Governor of New Jersey

Governor of New Jersey
Post	Governor of New Jersey
Incumbent	Phil Murphy
Incumbent since	January 16, 2018
Style	The Honorable
Residence	Drumthwacket
Termlength	Four years, limited to two consecutive terms
Formation	June 21, 1776
Inaugural	William Livingston

Governor of New Jersey is the chief executive officer of the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving as the head of the State of New Jersey and commander-in-chief of the New Jersey National Guard when called into state service. The office, created during the American Revolutionary War and formalized by the 1776 state constitution and later the New Jersey Constitution of 1844 and New Jersey Constitution of 1947, combines executive, administrative, and ceremonial functions tied to the state's capital at Trenton, New Jersey. The governor interacts with the New Jersey Legislature, the New Jersey Supreme Court, federal entities such as the United States Congress and United States Department of Justice, and regional bodies including the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the Council of State Governments.

History

The office traces to the colonial era under the Province of New Jersey and the revolution-era leadership of figures like William Livingston and wartime actors connected to the Continental Congress, George Washington, and the New Jersey Campaign (1776); later constitutional reforms followed national developments including the War of 1812 and the Civil War. Nineteenth-century governors such as Joel Parker and Marcus L. Ward navigated issues involving the Jacksonian democracy era, industrial growth in places like Paterson, New Jersey and Camden, New Jersey, and railroad expansion tied to companies like the Pennsylvania Railroad. Twentieth-century administrations interacted with Progressive Era reforms, the New Deal policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt, World War II mobilization, postwar suburbanization in Bergen County, New Jersey and Middlesex County, New Jersey, and the urban policies affecting Newark, New Jersey. Late twentieth- and early twenty-first-century governors engaged with crises and institutions including the September 11 attacks, the Hurricane Sandy recovery, and state coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Powers and Responsibilities

The governor exercises executive powers including enforcing statutes passed by the New Jersey Legislature, proposing budgets to the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, and appointing officials to offices such as the New Jersey Attorney General and judges to the New Jersey Superior Court and agencies like the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. Statutory and constitutional powers grant the governor veto and conditional veto authority over bills from the New Jersey General Assembly and the New Jersey Senate, and the ability to call special sessions of the legislature and issue executive orders coordinating with the Office of Management and Budget-style entities. The governor directs state responses to public safety matters involving the New Jersey State Police, public health coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, transportation oversight with the New Jersey Department of Transportation and regional bodies such as NJ Transit, and economic development initiatives involving the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

Election and Term of Office

Governors are elected in statewide popular elections administered under laws influenced by the New Jersey Election Law framework and in coordination with county boards of elections in counties such as Essex County, New Jersey and Hudson County, New Jersey. Candidates often emerge from parties like the Democratic Party (United States) and the Republican Party (United States), and have included nationally prominent figures with ties to institutions such as Princeton University and Rutgers University. The governor serves a four-year term with eligibility for re-election but limits on consecutive terms set by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947; elections coincide with midterm cycles to the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives in off-presidential years. Campaigns involve fundraising and compliance with the Federal Election Commission for federal races and state election finance laws overseen by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.

Line of Succession and Acting Governor

Succession follows constitutional provisions placing the Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey next in line, with historical contingencies previously addressed by the New Jersey Senate president and New Jersey General Assembly speakers in periods before the lieutenant governorship was created. Statutory mechanisms define acting-governor duties and emergency transfer of powers in coordination with state entities like the Adjutant General of New Jersey and federal partners including the Department of Homeland Security (United States), as seen during events requiring continuity of government such as gubernatorial resignations, incapacitation, or removal via impeachment processes.

Residence, Salary, and Benefits

The official residence, Drumthwacket, is maintained in Princeton, New Jersey and hosts receptions with delegates from bodies such as the National Governors Association and visiting dignitaries from the United States Department of State. Compensation and benefits are set by statute with periodic adjustments; governors interact with the New Jersey Pension Fund and staff appointments subject to personnel policies of the State of New Jersey Department of Personnel. Security is provided by units including the New Jersey State Police, and travel often involves coordination with regional transportation hubs like Newark Liberty International Airport.

List of Governors

The office has been held by a succession of individuals from William Livingston to recent officeholders such as Christine Todd Whitman, Jon Corzine, Chris Christie, and Phil Murphy, reflecting political shifts involving the Progressive Party (United States), New Jersey Republican Party, and the New Jersey Democratic Party. Historical lists include colonial governors tied to proprietors like Sir George Carteret and revolutionary leaders who served during the era of the Articles of Confederation and the early United States.

Notable Events and Controversies

Governors have been central to controversies and events such as legal disputes adjudicated in the Supreme Court of New Jersey, policy debates over taxes and budgets involving the New Jersey Department of the Treasury, ethics investigations overseen by state prosecutors and federal bodies like the United States Department of Justice, and high-profile incidents including responses to Hurricane Sandy and allegations surrounding incidents such as the Bridgegate scandal implicating members of an administration. Other controversies involved pension reform disputes, procurement issues with agencies like NJ Transit, and litigation over redistricting tied to the United States Census and federal voting law precedents from the United States Supreme Court.

Category:Politics of New Jersey