Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill are competing in November to become New Jersey’s new governor. (Photos by Dana DiFilippo, Hal Brown, and Amanda Brown)
As political violence becomes a growing threat and reality, New Jersey’s election watchdog has moved to officially allow candidates to use campaign money to pay for security services and devices.
The Election Law Enforcement Commission has historically permitted such expenses, but commission members voted earlier this month to propose regulations to codify and standardize the use of campaign funds to bolster security.
Under the proposed regulations, candidates and officeholders could use campaign cash to get bodyguards and other security services and devices, including cybersecurity software, alarm systems, security cameras, motion detectors, locks, lighting, fencing, gates, and doors. They could also use campaign funds to cover those expenses for their immediate family and campaign staff.
The candidate or officeholder would have to demonstrate in writing an ongoing danger or threat, and expenditures would have to be reasonable in cost and address the nature of the threat, according to the commission. They would be expected to discontinue security services and sell security devices that were funded with campaign cash, once they leave office or their campaign ends.
The commission hopes to have the regulations in place by December or January. It’s now accepting public comment and will hold a public hearing Nov. 18 at its Trenton headquarters.
For candidates now campaigning for November’s general election, the commission noted that “reasonable expenditures” for security measures are allowed.
Former state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate in the race to replace term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy, has not received any threats, his campaign manager said.
“To date, we’ve not experienced any serious, legitimate threats and have not had any dangerous situations in any of our events,” said Eric Arpert, the campaign manager. “We certainly take the safety and security of our candidate, and of the hundreds and hundreds of residents and voters that attend all of our events, seriously.”
Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, is running against Ciattarelli. Sean Higgins, her campaign’s communications director, declined to comment.
Threats and harassment against local elected officials are climbing, according to the Bridging Divides Initiative at Princeton University.
More than 250 incidents were reported in the first half of 2025, up 9% from the same period last year, the initiative found. The uptick comes as local officials report that they have taken steps or spent money to strengthen their privacy protections and personal security in response to mounting hostilities.
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