Madelyn Hoffman

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Madelyn Hoffman

Green Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 2, 2021

Education

Bachelor's

Wesleyan University, 1978

Graduate

Rutgers University, 1982

Other

Rutgers University, 1982

Personal

Birthplace

Englewood, N.J.

Religion

Jewish

Profession

Adjunct professor

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Personal Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Madelyn Hoffman (Green Party) ran for election for Governor of New Jersey. She lost in the general election on November 2, 2021.

Hoffman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Madelyn Hoffman was born in Englewood, New Jersey. She earned a bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University in 1978. She earned a master's of public administration from Rutgers University in 1982. Hoffman's career experience includes working as an adjunct professor of environmental science, political science, and public speaking and as the director of a nonprofit organization. Hoffman has been affiliated with the Green Party of New Jersey, the United States Green Party, American Muslims for Palestine, the Essex County Green Party, the Colombia Human Rights Network, and the Colombia Support Network.

Elections

2021

See also: New Jersey gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2021

New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2021 (June 8 Republican primary)

New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2021 (June 8 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for Governor of New Jersey

Incumbent Phil Murphy defeated Jack Ciattarelli, Madelyn Hoffman, Gregg Mele, and Joanne Kuniansky in the general election for Governor of New Jersey on November 2, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Phil Murphy (D)	51.2	1,339,471
		Jack Ciattarelli (R)	48.0	1,255,185
		Madelyn Hoffman (G)	0.3	8,450
		Gregg Mele (L)	0.3	7,768
	Submit photo	Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party)	0.2	4,012

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,614,886
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Robert Edward Forchion Jr. (Legalize Marihuana Party)
• Justin Maldonado (Independent)
• David Winkler (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of New Jersey

Incumbent Phil Murphy defeated Lisa McCormick in the Democratic primary for Governor of New Jersey on June 8, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Phil Murphy	100.0	382,984
		Lisa McCormick (Write-in)	0.0	0

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 382,984
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Roger Bacon (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of New Jersey

Jack Ciattarelli defeated Philip Rizzo, Hirsh Singh, and Brian Levine in the Republican primary for Governor of New Jersey on June 8, 2021.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jack Ciattarelli	49.5	167,690
		Philip Rizzo	25.7	87,007
		Hirsh Singh	21.6	73,155
		Brian Levine	3.3	11,181

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 339,033
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Doug Steinhardt (R)

2020

See also: United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2020

United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2020 (July 7 Democratic primary)

United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2020 (July 7 Republican primary)

General election

General election for U.S. Senate New Jersey

The following candidates ran in the general election for U.S. Senate New Jersey on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cory Booker (D)	57.2	2,541,178
		Rik Mehta (R)	40.9	1,817,052
		Madelyn Hoffman (G)	0.9	38,288
		Veronica Fernandez (Of, By, For! Party)	0.7	32,290
		Daniel Burke (Larouche Was Right Party)	0.3	11,632
		Luis Vergara (Independent) (Write-in)	0.0	0

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,440,440
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey

Incumbent Cory Booker defeated Lawrence Hamm in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey on July 7, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cory Booker	87.6	838,110
		Lawrence Hamm	12.4	118,802

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 956,912
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Harsh Naik (D)
• Lisa McCormick (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey

Rik Mehta defeated Hirsh Singh, Tricia Flanagan, Natalie Rivera, and Eugene Anagnos in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey on July 7, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rik Mehta	38.0	154,817
		Hirsh Singh	35.9	146,133
		Tricia Flanagan	17.8	72,678
		Natalie Rivera	5.3	21,650
		Eugene Anagnos	3.0	12,047

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 407,325
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Gary Rich (R)
• Navodaya Garepalli (R)
• Stuart David Meissner (R)

2018

See also: United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. Senate New Jersey

The following candidates ran in the general election for U.S. Senate New Jersey on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bob Menendez (D)	54.0	1,711,654
		Bob Hugin (R)	42.8	1,357,355
		Madelyn Hoffman (G)	0.8	25,150
		Murray Sabrin (L)	0.7	21,212
		Natalie Rivera (For the People Party)	0.6	19,897
		Tricia Flanagan (New Day NJ Party)	0.5	16,101
		Kevin Kimple (Make it Simple Party)	0.3	9,087
		Hank Schroeder (Economic Growth Party)	0.3	8,854

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,169,310 (100.00% precincts reporting)
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Muhammad Usman (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey

Incumbent Bob Menendez defeated Lisa McCormick in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bob Menendez	62.3	262,477
		Lisa McCormick	37.7	158,998

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 421,475
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Michael Starr Hopkins (D)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey

Bob Hugin defeated Brian Goldberg in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey on June 5, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Bob Hugin	75.1	168,052
		Brian Goldberg	24.9	55,624

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.	Total votes: 223,676
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Antonio Sabas (R)
• Dana Wefer (R)
• Jeff Bell (R)
• Jerry Watson (R)

Campaign themes

2021

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Madelyn Hoffman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hoffman's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a long-time member of the Green Party of New Jersey who was Ralph Nader's vice-presidential running mate for New Jersey in 1996 and the Green Party candidate for Governor in 1997. Prior to that, I worked as the director of the Grass Roots Environmental Organization for almost 20 years with over 200 grass roots and municipal organizations, concerned about toxic chemical pollution in New Jersey. I then worked for almost 20 years as the director of New Jersey Peace Action, on non-violent resolution of international conflict and protection of civil liberties and civil rights. In 2018 and 2020, I ran for U.S. Senate in New Jersey. My 38,288 votes in 2020 were the 2nd highest vote total for a statewide Green Party candidate in NJ, behind only Ralph Nader in 2000. I am also an adjunct professor of public speaking and political science and have been since 1997.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• We need an eco-socialist Green New Deal and a workers' bill of rights. We have no time to wait!!
• Get big money out of politics! Our campaign takes no money from corporations or Political Action Committees (PACs).
• More Voices, More Choices -- grass roots democracy requires Ranked Choice Voting!!

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

1. I am very passionate about environmental justice, an eco-socialist Green New Deal, together with a workers' bill of rights and the need to address/confront issues of climate change, NOW.

2. I am committed to social and economic justice for all -- that includes addressing issues of defunding and demilitarizing the police and granting civilian review boards subpoena power; legalizing cannabis in ways that create restorative justice, making up for decades of discrimination in arrests for possession; abolishing ICE; addressing systemic racism and standing up for the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community.

3. A single payer health insurance program on both the state and federal level, an improved and expanded Medicare for All

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Two of my role models politically were Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

For me, the most important characteristics or principles for an elected official are to be able to listen to the voices of many of my constituents and to involve those constituents in the decision-making process. My job would be to listen to those who are generally not heard -- voices of immigrants, undocumented, people without homes, those whose communities have been discriminated against for decades, or whose communities have been victims of environmental injustice and environmental racism, people whose rents are too high and not stabilized just as government officials are making deals with big developers to build high-rise apartments or other upscale housing and slowly (or not so slowly) driving low-to-moderate income people out of their homes. I believe in a country that is sustainable economically and environmentally, and do not believe that capitalism is the answer. We need to take the profit motive out of so many operations -- whether it be health care, banking, education, living wages, not minimum wages, tuition-free college, cancelation of rents and mortgages, and more. We need to prioritize all people, not mega-corporations and the ultra-rich. We can do better as a country by recognizing that if the people have more control over the institutions around them, this country will be safer, healthier and more secure.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am determined to make changes in the way the state operates now -- finding a way to bring more social and economic justice to wider number of people. I am empathic -- I listen carefully to many points of view. I am a humanist and an egalitarian. I am an excellent communicator and I believe in working together with a team, one that is open and honest with each other, to minimize the likelihood of social cliques or discrimination of any type -- racial, gender, age, or sexual orientation. My ability to work hard, to push against the current, to remain idealistic regardless of the push back, are all qualities that I believe would serve me and New Jersey well. I am open and trustworthy and will not be tempted to abandon my principles because I am offered some kind of financial award. We all need to be heard. Activists need to be respected and must be asked for input surrounding public policy.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the assassination of John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. I was 7 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I was a VISTA Volunteer, first working for ACORN for 1 1/2 years in Davenport, Iowa and then I continued my VISTA service in Newark, New Jersey. That job turned into the founding of the Grass Roots Environmental Organization, a position I held for 18 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Charly or Flowers for Algernon is my favorite book. Though ultimately sad, I love seeing Charlie Gordon's intellectual and emotional progress (and than regression) through the quality and type of writing in daily journal entries. I also love Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass -- Walt Whitman's view of democracy and the diversity of the people of this country described in stream-of-consciousness poetry, has affected me for years

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Ravel's Bolero; Cat Stevens' Peace Train; Iko Iko Ane (from TicToc)

Governors have many responsibilities, which vary from state to state. Which of those do you personally consider the most important in your state?

The Governor of New Jersey is one of the most powerful governors in the U.S. due to the powers afforded him/her by the New Jersey Constitution. All of his/her duties are important -- but I would say that signing or vetoing legislation, exercising the line-item veto and making appointments to existing and special commissions are amongst the most important responsibilities. The governor can also recommend and lobby for different bills, giving him/her a greater ability to make good on campaign promises. The powers of the NJ governor also, at times, set him/her at odds with the state's legislature, creating a situation in which the NJ governor has to juggle the ability to issue Executive Orders and fulfill his/her legislative agenda while honoring grass roots democracy and the ability for every town to set some of its own priorities in our home rule state. It would be tempting to overuse the governor's constitutional authority when his/her priorities are at odds with the legislature's, so it would be important to walk a fine line between what I as a governor would want to see done and the legislative priorities of the state senate and state assembly.

In most states, governors have the power to make line-item vetoes. If that is true in your state, what would be your philosophy for how and when to use this power?

I would use the line-item power very sparingly. I know how concerned I am about efforts of past presidents to gain line-item veto power and about their use of what's known as a "signing statement," effectively giving the president the power to pick and choose what he/she supports. I know that if my politics aligned with the president -- or in this case the governor -- I might be pleased with the line-item vetoes he/she issued, but the reverse would also be true. If I didn't agree politically with the governor, I might see an overuse of the line-item veto as a threat to grass roots democracy in this state. Clearly, it would be a balancing act. At times, a line-item veto could save this state from wasteful spending. However, too many line-item vetoes could make it seem that I valued my own individual powers more than I valued governing the state for the sake of the majority of its people.

What do you love most about your state?

I love New Jersey's diversity most of all. We have a large immigrant population and an opportunity to experience much multi-culturalism, whether we're talking about the Latin American restaurants and shops in Dover, Morris County, for example; or the Arab American restaurants and shops in Paterson; or the rich history of the Underground Railroad from Cape May through Liberty State Park in Jersey City; to the Pine Barrens; the Jersey Shore -- Long Beach Island, Barnegat Lighthouse, and more; the revolutionary history in Bordentown , Washington Crossing, Jockey Hollow and more. We have school districts like Highland Park, where I believe more than 80 languages are spoken. There is so much to learn and so much to do to ensure that all groups are welcome here and are treated equally. We also are home to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and parts of the Appalachian Trail; the once beautiful Meadowlands which have, unfortunately, been spoiled by overdevelopment. For all of this natural beauty and more, we need to work even harder to protect our open spaces and to keep our ecosystems in balance. In addition, we must do more to protect and respect the lives of those who live in our cities, combatting environmental racism and environmental injustice, ensuring clean air and clean water. We have much to be proud of, as well as much to do to protect our state from the growing threats caused by climate change and overdevelopment. The impact of Hurricane Ida has shown us that.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Hoffman’s campaign website stated the following:

“	Madelyn Hoffman and Heather Warburton have a comprehensive, inclusive, and transformative plan to create a more sustainable, more democratic, and more just Garden State. Environmental Justice Social and Racial Justice Economic Justice and COVID-19 Relief Grassroots Democracy Education Healthcare	”
—Madelyn Hoffman’s campaign website (2021)

2020

Madelyn Hoffman completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hoffman's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a lifelong activist for peace, justice and an environment free of toxic chemical pollution. I worked as the director of a non-profit peace organization for almost 20 years and as the director of a grassroots environmental organization for almost 20 years prior to that. I ran for U.S. Senate in 2018 as Green against Senator Menendez and garnered 25,150 votes, the most of any third party in the race. I was Ralph Nader's Vice-Presidential running mate in NJ in 1996 and the Green Party candidate for governor of NJ in 1996.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• The U.S. must stop its endless imperialistic wars and use the money saved on programs communities need, such as education and tuition-free college, improved and expanded Medicare 4 All, infrastructure repair, a clean environment and more.
• We need a Real Green New Deal - one that starts with cutting the military budget and continues by creating a sustainable economy and a sustainable environment.
• Grass roots democracy - implementing Ranked Choice Voting, getting big money out of politics, lowering the voting age, abolishing the Electoral College - and more.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Foreign policy - diplomacy, not war; ending policies that create refugees

Education - tuition-free college; student loan debt forgiveness. improved public education
Civil rights and reparations
Opposing the border wall and travel bans
A Real Green Eco-socialist New Deal
Improved and expanded Medicare for All

Electoral reform - Ranked Choice Voting, lowering voting age and more

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

I believe that it is most important for an elected official to truly represent her constituents. That means that all constituents need to be treated as equally important, so it is not principled to accept thousands of dollars from Political Action Committees when many individuals who support the campaign have no extra money at all to donate to the campaign. The Hoffman for Senate 2020 campaign, like all my other campaigns will accept no political action committee money. Instead, we will work with community groups and individuals advocating on behalf of their communities to address issues of homelessness and hunger, poverty, social and economic injustice, environmental problems, the need for health care for all, an end to imperialist wars that take billions of dollars out of our communities to bring death and destruction to communities overseas - as an elected official, I believe it would be my responsibility to look out for us all, not for the elite 1% whose money seems to buy just about anything.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I believe that my many years as an activist have taught me how to stand beside others who are struggling to create a better and more just world. My job is to listen to those who find themselves on the outside looking in - and provide a voice for them where it is needed - in front of those who make the decisions that affect everyone's lives. It is my firm belief that it is the role of an office holder to understand how decisions are made and to be a bridge between the people and the halls of power - never forgetting who are the real drivers of the government, i.e. the people!

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first full-time job built off my two-year stint as a VISTA Volunteer in the city of Newark, New Jersey. As a VISTA volunteer, I was a tutor at the Ironbound Community School and music teacher at the Pre-School. But soon after beginning to work at this job, I began to talk to organizers at the Ironbound Community Corporation and together we began to work to create a citizens' group called the Ironbound Committee Against Toxic Wastes, a community group dedicated to trying to reduce the amount of toxic chemical pollution in the Ironbound section of Newark. From there, we build a statewide organization called the Grass Roots Environmental Organization (GREO) that worked to unify citizens' groups throughout New Jersey who were facing toxic chemical pollution problems. I was a volunteer for and the director of GREO from 1981 through 1999.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

I am learning how to speak Spanish, so I listen to WPAT Radio - I find the melodies for some of the songs stuck in my head without either knowing and understanding all the lyrics or even knowing the name of the song.

Additionally, I have a Leonard Cohen song stuck in my head about how the game is fixed. I have yet to search for the lyrics or the title of the song.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

The United States faces many challenges over the next decade. I believe we have lost our way as a country - more than ever before.

What qualities does the U.S. Senate possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Being a U.S. Senator provides a special opportunity to collaborate on public policy at the highest level - whether it be advising and consenting on presidential nominations for the U.S. Supreme Court or other federal judges or considering whether or not the U.S. should ratify important international treaties. It would be a great honor to serve as a U.S. Senator and make decisions that would affect not only my New Jersey constituents, but the country on critical matters facing us here at home - from health care, to public education, to civil rights and more.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for senators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, it is beneficial for senators to have experience in government and in politics - while it's good to understand how the U.S. government is supposed to work, it's also important to understand how it works in actuality - and thus have a better understanding of how to navigate through the process of making a difference.

What do you think of the filibuster?

I wish that all filibusters would be public - the way they once were. The filibuster is a tool for the minority party to still exert some political power. However, in recent years, the filibuster has been used indiscriminately to obstruct and conducted more on paper. By conducting filibusters on paper and just counting the votes behind the scenes, those who would like to use the filibuster don't have to be held accountable for their decisions by speaking to the public for hours about an issue that matters to them.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2021 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

Documenting America's Path to Recovery The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Governor of New Jersey

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Personal

Facebook

LinkedIn