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New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill announced her first cabinet appointment during a Monday event in New Brunswick, and it is a familiar face – her running mate.

Sherrill tapped Lt. Gov-elect Dale Caldwell to serve as New Jersey’s next secretary of state. In this role, Caldwell will oversee a diverse portfolio, including safeguarding the state’s elections, supporting arts and cultural initiatives, overseeing state small business services, and efforts to promote tourism and civic participation.

The arrangement follows a similar model to the Gov. Phil Murphy administration. Currently, Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way also serves as secretary of state. Sherrill previously also named Caldwell chair of the Gubernatorial Transition.

“I was lucky to have Dale Caldwell as my running mate this year, and now I am thrilled he has agreed to serve as our next Secretary of State,” said Sherrill. She pointed to his decades of leadership experience in public service, education, economic development and nonprofit management. Caldwell most recently served as the president of Centenary University. Previously, he served as executive director of the Rutgers University Institute for Leadership.

“Dale has spent his entire career bringing people together and delivering results for his community,” said Sherrill. “His experience, integrity, and deep commitment to empowering every New Jerseyans make him the ideal leader to steward our democratic institutions and promote the cultural and civic vitality of our state.”

A ‘critical’ appointment

Caldwell said he is honored to serve in this role. He expressed his gratitude to Sherrill for her trust.

“The Department of State plays a critical role in strengthening our democracy, supporting our creative economy, and ensuring New Jersey remains a vibrant place to live, work, and visit,” said Caldwell. “I look forward to working with partners across the state to expand civic engagement, support our small business community, bolster our cultural institutions, and uphold the integrity of our elections.”

This appointment comes on the heels of an uptick in transition activity ahead of Sherrill’s Jan. 20 inauguration. So far, the governor-elect has also announced:

• Transition Action Teams,
• The launch of a public survey to engage state residents,
• And just before the holiday, the launch of an Interdisciplinary Task Force.