taeb (LD12), Dave Luciano (LD14), Loretta Rivers (LD17), David Tingle (LD18), Steve Pylypchuk (LD25), Rohit Dave (LD27), Tamar Warburg (LD37), Daniel Park (LD37), Donald Bonomo (LD38), Damali Robinson (LD38), Andrew LaBruno (LD39), David Jiang (LD39), Dolores Witko (Bergen County), John Vitale (Bergen County), Chris Chung (Bergen)
ACTION: WRITE TO GOVERNOR MURPHY IMMEDIATELY REQUESTING (DEMANDING) VETO OF A5117 Constituent.relations@nj.gov OR CALL 609-292-6000
