Overview

Mitchelle Drulis was born as Mitchelle A. Everest and raised in Santee, California, where she graduated from Santana High School. She attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick, earning a bachelor's degree in political science and completing an associate's program at the Eagleton Institute of Politics. She has been a resident of Raritan Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, for many years.

Drulis built a career in legislative and congressional staff work spanning more than two decades. She began as a legislative aide to Assemblyman Bob Smith in December 2000, then served as Chief of Staff to Assemblyman Joseph V. Egan from 2002 to 2013—a tenure of more than a decade. In 2018, she transitioned to electoral politics as Political Director for Tom Malinowski's congressional campaign in New Jersey's 7th District, where she led an outreach program that secured key endorsements from labor and grassroots organizations. Malinowski's victory flipped the long-held Republican district to Democratic control.

Following Malinowski's election, Drulis served as his District Director from 2019 to 2023, developing and managing a constituent services program that assisted approximately 12,000 individual constituents across the district. She collaborated with the congressman to identify district needs and secure millions in federal funding for local municipal projects.

In addition to her political career, Drulis is the owner of a Somerset County-based small business. She has been active in her local community, volunteering as a class mom at Copper Hill School and serving as Vice President of the Robert F. Independent School (RFIS) Parent Teacher Organization in the Flemington-Raritan school district. She is a parishioner at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Readington Township, where she served as a volunteer religious education instructor.

Drulis launched her campaign for the New Jersey General Assembly in 2023, seeking to represent the 16th Legislative District, which covers portions of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, and Somerset counties. She and incumbent Assemblyman Roy Freiman defeated Republicans Ross Traphagen and Grace Zhang in the November 2023 general election. She was sworn into office on January 9, 2024, becoming the first Democrat from Hunterdon County to be elected to the State Legislature in more than 40 years.

She was re-elected in November 2025 alongside Freiman, defeating Republicans Catherine Payne and Scott Sipos by more than 17,000 votes each—one of their largest margins yet.

Political Career

New Jersey General Assemblywoman, District 16 (2024–present); current term ends January 11, 2028; re-elected 2025

District Director, Office of Congressman Tom Malinowski (2019–2023)

Political Director, Tom Malinowski for Congress (2018)

Chief of Staff, Office of Assemblyman Joseph V. Egan (2002–2013)

Legislative Aide, Office of Assemblyman Bob Smith (2000–2002)

Key Policy Areas

Federal constituent services and municipal funding

Legislative staff operations and policy development

Community and school engagement

Small business advocacy

Notable Actions / Initiatives

First Democrat from Hunterdon County elected to New Jersey State Legislature in over 40 years (sworn in January 9, 2024)

Managed constituent services program assisting approximately 12,000 constituents in NJ-7 congressional district

Secured millions in federal funding for local municipal projects through congressional office

Led outreach program that secured key labor and grassroots endorsements for Tom Malinowski's 2018 congressional campaign, contributing to flipping NJ-7 from Republican to Democratic control

Re-elected in 2025 by margin exceeding 17,000 votes

Education

B.A., Political Science, Rutgers University

Associate's Program, Eagleton Institute of Politics, Rutgers University

Santana High School, Santee, California

Personal

Birth date: Not publicly available

Residence: Raritan Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey

Spouse: Michael K. Drulis

Children: One daughter

Profession: Small business owner; former legislative and congressional staffer

Community: Volunteer class mom, Copper Hill School; Vice President, RFIS PTO; parishioner, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, Readington Township