2000 United States presidential election in New Jersey

In 2000, the United States presidential election in New Jersey, along with every U.S. state and Washington, D.C., took place on November 7, 2000, as part of the 2000 United States presidential election. The major party candidates were Democratic Vice President Al Gore of the incumbent administration and Republican Governor of Texas George W. Bush, son of the 41st U.S. president, George H. W. Bush. Owing to the indirect system of voting used in U.S. presidential elections, George W. Bush narrowly defeated Gore in Electoral College votes despite Gore earning a higher percentage of the popular vote. Green Party candidate Ralph Nader, the only third-party candidate represented on most states' ballots, came in a distant third.

Although New Jersey had voted for Democrat Bill Clinton in the past two elections (1992 and 1996), it was considered a potential swing state in 2000 because pre-election polling data showed it to be a close race. Al Gore won 56 percent of New Jersey's popular vote, beating out George W. Bush by about a sixteen-point margin, with Gore's biggest margins of victory in Essex County and Hudson County where he won over seventy percent of the vote. Bush won 7 counties with his biggest margins being just over 57 percent in Hunterdon County and Sussex County. Nader got over four percent of the vote in several counties in the northwest of the state, while taking just under three percent statewide. This was also the first presidential election since 1976, in which New Jersey would back the losing candidate as well. , this is the last election in which Monmouth County voted for a Democratic presidential candidate. Monmouth however would go on to vote for Bush 4 years later in 2004 during his re-election.Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016

Bush became the first Republican to win the White House without carrying Bergen County, Burlington County, or Monmouth County, as well as the state of New Jersey since Benjamin Harrison in 1888. Bush became the first Republican to win without Union County since James A. Garfield in 1880. Bush was the first Republican to ever win the Presidency without Passaic and Gloucester counties, and the only Republican to ever win without Salem County.

New Jersey was one of ten states that backed George H. W. Bush for president in 1988 that didn't back George W. Bush in either 2000 or 2004.

Democratic primary

Republican primary

Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror Other UndecidedQuinnipiac July 13–20, 1999 7% 0% 3% 57% 10% 5% 2% – 4% 4% – 7%Quinnipiac February 16–21, 2000 307 RV ±5.6% – – – 41% – – – 6% 41% – – 12%

General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror AlGore (D) George W.Bush (R) RalphNader (G) PatBuchanan (Ref)OtherUndecidedQuinnipiac February 3–8, 1999 926 RV ±3.2% 41% 46% – – 3% 8%Quinnipiac March 23–29, 1999 984 RV ±3.1% 40% 47% – – 13%Quinnipiac July 13–20, 1999 ±3.0% 40% 51% – – 1% 9%Quinnipiac February 16–21, 2000 1,109 RV ±2.9% 47% 41% – – 2% 10%Quinnipiac March 21–27, 2000 1,177 RV ±2.9% 50% 37% – – 3% 11% 48% 35% – 6% 1% 11%Quinnipiac June 20–26, 2000 1,004 RV ±3.1% 45% 40% – – 3% 12% 41% 37% 7% 3% 1% 11%Quinnipiac July 19–24, 2000 910 RV ±3.3% 46% 41% – – 3% 11% 42% 38% 7% 2% 1% 10%Quinnipiac August 18–22, 2000 802 RV ±3.5% 52% 38% – – 2% 8% 49% 37% 4% 1% 1% 8%Quinnipiac September 26–October 1, 2000 820 LV ±3.4% 54% 38% – – 1% 7% 50% 36% 6% 1% 0% 6% 1,045 RV ±3.0% 53% 36% – – 2% 9% 49% 35% 6% 1% 0% 9%The New York TimesThe New York Times October 12–15, 2000 908 RV ±3% 49% 34% 8% 1% – 8%Quinnipiac October 18–23, 2000 909 LV ±3.3% 47% 41% 4% 1% 1% 7%Quinnipiac October 24–30, 2000 793 LV ±3.5% 50% 38% 5% 0% 0% 7%Quinnipiac November 1–5, 2000 770 LV ±3.4% 49% 41% 4% 1% 0% 5%

with Al Gore Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror AlGore (D) ElizabethDole (R) JohnMcCain (R)OtherUndecided Quinnipiac February 3–8, 1999 926 RV ±3.2% 42% 43% – 2% 13%Quinnipiac March 23–29, 1999 984 RV ±3.1% 41% 42% – 17%Quinnipiac July 13–20, 1999 1,082 RV ±3.0% 46% 41% – 2% 11%Quinnipiac February 16–21, 2000 1,109 RV ±2.9% 38% – 51% 2% 11%

with Bill Bradley Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Margin oferror BillBradley (D) George W.Bush (R) ElizabethDole (R) JohnMcCain (R)OtherUndecidedQuinnipiac February 3–8, 1999 926 RV ±3.2% 55% 32% – – 2% 11% 56% – 32% – 2% 10%Quinnipiac March 23–29, 1999 984 RV ±3.1% 53% 35% – – 12% 59% – 28% – 13%Quinnipiac July 13–20, 1999 1,082 RV ±3.0% 53% 38% – – 1% 8% 62% – 28% – 2% 8%Quinnipiac February 16–21, 2000 1,109 RV ±2.9% 60% 32% – – 1% 8% 49% – – 38% 1% 12%

Results 2000 United States presidential election in New JerseyPartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes Democratic Al Gore 1,788,850 56.13% 15 Republican George W. Bush 1,284,173 40.29% 0 Green Ralph Nader 94,554 2.97% 0 Reform Pat Buchanan 6,989 0.22% 0 Libertarian Harry Browne 6,312 0.20% 0 Natural Law John Hagelin 2,215 0.07% 0 Socialist David McReynolds 1,880 0.06% 0 Constitution Howard Phillips 1,409 0.04% 0 Socialist Workers James Harris 844 0.03% 0 Totals 3,187,226 100.00% 15 Voter Turnout (Voting age/Registered) 50%/68%

By county County Al GoreDemocratic George W. BushRepublican Ralph NaderGreen Pat BuchananReform Harry BrowneLibertarian Various candidatesOther parties Margin Total votescast # % # % # % # % # % # % # % Atlantic 52,880 58.04% 35,593 39.07% 2,188 2.40% 171 0.19% 158 0.17% 112 0.12% 17,287 18.97% 91,102 Bergen 202,682 55.27% 152,731 41.65% 9,688 2.64% 755 0.21% 434 0.12% 431 0.12% 49,951 13.62% 366,721 Burlington 99,506 56.05% 72,254 40.70% 4,894 2.76% 278 0.16% 463 0.26% 146 0.08% 27,252 15.35% 177,541 Camden 127,166 64.60% 62,464 31.73% 6,124 3.11% 353 0.18% 550 0.28% 204 0.10% 64,702 32.87% 196,861 Cape May 22,189 46.62% 23,794 49.99% 1,291 2.71% 187 0.39% 82 0.17% 51 0.11% -1,605 -3.37% 47,594 Cumberland 28,188 57.90% 18,882 38.78% 1,004 2.06% 111 0.23% 130 0.27% 369 0.76% 9,306 19.12% 48,684 Essex 185,505 71.47% 66,842 25.75% 5,641 2.17% 391 0.15% 286 0.11% 908 0.35% 118,663 45.72% 259,573 Gloucester 61,095 56.94% 42,315 39.44% 3,196 2.98% 236 0.22% 320 0.30% 136 0.13% 18,780 17.50% 107,298 Hudson 118,206 70.63% 43,804 26.17% 4,436 2.65% 274 0.16% 253 0.15% 388 0.23% 74,402 44.46% 167,361 Hunterdon 21,387 37.88% 32,210 57.05% 2,459 4.36% 154 0.27% 181 0.32% 64 0.11% -10,823 -19.17% 56,455 Mercer 83,256 61.42% 46,670 34.43% 4,561 3.36% 274 0.20% 581 0.43% 217 0.16% 36,586 26.99% 135,559 Middlesex 154,998 59.88% 93,545 36.14% 8,934 3.45% 622 0.24% 449 0.17% 301 0.12% 61,453 23.74% 258,849 Monmouth 131,476 50.15% 119,291 45.51% 9,059 3.46% 678 0.26% 488 0.19% 1,149 0.44% 12,185 4.64% 262,141 Morris 88,039 42.63% 111,066 53.78% 6,333 3.07% 473 0.23% 448 0.22% 149 0.07% -23,027 -11.15% 206,508 Ocean 102,104 47.18% 105,684 48.84% 7,354 3.40% 604 0.28% 387 0.18% 260 0.12% -3,580 -1.66% 216,393 Passaic 90,324 57.69% 61,043 38.99% 3,752 2.40% 402 0.26% 199 0.13% 853 0.54% 29,281 18.70% 156,573 Salem 13,718 50.86% 12,257 45.44% 714 2.65% 75 0.28% 109 0.40% 99 0.37% 1,461 5.42% 26,972 Somerset 56,232 46.71% 59,725 49.61% 3,776 3.14% 231 0.19% 306 0.25% 107 0.09% -3,493 -2.90% 120,377 Sussex 21,353 37.14% 33,277 57.88% 2,399 4.17% 184 0.32% 151 0.26% 126 0.22% -11,924 -20.74% 57,490 Union 112,003 60.10% 68,554 36.78% 4,945 2.65% 387 0.21% 252 0.14% 232 0.12% 43,449 23.32% 186,373 Warren 16,543 40.55% 22,172 54.34% 1,806 4.43% 149 0.37% 85 0.21% 46 0.11% -5,629 -13.79% 40,801Totals1,788,85056.13%1,284,17340.29%94,5542.97%6,9890.22%6,3120.20%6,3480.20%504,67715.84%3,187,226

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Cape May (largest municipality: Lower Township) Ocean (largest municipality: Lakewood Township)

By congressional district Gore won 11 of 13 congressional districts, including four that elected Republicans. District Gore Bush Representative 63.90% 32.89%Rob Andrews 54.78% 42.55%Frank LoBiondo 53.45% 43.41%Jim Saxton 52.28% 44.55%Chris Smith 44.64% 51.69%Marge Roukema 57.72% 38.37%Frank Pallone Jr.54.19%42.79%Bob Franks Mike Ferguson 61.05% 36.25%Bill Pascrell 63.32% 33.64%Steve Rothman 84.70% 13.72%Donald Payne 43.36% 53.50%Rodney Frelinghuysen 50.90% 45.57%Rush Holt Jr. 72.35% 25.33%Bob Menendez

Electors

Technically the voters of NJ cast their ballots for electors: representatives to the Electoral College. NJ is allocated 15 electors because it has 13 congressional districts and 2 senators. All candidates who appear on the ballot or qualify to receive write-in votes must submit a list of 15 electors, who pledge to vote for their candidate and his or her running mate. Whoever wins the majority of votes in the state is awarded all 15 electoral votes. Their chosen electors then vote for president and vice president. Although electors are pledged to their candidate and running mate, they are not obligated to vote for them. An elector who votes for someone other than his or her candidate is known as a faithless elector.

The electors of each state and the District of Columbia met on December 18, 2000 to cast their votes for president and vice president. The Electoral College itself never meets as one body. Instead the electors from each state and the District of Columbia met in their respective capitols.

The following were the members of the Electoral College from the state. All were pledged to and voted for Gore and Lieberman:

Paul M. Bangiola Angelo R. Bianchi Mamie Bridgeforth Dennis P. Collins John Garrett Deborah Lynch Patricia McCullough John McGreevey June B. Montag Jeffrey L. Nash Barbara A. Plumeri Julia Valdivia Stephen S. Weinstein Charles Wowkanech

See also United States presidential elections in New Jersey Presidency of George W. Bush

References