Gov. Mikie Sherrill named Shirley Emehelu New Jersey's fifth lieutenant governor on Monday in Trenton, elevating a veteran prosecutor who had been running the state's elections as acting secretary of state just days earlier. Emehelu was sworn in that same day, filling a post left vacant since September, when her predecessor resigned under a cloud of misconduct allegations he has denied.
A Swift Rise From the Election Desk to the Statehouse
Sherrill formally named Emehelu as lieutenant governor, describing her as a veteran prosecutor and acting secretary of state, according to nj.com. She was sworn in Monday by state Supreme Court Justice Stuart Rabner, the outlet reported, with her husband Ikenna Emehelu and children Nnamdi and Amara Emehelu by her side at the Statehouse in Trenton; Amara held the Bible during the ceremony. Emehelu had taken over as acting secretary of state weeks before Election Day, nj.com noted, putting her in charge of the November 3 statewide elections.
Sherrill credited Emehelu's handling of that vote, saying about 3 million New Jerseyans had voted without even a hiccup even as ballots and voting stations faced federal scrutiny. The governor praised Emehelu's work ensuring the midterm elections went smoothly and said Emehelu ran toward the fight during that scrutiny, according to the same nj.com account. Sherrill has also said she wanted a lieutenant governor able to speak for communities she knew less well, per the report.
Her Path Through Newark's Federal Prosecutors Office
Emehelu and Sherrill previously worked together as federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Newark, and the two lived in Montclair, where their children attended Watchung Elementary School. From 2022 to 2024, Emehelu served as New Jersey's executive assistant attorney general, the third-highest position in the attorney general's office, nj.com reported. She also served as New Jersey state comptroller before being appointed secretary of state, first in an interim capacity ahead of her permanent appointment.
Emehelu was born in Nigeria and moved to the United States at age 3, nj.com reported, and she now becomes the first immigrant to hold the lieutenant governor's office, a distinction also noted by New Jersey Monitor. She identifies as a Black woman and Nigerian American, and said she was proud of what the appointment represented for New Jersey and for communities who share her heritage. “Public service is a privilege,” Emehelu said, adding that she hoped to inspire the next generation to serve and make history, and that government needs a new culture as well as new policy.
A Predecessor's Exit Under Investigation
Emehelu steps into a post that sat empty for weeks after Dale Caldwell resigned as lieutenant governor on September 25, having held the office for eight months. Caldwell resigned after an internal investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and ethics violations, according to northjersey.com. Sherrill had demanded Caldwell's resignation after a report detailed those sexual misconduct and ethics violations findings. Caldwell has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, according to the Inquirer.
Going forward, Emehelu will serve as acting governor whenever Sherrill leaves the state — a role likely to see frequent use, since Sherrill traveled out of New Jersey often in October to campaign for Democrats nationwide. Emehelu will also continue in her role as secretary of state while serving as lieutenant governor, per nj.com's reporting.
A Historic First, With Some Disagreement on Just How Historic
The appointment puts women in both of New Jersey's top two offices for the first time in the state's history. Nj.com described the moment as marking the first time in history that the two top positions in the state's government are held by women, though the same outlet also reported that New Jersey becomes the fourth U.S. state to have both a female governor and lieutenant governor — a discrepancy the available reporting does not resolve. Separately, northjersey.com noted that Emehelu is the fifth person to serve as lieutenant governor since the office was created in 2005, while nj.com reported she will be the fourth Black person to hold the position, following Sheila Oliver, Tahesha Way, and Caldwell.
According to TAPinto, the appointment was also framed locally as a milestone for New Jersey and for the communities Emehelu represents. The New Jersey Constitution requires the governor to appoint a lieutenant governor within 45 days of a vacancy, according to the New Jersey Legislature, and separately bars any religious or racial test as a qualification for public office in the state.
