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Debate in New Jersey over responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

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These pages were updated from March 2020 through June 2020 and do not contain the latest commentary available. To submit arguments for inclusion on this page, email editor@ballotpedia.org. To learn how Ballotpedia decides which arguments to feature, click here.


Ballotpedia is providing comprehensive coverage of how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting America's political and civic life. In addition to monitoring federal, state, and local responses to the coronavirus, we are also capturing the nationwide and local debates on whether to extend or lift coronavirus-related restrictions affecting the economy, schools, government operations, public health, religious services, and travel.

These arguments come from a variety of sources, including public officials, journalists, think tanks, economists, scientists, and other stakeholders. We encourage you to share the debates happening in your local community to editor@ballotpedia.org.


This article covers the debate over continuing restrictions and closures in New Jersey in response to the coronavirus pandemic. You will find the following:


Debate over reopening plans in New Jersey

See also: Debate over reopening plans during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on reopening plans in New Jersey.

  • New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) (NorthJersey.com): 

    "Listen, I want to open salons and gyms as much as anybody, but I think folks know this, but when you talk about indoors, lack of ventilation, close proximity, sedentary... we're not there yet. I want to do it responsibly, and I don't want to kill anybody." - "'The economy needs to reopen': Hundreds protest Murphy's shutdown at Point Pleasant Beach," May 25, 2020.

  • Gov. Phil Murphy (New Jersey Governor): On April 27, 2020, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) released a reopening plan titled The Road Back: Restoring Economic Health Through Public Health. He said that six principles and mileposts would guide the state's reopening and determine when changes occur.

    "So, here are the six principles that will keep New Jersey on the road back, using renewed public health to create renewed economic health. Adhering to the first four principles will secure our public health. One, following trends of sustained reductions in new COVID-19 cases and other key metrics reflecting a decreasing burden of disease; Two, expanding testing capacity and speeding-up the return of results; Three, robust contact tracing; And, four, ensuring safe places where those positively diagnosed in the future can isolate; When we have accomplished these, we can move to principle number five, responsibly restarting our economy to restore our economic health. And, to secure our future, we move to principle number six – ensuring our resiliency. If we follow this road we give ourselves the best possible chance to succeed in the months ahead." - "The Road Back: Restoring Economic Health Through Public Health," April 27, 2020.

  • Sen. Steven Oroho (R) (New Jersey Senate): State Sen. Steven Oroho (R-24) responded to the governor's reopening plan, which was released on April 27.

    "While Governor Murphy offered only a vague outline for reopening New Jersey’s economy with no real plan, tens of thousands of businesses are ready to open safely today if given the opportunity. ... Governor Murphy has said ‘Public health creates economic health.’ I’’m saying public health and economic health need not be mutually exclusive. We can be safe and responsible while opening up for business. Frankly, businesses, employees and our State cannot endure such sustained economic inactivity." - "Oroho: Governor Should Have More Faith in NJ Businesses that Have Plans to Reopen Safely," April 27, 2020.


Debate over stay-at-home orders in New Jersey

See also: Debate over stay-at-home orders during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on the stay-at-home order in New Jersey.


Debate over school closures in New Jersey

See also: Debate over school closures during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on school closures in New Jersey.

We have not yet identified any statements related to this topic or state. To suggest a statement, email us.


Debate over essential and non-essential businesses in New Jersey

See also: Debate over school closures during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on school closures in New Jersey.

  • New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) (NorthJersey.com): 

    "Listen, I want to open salons and gyms as much as anybody, but I think folks know this, but when you talk about indoors, lack of ventilation, close proximity, sedentary... we're not there yet. I want to do it responsibly, and I don't want to kill anybody." - "'The economy needs to reopen': Hundreds protest Murphy's shutdown at Point Pleasant Beach," May 25, 2020.

  • Republican State Committee Chairman Doug Steinhardt (New Jersey Globe): The New Jersey Republican State Committee sued Gov. Phil Murphy (D) in an attempt to allow businesses deemed non-essential to reopen.

    "We’re challenging the constitutionality of the governor’s executive orders and the overreach of his executive authority. Instead of being guided by science, the governor chooses to hide behind it. He’s closed his eyes and ears and ignored New Jersey’s cries for common sense. When you classify businesses as essential and non-essential, what you have here, you turn the right to private property into a privilege. And when you do that arbitrarily and capriciously, you create the situation you have here in New Jersey, where your neighbor can earn a living simply because of where she works or for whom, and you can’t." - "NJ GOP suit seeks to end business closures," May 21, 2020.

  • Sen. Steven Oroho (R) (New Jersey Senate): State Sen. Steven Oroho (R-24) responded to the governor's reopening plan, which was released on April 27.

    "While Governor Murphy offered only a vague outline for reopening New Jersey’s economy with no real plan, tens of thousands of businesses are ready to open safely today if given the opportunity. ... Governor Murphy has said ‘Public health creates economic health.’ I’’m saying public health and economic health need not be mutually exclusive. We can be safe and responsible while opening up for business. Frankly, businesses, employees and our State cannot endure such sustained economic inactivity." - "Oroho: Governor Should Have More Faith in NJ Businesses that Have Plans to Reopen Safely," April 27, 2020.

  • Gov. Phil Murphy (D) (CBS News): "Any sort of economic reopening or recovery depends first and foremost on a complete health care recovery. Getting that sequencing right, I think based on the data and the facts that we're seeing, is incredibly essential and that, if we either transpose those steps or we start to get back on our feet too soon, I fear based on the data we're looking at, we could be throwing gasoline on the fire. … The pain is awful. We get that in terms of unemployment, small businesses, but based on how we see this evolving, I'm all for an economic recovery, but it's got to be on the back of a full health care recovery." - "New Jersey governor says reopening economy too soon "could be throwing gasoline on the fire"," April 12, 2020.


Debate over economic impact in New Jersey

See also: Debate over school closures during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on the economic impact in New Jersey.

  • Gov. Phil Murphy (D) (CBS News): "Any sort of economic reopening or recovery depends first and foremost on a complete health care recovery. Getting that sequencing right, I think based on the data and the facts that we're seeing, is incredibly essential and that, if we either transpose those steps or we start to get back on our feet too soon, I fear based on the data we're looking at, we could be throwing gasoline on the fire. … The pain is awful. We get that in terms of unemployment, small businesses, but based on how we see this evolving, I'm all for an economic recovery, but it's got to be on the back of a full health care recovery." - "New Jersey governor says reopening economy too soon "could be throwing gasoline on the fire"," April 12, 2020.


Debate over religious service restrictions in New Jersey

See also: Debate over religious service restrictions during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on religious service restrictions in New Jersey.

  • Gov. Phil Murphy (D) (Fox 29): "Everyone needs to stay home. Including, and I say this with profound gravity, including not taking communion whether on Palm Sunday, or any day, for Catholics around the state, especially because it’s the beginning of Holy Week. … Big religious holidays, among so many other celebrations and festivals that are fast approaching. Our desire is to come together. That’s only natural. We are humans. But, our need, our mandate is to find a way to observe and celebrate separately." - "NJ residents ordered to forgo religious holidays in order to flatten the curve," April 4, 2020.


Debate over election policy in New Jersey

See also: Debate over election policies and procedures during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on election policies in New Jersey.

  • Penny M. Venetis, clinical professor of law at Rutgers Law School and the director of the International Human Rights Clinic (New Jersey Star-Ledger): "Not surprisingly, the voters who risk the most by voting in person are voters of color. According to the Centers for Disease Control, people of color are, on average, four times more likely than white Americans to be hospitalized for COVID-19 and have two times the mortality rate than the population at large. In New York and New Jersey, two states hardest hit by the pandemic, voters of color have a higher likelihood of contracting and dying of COVID-19." - "Opposing voting by mail is voter suppression," June 22, 2020.


Debate over parks and outdoors in New Jersey

See also: Debate over parks and outdoors during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

This section includes a sampling of statements made by public officials, influencers, and stakeholders on parks and outdoors in New Jersey.

  • Gov. Phil Murphy (D) (NJ.com): On April 7, 2020, Gov. Phil Murphy (D) announced that state and county parks and forests would be closed.

    "We have seen far too many instances where people have gathered in groups in parks erroneously thinking since they are outside social distancing doesn’t matter. Nothing can be further than the truth." - "N.J. orders all state and county parks and forests closed indefinitely to fight coronavirus outbreak," April 7, 2020.

  • Gov. Phil Murphy (D) (NJ.com): On April 30, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that parks would be allowed to reopen.

    "We’re basically saying: We’re prepared to trust you. You’ve been trusting us, and we will never forget that. We’re returning some amount of that trust by saying, ‘We’re gonna open these up, but you’ve got to behave in a certain way.’ … So please enjoy the parks, but stay away from each other. Do not congregate. Wear a face covering, be responsible." - "Don’t screw this up, N.J.! Before parks and golf courses reopen, here are new coronavirus rules.," April 30, 2020.

  • Asm. Jay Webber (R) (Patch): Asm. Jay Webber (R-26) responded to the governor's order to close state and county parks.

    "We're not asking for the parks and the forests in the state to be open without restrictions. What we're asking for is to help craft a common-sense policy on our parks and forests. … We have nine million residents in the most densely populated state in the [nation], and it simply can't be that the safest number of residents who can use those parks, over a half million acres, is zero. There has to be a number between zero and nine million that makes sense for the people of New Jersey." - "Jay Webber Wants NJ To Reopen Parks After Coronavirus Closure," April 14, 2020.


Responses to the coronavirus in New Jersey

See also: Government responses to and political effects of the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 (New Jersey)
Click the links below for more on responses to the coronavirus pandemic in STATE.

General resources

The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.


See also

Footnotes

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Political responses to the coronavirus pandemic, 2020-2021
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