Elect Women NJ Announces 2022 Endorsements and First Annual Gala to Support Female Candidates

Middletown, NJ – Elect Women NJ, an organization focused on raising money to invest in strong, diverse women candidates in local races in New Jersey, released their endorsements for the 2022 election cycle today. They have awarded 19 endorsements to female-identifying candidates running for local office, including races for board of education, council, mayor, county commissioner, surrogate and sheriff.

Elect Women NJ was launched in 2020 to fund women candidates and build a network across the state to begin to invest in female candidates at a local level. To build their network of support, Elect Women NJ is hosting their First Inaugural Annual Gala on Saturday, September 24 at 7pm at Beacon Hill Country Club in Atlantic Highlands, NJ. The event will feature former Essence Magazine Editor in Chief Monique Greenwood and Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter. For more information about the Gala, please email: kathyfelw3@gmail.com.

“The women we have endorsed this year have unique leadership qualities and are running highly competitive campaigns that align with our mission as an anti-racist and feminist organization,” said Elect Women NJ Founder and Chairwoman, Kerri Kennedy. “Helping women get elected within our local communities is at the core of our mission because we know that more women in leadership positions increases good governance.”

“Our targeted focus on local races is designed to build leadership from the ground up in spaces where important decisions are being made – from the halls of our schools to inside our town halls,” said Tricia Maguire, Founder and Executive Director of Elect Women NJ. “This targeted approach aims to chip away at the systemic under-representation of women in government and builds a pipeline of new female leadership in New Jersey.”

Elect Women NJ formally endorsed 19 candidates and financially supported an additional 6 women in races to watch this election cycle. To further advance our mission as an anti-racist and anti-homophobic organization, 18 of the 25 candidates receiving financial support are women of color and/or identify as LGBTQIA.

We proudly announce Elect Women’s 2022 Endorsed Candidates:

MILDRED S. SCOTT – Middlesex County Sheriff

CHANELLE SCOTT McCULLUM – Middlesex County Commissioner

CLARY AZCONA-BARBER – Middlesex County Commissioner

NICOLE GILLESPIE – Moorestown Council

SANDRA WITTNER – Dover Board of Aldermen, Ward 1

KAROL RUIZ – Dover Board of Aldermen, Ward 3

BETSY DRIVER – Mayor Flemington Borough

IRENE TRELOAR – Chatham Borough Council

DEVRA KEENAN – Montgomery Township Committee

THELMA WITHERSPOON – Hamilton Township Committee

ASMERET GHEBREMICAEL – West Orange Council

JOSEPHINE NOONE – Washington Borough Council

ETHEL CONRY – Mayor Washington Borough

ALLISON JAMES FRISON – Newark Board of Education

DELIA SOSA McDERMOTT – Keyport Council

DANIELLE MASTROPIERO – Keyport Council

CINDY MATUTE-BROWN – Mayor West Orange Township

AL-NISA TUCKER – Hillside Board of Education

DESIREE RAMOS REINER – Teaneck Council

Women to Watch:

SARA KALASHIAN – Chester Township/Borough Board of Education

MARIA CHACON – Dover Board of Education

ANDREA ZEYDELIS – Denville Board of Education

MELONIE MARANO – Somerset County Commissioner

MICHELLE PIRONE LAMBROS – Princeton Council

Race to Watch:

SUSAN QUATRONE & CHRISTIE DEL REY-CONE – Rutherford Council

In addition to the Annual Gala on September 24, Elect Women NJ is hosting an event on October 4 at 6pm to meet our endorsed candidates.

For more information about Elect Women NJ, visit ElectWomenNJ.com.