Surprise: Who Received Most Votes Ever For New Jersey Governor?

I want this to be a historical piece that will detail the final outcome of every race for Governor of New Jersey since 1981.

Each and every election for New Jersey Governor was won by a well known individual … until our most recent election of November 4, 2025.

United States Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill

Now, call her New Jersey Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill and she is the least known person (in New Jersey) to become Governor of New Jersey.

Most Votes For New Jersey Governor Of All Time

Absoluteiy no one would have said this prior to November 4, 2025 … However, you can’t take it away from her … Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill has earned the distinction of receiving the most votes ever for a candidate for Governor of New Jersey.

The Results of The 2025 Election

• Mikie Sherrill = 1,839,912 (56.54 percent).
• Jack Ciattarelli = 1,394,639 (42.86 percent).

Sherrill’s vote total is almost beyond comprehension. She smashed the previous record for most votes by more than 1/2 million.

Note: Sherrill will receive many more votes, as provisional, drop box and cured ballots will still be added to her current rolling total.

Note 2: Ciattarelli has received the second most votes ever for Governor of New Jersey and his current total will also continue to grow.

November 3, 1981

This is the closest race for governor of New Jersey in history. Kean won by only 1,797 votes out of more than 2 million cast.

• Tom Kean (R) = 1,145,999 (49.46 percent).
• Jim Florio (D) = 1,144,202 (49.38 percent).

November 5, 1985

• Tom Kean (R) = 1,372,631 (69.6 percent).
• Peter Shapiro (D) = 578,402 (29.3 percent).

Tom Kean has the distinction of winning the slimmest and the largest margin of victories in New Jersey history.

November 7, 1989

• Jim Florio (D) = 1,379,937 (61.2 percent).
• Jim Courier (R) = 838,553 (37.2 percent).

November 2, 1993

• Christie Whitman (R) = 1,236,124 (49.3 percent).
• Jim Florio = (D) 1,210,031 = (48.3 percent).

Florio has the distinction of losing the two closest elections for Governor in New Jersey history. Whitman’s margin of victory was only 26,093.

November 4, 1997

• Christie Whitman = 1,133,384 (46.9 percent).
• Jim McGreevey = 1,107,968 (45.8 percent).

Whitman won re-election by 26,953. This is the 3rd closest election in New Jersey history.

November 6, 2001

• Jim McGreevey (D) = 1,256,753 (56.4 percent)
• Bret Schundler (R) = 928,174 (41.74 percent).

November 8, 2005

• Jon Corzine (D) = 1,244,551 (53.5 percent).
• Doug Forrester (R) = 785,271 (41.0 percent).

November 3, 2009

• Chris Christie (R) = 1,174,445 (48.46 percent).
• Jon Corzine (D) = 1,087,731 (44.88 percent).

November 5, 2013

• Chris Christie (R) = 1,278,932 (60.30 percent).
• Barbara Buono (D) = 808,978 (38.19 percent).

November 7, 2017

• Phil Murphy (D) = 1,203,110 (56.03 percent).
• Kim Guadagno (R) = 899,583 (41.89 percent).

November 2, 2021

• Phil Murphy (D) = 1,339,471 (51.22 percent).
• Jack Ciattarelli (R) = 1,288,255 (48.0 percent).

This document tells so many stories of the past 45 years … including the day that Mikie Sherrill shocked the political world and achieved a blowout electoral result.

For the past 45 years, the winning candidate for Governor of New Jersey finished with between 1.1 million and 1.3 million votes.

Mike Sherrill will likely hit 1.9 million votes. That’s beyond anything that I could have imagined going into this hard-fought election.

It’s a record that may last for many years into the future.