NJ extends time period for early, in-person voting for primaries
By: Katie Sobko
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... There are even more opportunities to vote early in-person for primary elections after Governor Phil Murphy signed a new law Tuesday. [03/04/2025]
.....
The period for early in-person voting for non-presidential election years, including this year [2025] will now be six days instead of three and for presidential elections years will be six days instead of five.
..... This is still shorter than the nine days allowed for general elections.
..... More people took advantage of early in-person voting last fall [2024] than ever before. State records indicate that 1,172,842 people went to the polls, with lines in some places nearly every day.
..... Of the voters to sue the early option, 556,442 were Republican and 863,574 were Democrats. There were also more than 500,000 unaffiliated voters who cast their ballots. It was the first presidential election to be held since the early in-person option was put in place in 2021.
..... In 2023, just 124,197 voters sued the early in-person option.
..... Murphy said in a statement that he was "proud to sign legislation to make democracy more accessible here in New Jersey."
..... "Million of voters in New Jersey have taken advantage of in-person early voting since its establishment just four years ago," he said. "This bill will give votes ample time to go to the rolls to ensure their votes are heard by Election Day.
..... The new law comes as potential nominees continue to fight for an upper hand in this June's [2025] primary.
..... These are 11 mandates, six Democrats and five Republicans, vying to be their respective party's nominee for governor.
..... A new FDU poll released Wednesday [03/05/2025] showed that three candidates - Newark Mayor Ras Braaka, Representative Mikie Sherrill and Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop - had an edge in favor ability with the 572 Democrat respondents.
..... In terms of overall name recontamination 78% heard of Barak and 72% recognized former state Senate President Steve Sweeney. Only 56% had heard of Sherrill and former Montclair Mayor Seam Spiller.
..... when it comes to favor ability, 43% of Democratic respondents had a favorable view of Barake, 32% of Fulop and 31% of Sherrill, while the rest of the pack, including Representative Josh Gottheime , Sweeney and Spiller, all lagged, with favor ability rating in the 20s.
..... Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: soblo@northjersey.com