Live Updates: Election Day In New Jersey – Patch.com

Last updated at 9:45 a.m.

It’s Election Day in New Jersey. Follow along with our live updates:

Despite running its election via the mail and asking people to drop off their ballots at drop boxes, New Jersey saw lines popping up at polling places in Newark and elsewhere on Tuesday. Images were captured on social and by News12 showing lines at polling stations, despite the fact that more than 3.5 million have already voted. Patch will be posting updates over the course of the day.

News12 reported that voters weren’t able to access a local church to vote a half-hour after polls had opened.

Lines were much smaller elsewhere:

Read more:

Polls opened at 6 a.m. and will close at 8 p.m. New Jersey has conducted a vote-by-mail operation, and a limited numbers of in-person polling places are available.

If you go to a polling location to vote on Election Day, you will be provided with a paper provisional ballot. If you have a disability that prevents you from voting on a paper ballot, you will be provided access to an accessible voting device. Also, a voter may drop off their vote by mail ballot at their polling place.

You can also still drop off your ballot in the mail or in a drop box. Whether you plan to vote by mail or in person, here’s everything you need to know about casting your ballot in New Jersey.

With the presidential race and marijuana legalization on the ballot, Gov. Phil Murphy Tweeted on Monday afternoon that it looked like voter turnout might be the “highest in state history.”

He said that 3.54 million New Jerseyans had already voted, which is 90 percent of the total turnout during the 2016 presidential race.

What and who are on the ballot?

  • Presidential race: Residents can either cast a write-in vote or choose, among the major parties, between Republican President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, or Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden and US Sen. Kamala Harris. Also running are: Don Blankenship/William Mohr (Constitution Party); Howie Hawkins/Angela Nicole Walker (Green); Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (Libertarian); Gloria La Riva/Sunil Freeman (Party for Socialism and Liberation); Roque De La Fuente/Darcy Richardson (The Alliance Party) and Bill Hammons/Eric Bodenstab (Unity Party).
  • US Congress: One US Senate seat will be contested: Incumbent Democrat Cory Booker will face Republican Rik Mehta. All 12 of the state’s congressional seats will be decided. New Jersey’s delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives is split between 10 Democrats and two Republicans heading into Election Day. See congressional races on your local ballot here.
  • Municipal and school board races: Most towns will be voting for representatives on your local governing body and school boards.
  • Marijuana legalization/Ballot questions: Voters will decide whether to legalize the possession and use of marijuana. Voters will also decide whether to makes peacetime veterans eligible to receive the veterans’ property tax deduction.

For full coverage of the 2020 election in New Jersey, go here: New Jersey Elections 2020

If you see anything at polling places or have a tip, please email Tom Davis as tom.davis@patch.com.