Early voting for New Jersey’s primary election began on June 3 and in-person voting will be held on Tuesday, June 10, one week later than originally scheduled. There are some important changes and a packed ballot that voters should be aware of before heading to the polls. Here’s what voters need to know to be ready to participate.
Election dates and what’s at stake
In New Jersey, all General Elections are held on the first Tuesday in November, while primary elections follow the same pattern in June. This year’s gubernatorial primary features 11 candidates — six Democrats and five Republicans — competing for their party’s nomination in the race for governor this fall.
According to nj.gov, 82,619 Atlantic County voters participated in 2021’s gubernatorial primary while 130,789 cast their ballots in the Nov. 5, 2024 Presidential Primary.
The difference between the primary and general elections
Maureen Bugdon, superintendent of elections and commissioner of registration, explained the difference between the two elections in a statement to Shore Local.
“Perhaps the easiest way to explain this is that Primary Elections are where the stakeholder parties (in N.J., the Democratic and Republican parties) determine their candidates for the November General Election,” she said.
Voting eligibility and party affiliation rules
Budgon said New Jersey uses a closed primary system, meaning that only registered Democrats and Republicans can vote in their respective primaries. However, unaffiliated voters are allowed to declare a party at the polls in order to participate.
Unaffiliated voters can register with either the Democratic or Republican Party while voting in person, either during early voting or on Election Day.
Once an unaffiliated voter casts a ballot in a party’s primary, they will become affiliated with that party. Voters who wish to change party affiliation later can do so by submitting a change of party affiliation form to their local municipal clerk or county election office.
Beyond the high-profile governor’s race, there are also contested local primaries and competitive races for New Jersey Assembly seats, which make up the lower house of the Legislature.
Voting options
There are three ways to vote in the June 10 primary:
1. Vote-by-mail: Voters can request and return a ballot by mail.
2. Early in-person voting: Available from June 3 to June 8, early voting will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.Tuesday through Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, at designated polling locations.
3. Election day in-person voting: On Tuesday, June 10, polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Important deadlines for mail-in ballots
Voters choosing to vote by mail should be mindful of the following:
• Mail ballots must be postmarked by June 10 and received by county election offices by the deadline.
• Voters may also deliver completed mail ballots to county election offices or official drop boxes by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
• Vote-by-mail ballots cannot be returned at polling places on Election Day.
Voters can track the status of their mail-in ballots online to ensure their vote has been received and counted.
Julia is a recent Rider University graduate, where she studied multiplatform journalism and social media strategies. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, trying new coffee shops, photography and the beach. She can be reached at juliatrainmedia@gmail.com or connect with her on Instagram @juliatrain
