81% of contributors to County Level PAC’s and Political Committees disclosed their employer, with 5% identifying as self-employed.

Contributions from those listing an employer accounted for 76% of the total funds donated to non-individual county political entities.

Major Contributors:

The top 50 donors with employer disclosures contributed close to $3 million to county PACs or political committees.

Among these, law firms dominated, representing 30% of the contributions, underscoring the legal sector’s substantial influence.

Government Employee Contributions:

Individuals employed by county governments collectively donated $550,000 during this period.

For instance, employees of the Union County Board of Elections alone contributed over $12,000 to the Republican Committee of Union County. 

Noteworthy Contributions:

Keywood Strategies contributed over $36,000 to the Middlesex County Democratic Organization between 2019 and 2023.

Berkeley Heights Mayor Angie Devanney and former Berkeley Heights Board of Education candidate George Devanney, listed as partners of Keywood Strategies, provide an example of how personal affiliations and professional ties can intersect in political contributions. George Devanney, specifically, is noted as the contributor, according to NJ ELEC records.

Conclusion

The data highlights the significant role of individual contributions in shaping local political dynamics, with notable influence from certain sectors such as law firms and individuals with government affiliations. These findings underscore the importance of maintaining transparency and accountability in political funding to ensure public trust in the process. By continuing to monitor and analyze these contributions, stakeholders can better understand their impact on governance and representation at the county level.

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