NJ 11^th for Change, based in New Jersey’s 11^th Congressional District, is a small organization advocates for left-leaning policies and politicians. It supports and organizes the district’s U.S. Representative, Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), and other New Jersey Democrats. ¹ NJ 11^th for Change opposes New Jersey’s “county line” primary ballot system that gives party officials disproportionate say in candidate nominations. ² The organization also supports pro-abortion efforts in other states. ³

Background

NJ 11^th for Change launched its social media pages in January 2017 after the 2016 elections. The first year for which tax filings are available is 2018. ⁴ In June 2018, NJ 11^th for Change began endorsing candidates, ⁵ and the group celebrated and claimed credit for the election of Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) that year. Sherrill’s election flipped party control of the seat; NJ 11^th for Change then shifted attention to the 2019 New Jersey state legislative races. ⁶

Activities

The organization is affiliated with other left-leaning campaigns in New Jersey, including the Good Government Coalition of New Jersey. ⁷ This coalition seeks to change New Jersey’s primary ballot system that it claims unfairly relegates anti-establishment candidates to remote parts of the ballot and has resulted in New Jersey politicians being disproportionately re-elected. ⁸ NJ 11^th for Change is also associated with the N.J. Working Families Alliance. ⁹

Abortion advocacy is another significant component of the work of NJ 11^th for Change, with the group frequently issuing statements and social media posts in favor of abortion. It celebrated the defeat of a 2022 Kansas referendum that would have reversed the finding of a state-level right to abortion. ¹⁰ New Jersey law permits abortion until birth for any reason. ¹¹

Finances

In 2018, NJ 11^th for Change raised more than $113,000 in contributions and spent nearly all that money. Nearly 40 percent of 2018 expenditures were for the then-executive director’s compensation. ¹² In 2019, NJ 11^th for Change operated in the red; contributions fell to just over $65,000 while spending rose to more than $67,000, more than a third of which went to the executive director’s compensation. ¹³

1. “This Week’s Volunteering.” NJ 11th for Change. NJ 11th for Change, November 2022. https://www.nj11thforchange.org/2022volunteering.
2. “Good Government Coalition of New Jersey.” InfluenceWatch. InfluenceWatch. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://www.influencewatch.org/organization/good-government-coalition-of-new-jersey/.
3. Cohen, Matt. “Kansas Is PROOF!” NJ 11th for Change. NJ 11th for Change, August 4, 2022. https://www.nj11thforchange.org/kansas_is_proof.
4. NJ 11^th for Change, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2018. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/815132638_201812_990EO_2020012117047312.pdf
5. “NJ 11th for Change 2018 Endorsement Process.” NJ 11th for Change. NJ 11th for Change, June 13, 2018. https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/nj11/pages/2045/attachments/original/1529337717/NJ11thForChange_Endorsement_Results.pdf.
6. Snowflack, Fred. “‘We Didn’t Flip This District Just to Go Home and Say We’Re Done.’” Insider NJ. InsiderNJ, December 6, 2018. https://www.insidernj.com/didnt-flip-district-just-go-home-say-done/.
7. “Good Government Coalition of New Jersey.” InfluenceWatch. InfluenceWatch. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://www.influencewatch.org/organization/good-government-coalition-of-new-jersey/.
8. Pillets, Jeff. “NJ’s Party-Line Insiders Protect Their Power Using Confusing Ballot Design.” NJ Spotlight News. NJ Spotlight News, December 10, 2020. https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2020/12/party-line-ballot-design-placement-position-ballot-siberia/.
9. “N.J. Working Families Alliance Expands.” New Jersey Globe. Mayfair Media, March 13, 2020. https://newjerseyglobe.com/lobbying/n-j-working-families-alliance-expands/.
10.  Cohen, Matt. “Kansas Is PROOF!” NJ 11th for Change. NJ 11th for Change, August 4, 2022. https://www.nj11thforchange.org/kansas_is_proof.
11. Allen, Natalie. “New Jersey Now Allows Abortion for Any Reason Up Until Birth.” Alliance Defending Freedom. Alliance Defending Freedom, January 19, 2022. https://adflegal.org/article/new-jersey-now-allows-abortion-any-reason-until-birth.
12. NJ 11^th for Change, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2018. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/815132638_201812_990EO_2020012117047312.pdf
13. NJ 11^th for Change, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019. Accessed April 30, 2023. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/815132638_201812_990EO_2020012117047312.pdf