Get Ready to Vote!
Governor Phil Murphy cannot run for a third term, and the field to replace him is wide open and crowded, as 11 candidates vie for their party’s nominations in the June 10 primary election. The ballot has also been reshaped in many counties with a move away from the old “party line” standard. And substantial numbers of inactive voters have been purged from the voter registration rolls.
That has left voters across the state with a number of questions on their minds, including some of the most basic: How can I vote? Where do I vote? Who’s on the ballot?
The Candidates
The six Democratic candidates are former state Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford), New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller, U.S, Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair), U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly), Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.
The five Republican candidates are radio host Bill Spadea, former Assemblyman and 2021 nominee Jack Ciattarelli (R-Somerville), state Sen. Jon Bramnick (R-Westfield), former Englewood Cliffs Mayor Mario Kranjac and contractor Justin Barbera.
Who can vote?
To register to vote in New Jersey, you must:
- A U.S. citizen
- At least 17 years old, though you cannot vote until you have turned 18
- A resident of the county for 30 days before the election
- A person not serving a sentence of incarceration as the result of a conviction of any indictable offense under the laws of this state, another state or of the United States
Where can you vote?
You can search for your polling place on the NJ Gov website by entering your street address and zip code.
What are the important dates to know?
- May 20: Deadline to register
- June 3: Early voting starts and goes through June 8
- June 9: Deadline for in-person mail-in ballot applications, by 3 p.m..
- June 10: Primary Election Day. Polls are open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m.
What if I want to vote but I’m not registered with a party?
You can walk into your polling station and request a Republican or Democratic ballot and then cast your vote. You will then be registered under that party affiliation.
Why will the ballots appear to be different this year?
The New Jersey voter ballots will look different due to a lawsuit brought by U.S Rep. Andy Kim during his successful campaign for the U.S. Senate. A federal court judge issued a preliminary injunction striking down the use of the “party line” that groups all candidates running together on the ballot rather than grouping them by the office they seek.
Where can I find more voter information?
You can find more voter information by visiting the NJ Voter Information Portal
