Governor of New Jersey

Governor of New Jersey
Governor of New Jersey
	Seal of New Jersey
	Flag of New Jersey
	Incumbent; Mikie Sherrill; since January 20, 2026
	Government of New Jersey
Style	Madam Governor; (informal); The Honorable; (formal);
Residence	Drumthwacket
Seat	Trenton, New Jersey
Term length	Four years, renewable once
Constituting instrument	New Jersey Constitution of 1776
Inaugural holder	William Livingston
Formation	August 31, 1776
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey
Salary	$175,000
Website	Official website

The governor of New Jersey is the head of government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The governor is head of the executive branch of the state government. The governor is also the commander-in-chief of the New Jersey Army National Guard and New Jersey State Guard.^[2]

Mikie Sherrill is the 57th and current governor of New Jersey, in office since January 2026.^[3]

Eligibility & requirements

Section 3 of the state's constitution states for a person to serve as governor must:

be at least thirty years old.
be a United States citizen for 20 years.
be a resident of New Jersey for at least seven years.^[4]

Election process and terms

The governor is elected to a four-year term on a separate ticket and the candidate must have the majority of the popular vote in order to win the election.

Under the state's constitution, the governor is prevented from elected more than twice.

Power and duties

The governor has a duty to enforce state laws and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the General Assembly to convene the legislature, and to grant pardons, except in cases of treason and impeachment.

List of governors

List of living former governors

Thomas Kean
1982–1990
(1935-04-21) April 21, 1935
Christine Todd Whitman
1994–2001
(1946-09-26) September 26, 1946
Donald DiFrancesco
2001–2002
(1944-11-20) November 20, 1944
Jim McGreevey
2002–2004
(1957-08-06) August 6, 1957
Jon Corzine
2006–2010
(1947-01-01) January 1, 1947
Chris Christie
2010–2018
(1962-09-06) September 6, 1962
Phil Murphy
2018–2026
(1957-08-16) August 16, 1957

References

Other websites

Official site for the Governor of New Jersey

↑ Archived December 7, 2020, at the Wayback Machine The Council of State Governments. Accessed April 22, 2020.
↑ "Office of the New Jersey Governor". NJ.gov. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
↑ "Governor Mikie Sherrill". Governor Mikie Sherrill. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
↑ "Your Government | NJ.gov". nj.gov. Retrieved 2026-05-09.

[1] Archived December 7, 2020, at the Wayback Machine The Council of State Governments. Accessed April 22, 2020.

[2] "Office of the New Jersey Governor". NJ.gov. Retrieved 2026-05-09.

[3] "Governor Mikie Sherrill". Governor Mikie Sherrill. Retrieved 2026-05-09.

[4] "Your Government | NJ.gov". nj.gov. Retrieved 2026-05-09.

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