Early Voting Legislation and First Approval Polls: Governor Sherrill’s 11th Week in Office 

By: Michael Matthews | Publish Date: April 7th, 2026

Legislation 

Governor Mikie Sherrill signed the following bill into law: A4745/S420 permitting extension of the early voting period for regular municipal elections in May.  

“This bill will allow municipalities to expand early voting and ensure the people of our state have their voices heard at the local level,” Sherrill said to NJ.Gov. 

This legislation authorizes municipalities that hold nonpartisan elections in May to begin early voting eight days before Election Day, extending the early voting window by four days. Early voting will end two days before the election, giving voters a total of seven days to vote early.  

Moving 

Drumthwacket, the Governor’s Mansion located in Princeton, will become the official residence of Governor Mikie Sherrill, first gentleman Jason Hedberg, and their children. The residence, a mile away from Princeton University, has not been occupied for 22 years. Of the 11 governors that have been in office since Drumthwacket’s official naming as the New Jersey Governor’s residence, Mikie Sherrill will be the third to occupy it. The move will take place this summer. After Tom Kean Sr. was elected in 1981, he and his wife Debby chose to remain in their Livingston home rather than live in Drumthwacket. Jim Florio became the first governor to live in the official residence age he took office in 1990. Even when they don’t reside there, New Jersey governors still use Drumthwacket sporadically, such as for private and political meetings, for dinner parties, and social events.  

Approval 

A Fairleigh Dickinson University poll, the first independent poll since she became governor, released this week. Governor Sherrill is entering her first budget season with a 58% approval rating. She has high approval rating from Democrats and progressives, with 88% approving of how she is handling her job as governor. Her approval rating from Republicans is at 22% and her approval among independents is an even 50%.  

This could, however, change soon. Governor Sherrill is currently clashing with the Democrat state legislature about “pet projects” in the state budget. A $60.7 billion dollar state budget that’s already $1.6 billion dollars above the expected revenue that’s already cutting back on programs such as property tax relief for seniors.

For more coverage of the governor’s affairs and how the new budget could affect you, check back every Tuesday afternoon with Michael Matthews’ weekly column.