John Bartlett, a county commissioner and voting rights attorney, is running in the special election for New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District. Following Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s election as governor, a vacancy in the district has led to a closely watched special election on February 5. Bartlett, among a dozen Democratic primary candidates, aims to represent the district in the US Congress.
Emphasizing his connection to Indian Americans, Bartlett, married to Dr. Kathy Joshi, an Indian American, highlights his time spent in India and efforts to engage with the Indian American community in northern New Jersey. As a Passaic County commissioner, he prioritized inclusion of immigrant communities, focusing on language access during the 2020 census by outreach in Arabic, Hindi, and Bengali, besides English and Spanish.
Describing New Jersey’s 11th District as home to significant Indian American communities like Parsippany and Livingston, Bartlett notes that the district comprises 12% Asian Americans, with over half being Indian Americans. He acknowledges the diverse challenges faced by Indian American families in the region, including visa issues, discrimination, and economic pressures, pledging to be responsive to their needs.
Bartlett, a voting rights lawyer for nearly 25 years, is concerned about civil rights and democratic norms. Criticizing the Trump administration for neglecting civil and voting rights, he emphasizes the importance of ensuring free and fair elections, advocating for electing a voting rights attorney to Congress to safeguard this goal.
Highlighting healthcare, immigration, and US-India relations, Bartlett supports a public healthcare option, criticizes policies increasing costs for families, and opposes tariffs and visa restrictions affecting Indian American businesses and families. Stressing the significance of the US-India relationship, he calls for deeper economic and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
Bartlett urges Indian American voter turnout in the upcoming special election, emphasizing the impact of their participation in determining the winning candidate. He encourages early voting, voting by mail, or in-person voting on February 5. The special Democratic primary is scheduled for February 5, with early voting from January 29 to February 3, followed by the special general election on April 16. New Jersey’s 11th District, a key suburban seat, has been historically represented by Democrats.
