Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman announced she will retire from Congress when her term ends in 2027. “I made a commitment years ago to always lead the charge on behalf of those I represent, and I believe I have fulfilled that commitment to the very best of my abilities,” she said. 📷: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Thanks, John. The quick overview is that Sherrill has obligations in both D.C. and New Jersey, and the timing on when she resigns is REALLY important. @njspotlightnews.org

What’s the prize for pulling off her huge victory? How about pressure to deliver on affordability promises while managing a state budget gap and funding cuts coming down from the federal government. These and other big issues are on the to-do list for Gov-elect Mikie Sherrill. @njspotlightnews.org

New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill is your next governor, according to the Associated Press, calling the race at 9:24 p.m. For ongoing analysis and results, including NJ’s 80 Assembly races, head to NJSpotlightNews.org

We're live! Watch now: www.youtube.com/live/ZH2TU-t...

Track away NJ. You can hit refresh as often as you want!

Polls close at 8 p.m. in New Jersey. Join us at 10 p.m. for live coverage of the governor's race, major Assembly races and other local elections.. We'll hear in-studio analysis from the @njspotlightnews.org team and political analysts, plus on-location reports from candidate headquarters.

Calling it “an attempt to suppress the vote” @mikiesherrill.bsky.social reacts to bomb threats at polling places in NJ. @njspotlightnews.org

It's not just the race for governor on the ballot, NJ. Many voters can also vote for mayor, city council and their local school boards. School boards have a big impact on how local schools are governed and how taxpayer money is spent. @njspotlightnews.org

Today is Election Day! Polls are open until 8 p.m. in New Jersey. If you want to learn more about the candidates, aren't sure where to vote, or want to follow along for live results, check out our elections page @njspotlightnews.org

Time is running out to vote NJ. All you need to know is here www.njspotlightnews.org/2025/11/nj-g... Tomorrow, get your results from NJSpotlight News www.njspotlightnews.org

From state income taxes to local property taxes, we pay billions annually to fund NJ's K-12 public schools. How would the candidates for governor alter NJ's approach to school-funding? @hannah-gross.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org explains it all in this very useful story.

In NJ, the largest portion of the typical homeowner's property-tax bill funds the budget of their local K-12 schools. Down ballot this year, voters will decide who wins key school board seats in districts throughout NJ, reports @hannah-gross.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org @njspotlightnews.org.

982K have voted early in NJ as of end of 10/30. Dems have a 235K margin now but there are 181K unaffiliated/3rd party. @njspotlightnews.org update: www.njspotlightnews.org/2025/10/nj-e...

The latest NJ early voting numbers show almost 735K have cast ballots. Nearly 56% Dems, 27% GOP. Total is almost 300K more than at this point 4 years ago. @njspotlightnews.org infogram.com/early-voting...

New Jersey’s teacher workforce remains stable, according to a new report from Rutgers University, but more instructors are likely needed in multilingual learning and computer science classes. More in @njspotlightnews.org

After lawmakers were unable to reach agreement, the U.S. government lurched into a shutdown early Wednesday, a threshold that triggers federal agencies and departments to send staff home and forces employees considered “essential” to work without pay. @bhulac.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org

NEW: A shutdown is imminent. There is a “strong likelihood,” said one government expert, “that we’ll end up with a government shutdown like no other.” www.njspotlightnews.org/2025/09/with... @njspotlightnews.org

The final numbers are in: School taxes are increasing substantially in about 80 NJ school districts this year under a new school-funding provision created by Gov. Murphy and lawmakers when a new state budget was adopted at the end of June. Reporting by @hannah-gross.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org

Tracking the number of fatal shootings by law enforcement officers in New Jersey remains difficult more than six years after the state attorney general’s office was given the responsibility for investigating all deaths involving police. @colleenodea.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org

I observed several days of immigration court hearings in Newark for @njspotlightnews.org. Some children came to court without their parents, who feared being detained at court. Many did not have attorneys, which means they are less likely to be granted relief to stay in the U.S.

In the rush to draft and pass a new state budget in late June, Gov. Murphy and lawmakers failed to fully fund NJ’s child care subsidy program for low-income families. It is now closed to new applicants, reports @hannah-gross.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org

Today would be a great day to support @njspotlightnews.org

Breaking news: “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert will end in May 2026, CBS said in a statement. The announcement came days after Colbert spoke out against the $16 million paid earlier this month by Paramount, the parent company of CBS News.

first in @njspotlightnews.org the Trump administration has plans to detain immigrants at two military bases one is in New Jersey, the other in Indiana www.njspotlightnews.org/2025/07/trum...

The British government aims to make all 16- and 17-year-olds eligible to vote starting in the next U.K. general election. Some voting age limits are changing in the U.S., but only at the local level.

A new Trump administration rule would ban undocumented families from participating in Head Start, the latest in a string of changes to Head Start amid deep cuts to federal education funding and an aggressive targeting of immigrants. NJ is home to at least 400K undocumented ppl. @njspotlightnews.org

Federal legislation to cut $9.4 billion in foreign aid and public media funding could soon become law, a blow to vulnerable people abroad and to rural America. @bhulac.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org

It’s budget deadline day in NJ! Both Assembly and Senate meet to vote on a proposed $58.8 spending plan. Democrats & the Exec reached an agreement late last week. Reports from Under the Dome in Trenton today! @njspotlightnews.org

Despite spending more than $40 million in teachers’ dues, the NJEA president landed a fifth-place finish in the race to become the Democratic nominee for governor. Supporters said record-high spending was worth it since Spiller’s campaign elevated issues important to teachers @njspotlightnews.org

On to November.... Here's a little about where each candidate stands on the issues from @johnreitmeyer.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org

Polls in New Jersey close at 8 p.m., ending the most expensive election to choose Democratic and Republican nominees for governor in state history. We will have results online and on TV beginning at 8 p.m. on @njspotlightnews.org. Check out our elections page for everything you need to know.

A lot can change in a decade, including the size of the state budget. We tracked the growth, from increased spending on actuarially determined public-employee pension contributions to statutorily required K-12 public school aid payments. @njspotlightnews.org

thrilled to find out that season 2 of Hazard NJ has won a regional Murrow Award! www.rtdna.org/news/rtdna-a...

"The ban, which officials said on Tuesday could take effect sometime in the next two months, would instead hand parking privileges only to full- and part-time State House employees, security guards, interns, and the drivers who ferry around bigwig lawmakers." @jerseyvindicator.bsky.social

New Jersey: It's your last chance to register to vote in this year's important -- and crowded -- gubernatorial primaries. Check your registration or register online at nj.gov/state/electi... or head over to your county elections office today.

NEW: Rutgers voted to confirm William F. Tate IV as the 22nd president of NJ's state university. Tate is currently the president of Louisiana State University. Rutgers said the search was "quite challenging" since many sitting presidents were reluctant to consider other jobs. @njspotlightnews.org

Join us tonight at 7 p.m. for a live conversation with five Democratic candidates running to be NJ’s next governor: Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-5th) and Mikie Sherrill (D-11th) and former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. @njspotlightnews.org

Packed house in Tenafly to celebrate the upcoming release of Edan Alexander from Hamas custody @njspotlightnews.org

Tune in to @njspotlightnews.org tonight at 7 p.m. for a live conversation with three Republican candidates running to be New Jersey’s next governor: state Sen. Jon Bramnick, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli and former radio personality Bill Spadea.

We have a podcast! You can listen on NJSpotlightNews.org/podcast, YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts to hear our reporters discuss affordability, accessibility and accountability in New Jersey.

Spending on NJ's gubernatorial primaries could break records with outside money playing a major role in the governor’s race. Trying to figure out how much is being spent means untangling the web of more than two dozen independent spending groups. From @colleenodea.bsky.social @njspotlightnews.org

Pre-K enrollment in NJ is growing, with 48% of districts participating in the state program, according to a Rutgers report. But Trump admin plans to cut funding for Head Start could destabilize the entire early childhood education ecosystem in the state, researchers said. @njspotlightnews.org

Congrats to three of our NJPA award winners! 🎉 @colleenodea.bsky.social Law and order in NJ: First place, News writing portfolio @johnreitmeyer.bsky.social State budgets and taxes: Third place, News column @bobby-brier.bsky.social Homelessness in NJ: Second place, Best web project

"It would impact NPR, PBS and the roughly 1,500 local public media stations across the country. The White House drafted a memo that could make those cuts happen soon."

Voters under 18 are allowed to vote for the first time in school board elections in Newark today. Voters in 14 NJ school districts are voting in BOE elections today after most districts moved their BOE elections to the general election in November. More on @njspotlightnews.bsky.social tonight!

Head Start promotes school readiness for children from low-income families from birth to age five. According to the president of the NJ Head Start Association, Head Start and Early Head Start programs were serving more than 12,000 NJ families as of August 2024.

NJ has lost its herd immunity to measles, according to state health officials, putting the state at greater risk of an outbreak from a virus that has already infected at least three people here this year.

Would you live next to a mall? How about a few feet away from one? Developers in Paramus (& statewide) are betting that young people and those looking to downsize will jump on the recent trend of shopping malls re-developing to include housing. My story on @njspotlightnews.bsky.social tonight