Welcome to the 2027 Gubernatorial Election!
- Casey Fugere
- Mar 14
- 9 min read
Updated: Mar 15
Here is your one-stop shop for everything about our Governor candidates platforms!
Rithika Panchumarthy
Delegation Name: Monroe Township
Years in YAG: 2
Lt. Governor: Advith Kasam, Montgomery
Why are you running for the position of Youth Governor?
As a Lobbyist, I have had the unique but cherished opportunity to be in every single room at conference. This means though, I also have seen just about every problem at conference, with not a single delegate role left out. I want to advocate for, and solve the problems of not only the legislative delegates, but also courts, press, J-leg, and my own Lobbyists. I believe all of the Governor candidates will be equipped to listen to what every delegate needs, but a step above is feeling the issue for yourself, and seeing its impact first-hand. I know how the rockiness of bill constitutionality debate feels, why think-tank feels confusing to both Lobbyists and legislators every year, and that press needs more content for Friday night. I am running for Governor because I want to ensure every delegate sees themselves in their leadership, and sees their grievances be truly understood.
List one issue facing the State of NJ along with potential solutions.
There is a popular myth that to estimate how many prison cells to build, contractors look back at 3rd grade reading scores of areas 10 years ago. One score under a certain threshold correlates to one extra spot in a prison. This, of course, is a just myth but the idea speaks to a larger issue, that crime concentrated areas are often a direct byproduct of the discrepancies of education. To solve the crime problem, the educational-segregation problem must be addressed. School-District unification, possibly on the county level, is one way that economic-desegregation can begin. Within counties there are pockets of richer and poorer areas, so a single district that distributes the total funding of the district by need could be more equitable, in turn mitigating the crime problem. Another solution is to reintegrate charter schools, which are often used to separate social classes, and require regional demographic integration goals.
List one change you would like to implement within the NJ YAG Program.
YAG does an incredible job of educating students on how it is to make change through writing bills and debating policy. However, through the position of Youth Governor, I have the ability to help delegates take it one step further. Through increasing participation and structure around advocacy days, New Jersey Youth and Government has the ability to help delegates apply the skills they practice at conferences in real civic areas. This expansion ensures that Advocacy stays accessible to delegates rather than being limited to specific YMCA branches. Through increasing outreach, preparation, and offering of these opportunities, YAG can confidently civic education into real world action. This specific change creates a bridge between simulation and action. As Lobby President, I have come to understand the importance of voices outside of those of legislators’ and as a product of YAG, I understand how important it is that those voices are young peoples’.
Joanna Lee
Delegation Name: Greater Philadelphia YMCA
Years in YAG : 2
Lt. Governor: Sam Devanahally, Monroe Township
Why are you running for the position of Youth Governor?
Prior to attending my first conference as a freshman, I had no idea what to expect out of this program. However, YAG quickly cemented a permanent place in my life. Through this program, I found more than debate—I found a community full of diverse goals and backgrounds that came together for their passion for change. The connections and friendships I forged encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and grow into a changemaker, which gave me the confidence to become an officer and now run for Youth Governor. I want to inspire the same feeling in delegates by bringing them a conference where they feel heard, supported, and their love for civic engagement can shine. YAG is fused into who I am, and I wish to give back by creating an impact on the program as much as it has impacted me.
List one issue facing the State of NJ along with potential solutions.
Food insecurity is a rising concern in New Jersey. Over 1 million people, or 11% of the state population, suffers from food insecurity, closely following the climbing federal trend. While federal and state programs, such as SNAP and New Jersey's Food Desert Relief Program (FDRP), provide much needed relief, they have proven to be insufficient and increasingly inaccessible. This past year, more than 850,000 New Jerseyans lost access to their monthly benefits, highlighting the fragility of current solutions. Addressing food deserts by supporting mobile markets and incentivizing grocery stores to open in rural areas will improve geographical barriers. Additionally, food banks—essential in supporting underserved communities—can partner with farmers, strengthening local food systems and increasing the fresh produce available to those in need. By prioritizing physical accessibility to food and affordability of healthy options, New Jersey can build a support system that ensures everybody is helped.
List one change you would like to implement within the NJ YAG Program.
A significant barrier I have witnessed to participating in this program is lack of accessibility. Often, delegates hail from long established delegations, while new delegations rarely attend conference. This trend is not due to lack of interest, but rather a lack of visibility. There is little to no representation from areas such as South Jersey simply because YAG is unheard of in these communities. I intend to expand outreach efforts, reaching out to YMCA’s across the state to increase awareness and create delegations in historically underrepresented areas. Additionally, I plan to develop a comprehensive curriculum of everything YAG, from parliamentary procedure to bill writing, to act as a guide for every step of the way towards conference. This program has been instrumental in launching the civic engagement journey of countless students, and by increasing visibility and addressing geographical barriers, the same opportunity is presented to all students in New Jersey.
Jack Gerecitano
Delegation Name: Montgomery
Years in YAG 2
Lt. Governor: Samvarth Raj, YMCA of the Jersey Shore
Why are you running for the position of Youth Governor?
Youth and Government is a program that I have come to love, and something that has changed my life more than I ever could have initially thought. At its core, the reason why I want to run for Youth Governor is because I want to take my involvement with this program to the next level, and at the same time do my best to ensure that more delegates are able to become involved with the program in the same way I was. Having talked with the current Youth Governor, I am well aware that this position entails a lot of work, but I am confident that my passion for this program will continue to motivate me to do all that I can to better this program.
List one issue facing the State of NJ along with potential solutions.
One issue that I see nearly every day (and one that is overlooked an alarming amount) is the excessive use of single-use plastics that are not recycled, and end up in landfills. Everywhere I go, I see countless plastic utensils being used once and discarded, almost never being recycled. Obviously, this is an issue that could be solved if everyone did their part (my family and I bring our own plasticware to restaurants and reuse it), but also one that could be effectively solved by incentivization policies. For example, if we subsidize organizations that make the switch from single use plastics to reusable or biodegradable alternatives, then these practices would over time become normalized, and the amount of trash going into landfills would decrease greatly. Furthermore, the betterment of recycling infrastructure would ensure that the waste that is produced is able to be effectively handled.
List one change you would like to implement within the NJ YAG Program.
In my experience as an officer, one of the most prominent initiatives I have been a part of has been the grant application team. This is an initiative that has just been started this year, but one that I believe has overwhelming untapped potential. Ultimately, my goal is to be able to tap into this potential, and take this program to the next level. By growing this program with more officer involvement, I would ensure that every year this process becomes more efficient and effective. As I’m sure delegates have become aware of, conference prices have been rising, and I believe this program to be one of the most efficient ways to combat this, working towards a YAG where not only do current delegates pay less, but also one where a person’s ability to attend YAG is not dictated by their financial situation.
Antonio Zambito
Delegation Name: YMCA of the Jersey Shore
Years in YAG: 1
Lt. Governor: Shreya Goda, Montgomery
Why are you running for the position of Youth Governor?I
am running for Youth Governor because I want to continue to lead with purpose and action at Youth and Government at a higher level. My experience at YAG has been full of joy, excitement, and hard work, and I would like to spread this same experience with others by being the next Youth Governor. I want to strengthen collaboration, increase engagement, and continue to make sure that each delegate has a voice. I want to continue to show and prove that New Jersey YAG is best, and I want to represent New Jersey with integrity, energy, and the capability and commitment to grow.
List one issue facing the State of NJ along with potential solutions.
One issue that New Jersey is currently facing is environmental issues surrounding our shore, including pollution, coastal erosion, and rising sea levels. When people think of New Jersey, they think of our Shore. Growing up, I've always had a close connection to the shore, as I went, and still go, every summer. These specific issues derive from climate change, coastal development, and pollution and runoff that we are inflicting on the environment. To address and prevent these issues, New Jersey should continue to invest in shoreline protection projects and invest in ways to stop pollution. Such examples are creating/replenishing dunes and strict regulations on beaches. One rule that can be administered is to remove sun-screen spray, as the aerosol propellants diminish our environment. Additionally, more trash/recycling areas can be placed along beaches, similar to Disney's 30ft rule, to keep beaches spotless.
List one change you would like to implement within the NJ YAG Program.
One change I would like to implement within NJ YAG is expanding financial accessibility through a fee-reduction program. While YAG is an incredible leadership, public-speaking, and connection-building opportunity, the cost can and does prevent some students from participating. Many students from my delegation are shunned away from high-cost fees. To fix this problem, I would work to establish a reduction program that each school and/or delegation can feasibly implement. Similar to advocacy month, we would prepare a structured fundraiser that would work to raise
money to cut costs (similar to a Girl Scout Cookie Sale). Delegations could be provided with fundraising toolkits and statewide fundraising initiatives to help offset costs. YAG should be accessible to any student willing to put in the work, regardless of financial background. By reducing financial barriers, we can expand participation, strengthen diversity within the program, and ensure NJ YAG represents students from all communities across the state.
Jack Forman
Delegation Name: Hunterdon Central
Years in YAG: 3
Lt. Governor: Spencer Julewicz
Why are you running for the position of Youth Governor?
I am running for Youth Governor because I believe I have what it takes in order to make an incredible conference experience for future delegates. Although this conference is consistently an amazing experience, there are still some issues which could be addressed by me and my lieutenant governor in order to make it better. I have been so lucky to have this opportunity to be a member of this community and attend conference. For me, becoming Youth Governor and improving conference would be the ultimate way to give back to this community I love so dearly. Ever since I joined in 8th grade, I saw the candidates give their speeches for this position and I knew I belonged up there. This is my opportunity to achieve my dream, and I am going to put in the work to make this conference extraordinary.
List one issue facing the State of NJ along with potential solutions.
One issue facing New Jersey is the housing shortage. This issue has been growing for roughly 50 years with little signs of stopping. Covid had an impact on this shortage as well as it has brought about new economic challenges for many New Jersey residents. A solution currently being implemented is Bill S50/A4. This bill's goal is to help stop this crisis by making cheaper developments more trustworthy for contractors and enticing municipalities to create these new housing developments. In my opinion, this is a wonderful idea for a solution. This bill was passed recently, so most developments have not been fully constructed. This makes any results of these constructions hard to come by. Another solution may be to directly allocate townships land towards new housing developments. These solutions can help solve this issue.
List one change you would like to implement within the NJ YAG Program.
One change I would implement to the NJ YAG program would be to increase participation at the Civic Engagement Fair. Something I have noticed is that many delegates leave quickly and do not experience the full fair. This is unfortunate because there are incredible opportunities to be found there. Last year, I listened to a woman speak about her son who was badly hurt in a motor vehicle accident and how it motivated her to begin helping crash victims. These people that have real passion about what they do should have an audience. The best way to do this would be to incentivize the opportunities these organizations have to get involved. This helps spread awareness of these programs and opportunities. Finding organizations which have more programs to help the community would be a good step too. This is a good way to get people involved with this fair.