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Steven Pylypchuk
Steven Pylypchuk (Democratic Party) is running for election to the New Jersey General Assembly to represent District 25. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025. He advanced from the Democratic primary on June 10, 2025.
Pylypchuk completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Steven Pylypchuk was born in New York, New York. He earned a high school diploma from Bloomfield High School, a bachelor's degree from the Stevens Institute of Technology in 2008, and a graduate degree from the Stevens Institute of Technology in 2015. Pylypchuk's career experience includes working as a civil engineer.[1]
Elections
2025
See also: New Jersey General Assembly elections, 2025
General election
General election for New Jersey General Assembly District 25 (2 seats)
Incumbent Christian Barranco, incumbent Aura Kenny Dunn, Steven Pylypchuk, and Marisa Sweeney are running in the general election for New Jersey General Assembly District 25 on November 4, 2025.
Candidate | ||
 | Christian Barranco (R) | |
 | Aura Kenny Dunn (R) | |
 | Steven Pylypchuk (D)  | |
| Marisa Sweeney (D) | ||
| ||||
| = 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. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for New Jersey General Assembly District 25 (2 seats)
Marisa Sweeney and Steven Pylypchuk advanced from the Democratic primary for New Jersey General Assembly District 25 on June 10, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Marisa Sweeney | 52.4 | 18,024 | |
| ✔ | | Steven Pylypchuk | 47.6 | 16,376 |
| Total votes: 34,400 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for New Jersey General Assembly District 25 (2 seats)
Incumbent Christian Barranco and incumbent Aura Kenny Dunn advanced from the Republican primary for New Jersey General Assembly District 25 on June 10, 2025.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Christian Barranco | 50.6 | 14,070 |
| ✔ | | Aura Kenny Dunn | 49.4 | 13,756 |
| Total votes: 27,826 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Endorsements
Pylypchuk received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
Campaign themes
2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Steven Pylypchuk completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Pylypchuk's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I’m running because New Jersey is at a breaking point. Families are being priced out by skyrocketing housing costs and property taxes. NJ Transit is failing commuters. Corporate landlords are making homeownership impossible. And too many politicians are protecting the status quo instead of fighting for working people.
I believe leadership isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about bringing people together to build a better future. That means fixing what’s broken, fighting for working families, and making sure our state works for us, not just for those at the top. As part of Democrats for Change, I’m ready to deliver real progress—not empty promises.
It’s time for bold action. It’s time to put families over corporations. It’s time to build a new New Jersey.- Fix What’s Broken, Build for the Future New Jersey’s infrastructure is crumbling, and NJ Transit is failing working families. As a civil engineer, I’ve led major projects like JFK, LaGuardia, and Superstorm Sandy recovery efforts—I know how to get things done. In the Assembly, I’ll fight to fix NJ Transit, improve roads, and invest in resilient, climate-smart infrastructure.
- Families Over Corporations From skyrocketing housing costs to unaffordable childcare, everyday New Jerseyans are struggling while corporate interests profit. I’ll push for policies that support working families: affordable housing, tenant protections, universal pre-K, and real tax relief—not giveaways to the ultra-wealthy.
- Leadership That Works for You Politics should be about solutions, not the same old names protecting the status quo. I’m running to shake things up—because leadership isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about bringing people together to build a better New Jersey.
At the same time, Roosevelt was a product of his era, and not all of his views or policies align with modern values. But his approach to leadership—his belief in fairness, his willingness to take on corporate greed, and his commitment to making government work for all people—remains relevant today. Like TR, I believe in a government that prioritizes working families over corporate interests, invests in long-term infrastructure, and isn’t afraid to take decisive action when the moment demands it.
Honesty and transparency are essential. Voters deserve leaders who are upfront about their priorities and decision-making, not politicians who hide behind bureaucracy or serve special interests. Elected officials should also be responsive—government isn’t about political games, it’s about real people’s lives. If you reach out with a concern, you deserve a representative who listens and takes action.
I also believe in bold leadership. Too often, politicians are content with maintaining the status quo because it’s easier than fighting for change. But New Jersey needs leaders who are willing to challenge outdated policies, rethink broken systems, and push for solutions that will actually make life better for working families. That means prioritizing infrastructure, housing affordability, and family-friendly policies—not just protecting those who already have power.
I also believe in listening before leading—good ideas don’t just come from politicians, they come from the people living these challenges every day. My time on the Morristown Council has reinforced that governing isn’t about pushing an agenda; it’s about engaging communities, understanding their needs, and working alongside them to deliver results.
One of the biggest responsibilities is holding state agencies accountable—whether it’s NJ Transit failing commuters, corporate landlords driving up housing costs, or state policies that make it harder for working families to thrive. Legislators should push for stronger oversight, transparency, and policies that directly improve people’s lives.
Another critical duty is ensuring New Jersey is prepared for the future. That means investing in infrastructure that is resilient to climate change, fixing mass transit so people can get to work reliably, and ensuring housing is affordable so the next generation can build a life here.
More than anything, I want to prove that leadership isn’t about having a famous last name or climbing the political ladder—it’s about getting things done for the people you serve. If I can inspire more everyday people to step up and lead, then that’s a legacy worth fighting for.
But 9/11 wasn’t the only defining event of my generation. Just two years earlier, Columbine made it clear that schools were no longer untouchable safe havens. I grew up in a time when active shooter drills became routine, when we normalized the idea that students had to be prepared for the unthinkable. We’ve witnessed financial crashes, endless wars, climate disasters, political upheaval, and attacks on basic rights. It would be easy to become cynical, to believe that nothing can change.
But that struggle has also shaped my priorities. It’s why I fight for affordable childcare, stronger worker protections, and a government that actually supports families instead of making life harder. I understand these challenges because I live them, and I want to make sure the next generation doesn’t have to make the same sacrifices just to build a life in New Jersey.
At the same time, gridlock and partisan gamesmanship serve no one. The best outcomes come when the governor and legislators engage in good-faith problem-solving while maintaining checks and balances. We need a legislature that is independent, proactive, and focused on results, not just responding to the governor’s proposals.
Infrastructure is another critical issue. NJ Transit is unreliable, our roads and bridges need upgrades, and climate change is increasing the risk of flooding and extreme weather. We need investments in mass transit, resilient infrastructure, and smart urban planning.
As a councilman, I’ve seen firsthand how government works—and where it fails. That experience has given me insight into how to get things done, navigate bureaucracy, and fight for my constituents. But I don’t believe that time in office alone makes someone qualified. We need leaders with real-world expertise—engineers, educators, small business owners, healthcare professionals—people who understand the struggles of everyday New Jerseyans and bring fresh solutions to the table.
Relationships with fellow legislators help build trust, open the door to bipartisan solutions, and ensure that good ideas don’t get lost in political gridlock. It’s especially important when tackling statewide issues like NJ Transit reform, housing affordability, and infrastructure investment—issues that impact all New Jerseyans, regardless of party.
On a modern level, I admire leaders who prioritize grassroots change over establishment politics—those who aren’t afraid to shake things up and push for bold reforms. Whether it’s on infrastructure, housing, or protecting equal rights, I want to be the kind of legislator who gets things done and refuses to accept "business as usual" as the status quo.
That said, my commitment to public service doesn’t end with one election. If there’s an opportunity to continue making a meaningful impact at a higher level in the future, I’ll always be open to that conversation. But for now, my priority is fixing what’s broken in New Jersey—starting with infrastructure, affordability, and standing up for working families.
My parents worked tirelessly to build a life here, but rising property taxes nearly forced them out of their home before they ultimately retired out of state. My wife and I have faced the struggle of affording childcare while balancing careers. And like so many others, we’ve seen the housing market make it harder for young families to put down roots in the communities they love.
These are not just my experiences—I hear the same concerns from families across my district. I’ve met parents who are stretched thin by the cost of raising kids, seniors worried they’ll be priced out of the only home they’ve ever known, and young professionals who feel like homeownership is slipping out of reach.
We saw during the COVID-19 pandemic how emergency powers can be essential for protecting public health, but also how they can lead to overreach if left unchecked. The legislature must have a mechanism to review, modify, or end emergency powers to ensure they remain in the public’s best interest.
New Jersey families are struggling with the rising cost of childcare, often paying more than their rent or mortgage. Meanwhile, parents face long waitlists for quality care, and providers struggle to keep up due to staffing shortages. This bill directly addresses the crisis by expanding universal pre-K, increasing access to affordable childcare, and providing financial relief for working parents.
The bill would expand universal pre-K statewide, ensuring every child has access to early learning regardless of income or zip code. It builds on the successful Morris School District’s public-private pre-K model, which has reduced costs while maintaining high-quality education. By increasing state funding and adding pre-K slots, we can help more families access early education without excessive costs.
To ease the burden on parents, the bill would establish a tax credit for working families to offset childcare expenses and expand direct subsidies for low- and middle-income families. No parent should have to choose between financial stability and quality care for their child.
It would also support childcare providers by funding new centers in underserved areas, reducing “childcare deserts” where families lack options. Additionally, it would create incentives for businesses to provide on-site childcare or subsidies, helping parents stay in the workforce. To retain qualified staff, the bill would also invest in higher wages and better training for childcare workers.
I’m also deeply interested in the Housing and Community Development Committee. New Jersey has an affordability crisis, and we need policies that promote mixed-income developments, protect tenants, and limit corporate ownership of single-family homes. If we don’t act now, homeownership will slip further out of reach for working families.
Finally, the Environment and Solid Waste Committee is critical. New Jersey is already feeling the effects of climate change—flooding, rising temperatures, and environmental degradation. I’ll fight for stronger clean energy policies, better flood mitigation, and smarter urban planning that prioritizes sustainability.
I support stricter disclosure laws for state contracts and lobbying, making campaign finance more transparent, and reducing the influence of big money in politics. Pay-to-play politics is one of the biggest problems in New Jersey, and we need to stop elected officials from serving special interests instead of their constituents.
Additionally, agencies like NJ Transit and the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency need stronger oversight. We can’t just throw money at failing systems—we need accountability measures that ensure funding actually improves services, not just props up inefficient bureaucracies.
However, ballot initiatives can also be manipulated by well-funded special interest groups, leading to misleading campaigns and unintended consequences. We’ve seen in other states how poorly worded or heavily lobbied ballot measures can create long-term problems.
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 finance summary
Campaign finance information for this candidate is not yet available from OpenSecrets. That information will be published here once it is available.
See also
2025 Elections
External links
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Candidate New Jersey General Assembly District 25 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 11, 2025
