Weeks before Election Day, New Jersey lost the official who oversees its elections. Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell resigned Friday, September 25, one day after an independent investigation substantiated a sexual harassment complaint against him and found he broke state ethics rules. The New Jersey lieutenant governor also serves as secretary of state, which houses the Division of Elections, the state agency that administers New Jersey’s statewide voter registration system. Election Day is November 3.
Why did Dale Caldwell resign as New Jersey’s lieutenant governor?
Governor Mikie Sherrill gave Caldwell one day to resign after she released a 61-page investigation report (including exhibits) on Thursday, September 24. He submitted his resignation Friday afternoon. Had Caldwell not resigned, Sherrill would not have been able to fire him as lieutenant governor, since only the Legislature can remove a lieutenant governor, through impeachment.
The state’s chief ethics officer ordered the investigation after an anonymous letter, dated May 6, accused Caldwell of bringing uninvited guests to ticketed events and pursuing women at official functions. Former Attorney General Christopher Porrino and his law firm, Lowenstein Sandler, conducted it. Investigators substantiated three findings.
First, sexual harassment. During an April car ride, a senior female staffer told Caldwell her friend was not interested in him. He answered with a sexual remark about young women, according to the report, which quotes it in full.
Second, free tickets. Caldwell brought his romantic partner, his daughter and a friend to at least seven ticketed events between February 19 and May 23 without advance ethics clearance or payment. Reported ticket prices, where known, ran from $65 to $300. He kept doing it after ethics trainings in January, February and May. He reimbursed $175 for one guest’s admission only after learning of the investigation.
Third, a promotion request. Caldwell pushed twice for a state employee he was dating to get a promotion, without disclosing the relationship at first. One attempt was a May 26 email, sent four days after he learned of the investigation.
Caldwell denies the remark, and investigators wrote that “we did not find his denial credible.” In a May 28 letter to the ethics officer, he called the accusations false and predicted the facts would clear him. His attorney, Thomas Calcagni, said in a statement Friday that the team will keep challenging the report and is exploring legal options.
His exit left two jobs open at once.
Who is running New Jersey’s elections now?
Shirley Emehelu, for now. At her Friday news conference, Sherrill named Emehelu, the state’s acting comptroller, as acting secretary of state. Emehelu is a former federal prosecutor who also worked in the state Attorney General’s Office.
In her prepared remarks, Sherrill said, “It is of paramount importance that our elections run smoothly.” She said she has full faith that Emehelu and the team at the Department of State will make sure eligible voters can be heard in November.
Who takes over when New Jersey’s lieutenant governor leaves?
For now, no one holds the job, and Sherrill has 45 days from the resignation to fill it. That puts the deadline around November 9, six days after the election. Former Gov. Phil Murphy faced the same window in 2023, after Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver died. Sherrill has promised to move swiftly and thoughtfully and says she will get legal opinions on the process, while Assembly Republican leader John DiMaio wants the pick to appear before legislative committees first, though the appointment does not require legislative confirmation, according to Sherrill’s remarks and the New Jersey Monitor.
In the meantime, Senate President Nick Scutari serves as acting governor whenever Sherrill leaves the state, and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin is next in line.
What does this mean for Montclair voters on November 3?
Nothing about how you vote has changed. Your ballot remains the same, including a U.S. Senate seat, a U.S. House seat (Montclair is split between the 10th and 11th districts), races for Essex County executive and county commissioner, one at-large seat on the Township Council and three seats on the Board of Education. Seven candidates are running for the school board seats. The Essex County Clerk’s Office has posted sample ballots.
Here are the dates that matter:
- Voter registration deadline: October 13
- Last day to apply for a mail-in ballot by mail: October 27. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day and received by the county board of elections by November 9. Find drop box locations in Essex County. Federal rules on mail voting are being litigated, so check with the Essex County Clerk’s Office for updates.
- In-person early voting: October 24 to November 1, Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. See early voting locations.
- Election Day: Tuesday, November 3, with polls open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Check that you are registered at vote.nj.gov today. If you plan to vote by mail, apply now. If you would rather avoid Election Day lines, pick an early voting day. And when Sherrill names New Jersey’s next lieutenant governor, we will report it here.
Related from The Montclair Pod
- Montclair native Mikie Sherrill bucks recent tradition, to be sworn in as NJ governor at NJPAC (mentions Caldwell as lieutenant governor-elect)
- The Montclair Pod interviews Governor-Elect Mikie Sherrill (full transcript)
- Montclair school board election results, 2025 (last year’s race, for context on this year’s three open seats)
Image credit: State of New Jersey
