Trains And Buses In NJ-11: Congress Candidates Talk Public Transportation

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A large crowd of candidates are competing to replace Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey’s 11th congressional district, with a highly competitive primary election just around the bend. But what do the candidates think about public transportation in the region – and what are their plans to improve it?

That’s the question a pair of advocacy groups in North Jersey – Restore Our Transit in Essex (ROUTE) and the Lackawanna Coalition – recently sought to answer in a survey sent to all candidates in the upcoming election.

The questions and responses can be found online here and here.

The Democratic candidates who responded to the surveys included community activist Analilia Mejia, Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett, Morris Township Deputy Mayor Jeff Grayzel, New Jersey Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, community activist Anna Lee Williams, former U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski, venture capitalist and military veteran Zachary Beecher, former Barack Obama staffer Cammie Croft, Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill, comedian and lawyer J-L Cauvin, and Chatham Borough Council Member Justin Strickland.

The only candidate who did not respond to the survey is Randolph Mayor Joe Hathaway, the sole Republican appearing on the ballot for the primary election. Hathaway outlines a plan to “invest in transportation that works for North Jersey families” on his campaign website.

“With such an important election upcoming in a transit-dependent district, we wanted to understand where candidates stood on issues like federal funding and partnerships with other agencies to address current issues and improve service, such as restoration for the former Decamp Bus territory and expanded weekend service on the Montclair-Boonton line,” ROUTE explains on its website.

Neither group endorses any candidate, and the responses are presented unedited for informational purposes only, advocates said.

Residents of New Jersey’s 11th congressional district have been without a voice in the U.S. House of Representatives since Sherrill resigned in November to become governor. Her term ends in January 2027.

A special primary election for Democrats and Republicans will take place on Feb. 5. There will be six days of in-person early voting (Jan. 29 to Feb. 3). The voter registration deadline was Jan. 15.

A special general election including any independent or third-party candidates will be held on April 16. There will be nine days of in-person early voting (April 6 to April 14). The voter registration deadline is March 26.

See early voting locations in Essex County here. Mail-in voters can see a list of secure ballot box locations here. Find your local polling place or learn more about voting in New Jersey here.

The Essex County Clerk’s Office has released a sample primary ballot for residents living in the 11th district.

>> RELATED: Who Will Replace Sherrill In NJ-11? Candidates Introduce Themselves

WHERE IS THE 11TH DISTRICT?

New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District includes the following municipalities:

Essex County – Belleville, Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Maplewood, Millburn, Montclair (part), North Caldwell, Nutley, Roseland, South Orange, West Caldwell

Morris County – Boonton, Boonton Township, Butler, Chatham, Chatham Township, Denville, Dover, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover, Harding, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Lincoln Park, Madison, Mendham Twp (part), Montville, Morris Plains, Morris Township, Morristown Town, Mountain Lakes, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Pequannock, Randolph, Riverdale, Rockaway, Rockaway Township, Victory Gardens

Passaic County – Little Falls, Totowa, Wayne (part), Woodland Park

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