Since Trenton became the state capital of New Jersey in 1790, every newly elected governor has taken their oath of office in that city.
But Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill will change that 235-year-old tradition, opting to take the oath of office in her home county of Essex, with her inauguration as New Jersey’s 57th governor set for noon on January 20, 2026, at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.
The decision is a feather in the cap of Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, who will host a gubernatorial inauguration in Essex. By skipping Trenton, Sherrill, perhaps inadvertently, sends messages that she won’t conduct business as usual, that she’s an agent of change, and that the legislature will follow her lead and not the other way around…