Elect Women NJ, the pioneering political action committee dedicated to investing in strong, diverse women candidates for local offices in New Jersey, proudly announces its endorsements for the 2024 election cycle. This year, Elect Women NJ has endorsed 62 exceptional women for positions ranging from clerk, commissioner, mayor, committee, council, to Board of Education (BOE). In addition, one race has been designated as a “Race to Watch,” highlighting its strategic importance and competitive nature.

In just four years, Elect Women NJ has funded a total of 163 women, spanning all 21 counties.

“Our candidates reflect the true fabric of our communities—they identify as Black, Latina, South Asian, Asian, and LGBTQIA+ in numbers that mirror who we are as a community. And we are just getting started,” said Elect Women NJ Founder and Chairwoman, Tricia Maguire. “We’ve raised over $100,000 to support these incredible women, and this year, we added a free training series that helped nearly 90 women kickstart their campaigns.”

This year, in addition to our endorsements, Elect Women NJ will launch a mentoring program to ensure that once elected, these women continue to thrive and are prepared for the next steps in their political careers. “When a woman is elected, it’s not the finish line; it’s just the beginning,” emphasized Maguire.

Founder and Treasurer Linda Peng-Grooters states: “As we celebrate these remarkable women and the strides we’ve made, we must remember that our work is far from finished. In a year where the possibility of electing the first woman president is within our grasp, our mission to empower women in local offices is critical. This is the moment to stand with us, to be part of the change that is our communities, our country, and our future.”

Elect Women NJ continues to prioritize diversity in its cohorts, carefully considering race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and geography in the endorsement process. This commitment has been integral to the organization’s success in reflecting the diversity of New Jersey’s communities.

For more information about Elect Women NJ and how you can support the movement, visit www.electwomennj.com.

Here are this year’s endorsed candidates:

Clerk 

• Pamela Lampitt, Camden County Clerk
• Charlyn Martin, Salem County Clerk

Commissioner 

• Susan Lazarchick, Atlantic County Commissioner D5 
• Tracy Zur, Bergen County Commissioner
• Melinda Kane, Camden County Commissioner
• Kristin McLaughlin, Mercer County Commissioner 
• Shanti Narra, Middlesex County Commissioner 
• Danielle Mastropiero, Monmouth County Commissioner 
• Sara Sooy, Somerset County Commissioner 
• Shanel Robinson, Somerset County Commissioner 

Mayor 

• Judy Ward, Pleasantville 
• Jody Veler, Salem City
• Jenny Mundell, Township of Bloomfield 
• Ethel Conry, Washington Borough 

Committee 

• Elizabeth Graner, Bernards Township
• Kelly Lozito, Bordentown Township
• Suruchi Batra, Chesterfield Township
• Eman El-Badawi, Cranbury
• Susan Luciano, Mendham Township 
• Donna Guariglia, Township of Morris 
• Ashlee Caldwell, Westampton

Council 

• Amy Quinn, Asbury Park City 
• B. Yvonne Clayton, Asbury Park City 
• Eileen Chapman, Asbury Park City 
• Jennifer Turner, Borough of Paulsboro 
• Trina Folkes, Bound Brook 
• Evelyn Seijido Loesser, Caldwell 
• Jocelyn Mathiasen, Chatham Borough 
• Katherine Hay, Chatham Borough 
• Sandra Wittner, Dover 
• Dana Zimbicki, East Brunswick 
• Kate Stutzel, Emerson 
• Norma Iris Vargas, Highland Park 
• Tracey Madigan, Jamesburg 
• Kathleen McNamara, Keyport 
• Heather Talarico, Maple Shade Township
• Megan Taraszkiewicz, Matawan Borough 
• Neena Singh, Montgomery Township 
• Susan Mammarella, Moorestown 
• Bjana Swinson, Mount Holly Township 
• Casey Carty, Mount Holly Township 
• Fozia Janjua, Mount Laurel Township 
• Silvia Catalan-Culnan, Mount Laurel Township 
• Kimberly Karalovich, Neptune City 
• Kathleen Dolan, New Providence Borough
• Josie Scanlan, Randolph Township 
• Sandra Fey, Randolph Township 
• Elizabeth Konkle, South Bound Brook 
• Reshma Khan, Teaneck 
• Jenna Figueroa Kettenburg, Trenton 
• Josephine Noone, Washington Borough 
• Tammy Williams, West Orange 
• Jennifer Margolis, Woodcliff Lake 

Board of Education 

• Heather James, East Brunswick 
• Julia Whitley, Flemington – Raritan 
• Natalia Ioffe, Jersey City 
• Nakima Redmon, Paterson 
• France Cortez, Roselle 
• Gisselle Bond, Roselle 
• Yessica Chavez, Roselle 
• Tonya Williams, Scotch Plains 
• Seleene Wong, Teaneck Township 

Race to Watch – Boonton Council 

• Melissa DiSalvo
• Melissa Couch

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Elect Women NJ is New Jersey’s first and leading anti-racist, feminist political action committee dedicated to raising funds for viable, diverse, Democratic, and pro-choice women running for local office. Founded in 2020, the organization has raised over $50,000 to support women candidates for positions such as Sheriff, Surrogate, Commissioner, Mayor, Council, and Board of Education. By focusing on community building and fostering a network of donors, Elect Women NJ ensures that their support has the greatest impact, helping women candidates overcome financial barriers to success and building a pipeline of strong women leaders in New Jersey.