NJ election: Governor’s race, school board issues drew voters to the polls Tuesday – NorthJersey.com

Whether inspired by what they called their civic duty or motivated by tense local politics within the confines of their small towns, voters across North Jersey headed to local polling locations Tuesday to have their voices heard.

Voters cast their ballots to decide the fate of various races across the state, including the heated gubernatorial race between Democratic incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy and his Republican challenger and former state Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli. It was the only race for governor this year other than in Virginia.

Murphy was seeking to be the first Democratic governor in the state to win re-election in over 40 years while Ciattarelli sought to continue the trend of one-term ousting.

Across New Jersey’s small towns, voters shared a similar sentiment — the lead-up to this year’s election was often nasty at the local level, and many condemned the tensions that arose surrounding certain issues.

Even before polls opened Tuesday, tens of thousands of voters cast their ballots early. This year marked the first time that New Jersey residents were able to vote early through in-person voting — which may have led to fewer people at the polls on Tuesday.

New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesha Way said that, as of Sunday, 495,336 people had voted with a mail-in ballot and 207,863 voted early at one of the state’s 139 early voting locations. The early voters were trending more Democratic than Republican, according to the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University.

Bergen County this election season was a hotbed for high-profile races, including a runoff between County Clerk John Hogan and his Republican challenger Bridget Anne Kelly, who played a central role in the Bridgegate scandal eight years ago, as well as between County Sheriff Anthony Cureton and his Republican challenger, indicted police chief Robert Kugler. In either race, a Republican unseating the sitting Democrat would be a major upset.

Voters on Tuesday also decided the fate of who will be the next state senator to fill the seat of longtime Democrat Loretta Weinberg. Many expected Democratic candidate Gordon Johnson, a former law enforcement officer who has served in the state Assembly for 19 years, would secure that seat.

Though many were drawn to the polls to decide who will be New Jersey’s next governor, voters in North Jersey were also energized by referendums and issues at the town level.

In Teaneck, a steady stream of residents took time out of their afternoons to vote at the Richard Rodda Community Center. Many called it their civic duty while some referred to it as a privilege to participate in democracy. The township had a contentious Board of Education election, as well as two municipal questions on the ballot, including one asking voters to approve a switch to a green energy supplier.

Resident Don Wassum said he voted because he was concerned about the clean energy referendum. “We’ve tried this before and it’s just too expensive,” he said. “There is a real problem in the world but the people creating should be able to do it for people to afford.”

Other voters, including Laverne Lightburn, wanted to come because of how “nasty” the school board election was. She said she would like to see a return of the civil behavior that used to be present in town. She also supported the One Town One Vote initiative, which sponsored the first municipal ballot question, regarding moving the township’s council election from May to November.

Ridgewood on Tuesday held its first November council election after decades of spring elections, and cars lined up for spots in the jammed library parking lot. Turnout was good, a poll worker said.

Resident Maureen Careri called this election a “crazy time” and thought critical race theory —an academic concept that looks at how racism has affected history — was being “pushed down our throats.” She said she votes a party line.

Critical race theory also brought at least some voters to the polls in Ramsey, where John Sciabicia said he was against “CRT” being taught in the schools.“I don’t want it taught here in Ramsey,” said Sciabicia, whose children attend Catholic schools.

Taxes were also on voters’ minds. In Ridgewood, Cynthia Fitzgerald, by contrast said, “I don’t see the value of the high taxes we pay,” and wanted a “more conservative fiscal approach” on the local school board.

Paramus resident Carolyn Fox said in-person voting on Election Day was a nice way to catch up with neighbors. Although Fox knew that early voting was available, she was so used to coming on Election Day that she decided to make the trip out on Tuesday afternoon.

In nearby Montclair in Essex County, education was high on voters’ minds.

Larry Doby Jr. said the “big issue” in town was the school board referendum. Doby, the son of the late baseball great Larry Doby, the first Black baseball player in the American League, attended Montclair public schools.

“They’re trying to change something that has been that way for a long time,” he said, referring to Montclair’s status as one of only 3% percent of school districts in the state with a board of education appointed by the mayor.  A question on the ballot asked Montclair voters to decide, for the sixth time since 1940, if school board members should be elected instead of appointed.

“It’s a tough call,” Doby said. “I just hope the kids don’t suffer.”

In some parts of the state, residents ran into some issues with voting. Residents of three areas in Sussex County were initially sent sample ballots with an incorrect polling place location, according to the county Board of Elections. In Hopatcong, at the firehouse polling location on Hopatchung Road, the venue was reportedly down to just one machine around 7 a.m. but was back up and running with two by 8:30 a.m., according to a post on Facebook. Some said there were lines early due to polling staff learning new software, which voters used for the first time to sign in this year.

Despite early voting this year, there was a steady stream of voters heading into Paramus High School on Tuesday afternoon hoping to cast their ballots.

In and around Morris County, voters began hitting the polls early. Just after the polls opened at 6 a.m., Billy Houston cast his ballot in Morris Plains, where dozens of people arrived before sunrise to vote in the tiny suburban community.

Houston, who is a 42-year-old project manager, husband and father of two elementary school children, said he voted for incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy, citing education and taxes as his top concerns. “I like the job the governor has been doing,” he said.

Others were not as happy with the governor, a reflection of the contentious weeks leading up to the election and controversy over Murphy’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brian Thorne, a 59-year-old engineer, cast his ballot for Ciattarelli. “I don’t like what’s happening in the state,” said Thorne, adding he felt Murphy was acting like a dictator and socialist. “Taxes are too high.”

There was an early computer glitch that caused delays at the polling location. A sign suggested masks were preferred, with about half of the voters donning masks in the first hour.

Margie Underhill, 64, was given a provisional ballot when poll workers could not find her registration for Election Day. She voted for Ciattarelli, citing taxes in New Jersey.

In nearby Dover, a diverse community in western Morris County, a slow trickle of voters headed to Dover High School in the morning hours. As voters walked to the polls, they passed candidates in tents.

Standing out in the cold, Board of Education candidate Daniella Mendez spoke with voters as they headed to cast their ballots. Mendez said her platform is about equity and inclusion, noting the LGBTQ+ community needs representation, especially local students. If elected, Mendez would be the first transgender woman in elective office in Morris County.

Some voters in Dover were turned off by the political mudslinging in this year’s elections.

Scott Miller, 58, a chief information officer who is a lifelong Dover resident, said he disliked the negative campaigning on both sides of the aisle this year. He planned to split his vote between parties, declining to reveal who he voted for.

Also in Dover, Gail Rodriguez, 70, said she voted for Ciattarelli because she thinks the state is headed in the wrong direction. “People of value are leaving” New Jersey, said the retiree. “Taxes are high.”

Election confusion began in Sussex County well before the polls even opened after residents of three areas in the county were sent sample ballots with an incorrect polling place location.

In a statement posted on the county Board of Elections’ website, the board said all residents of Andover Borough, and those in Frankford District 2 and Stanhope District 1, were affected by the error. They were later sent special notices with the correct information. Alerts were also posted online advising affected voters where to go.

The mix-up came a year after more than 1,600 previously uncounted ballots were discovered in a bin at the board office following the July primary election.

Meanwhile, at one of four polling locations in Hampton Township, with a population around 5,000, voter traffic was light, but steady.

Poll takers inside the Baleville Congregational Church said it was “smooth sailing” as just over 100 residents had stopped by as of 12:30 p.m. to make sure their votes counted.

For the first time in state history, there were options for early in-person voting this year — there were three polling locations in Sussex County — but not everyone took advantage of it, for various reasons.

Ronda Konik said it was a “timing” issue as to why she didn’t vote early, but also said she enjoys voting at her usual location each year, and called it a tradition.

Staff writers Katie Sobko, Lori Comstock, Stephanie Noda, Julia Martin, Krsitie Cattafi, Dave Zimmer, Jessie Gomez, Kyle Morel, Marsha Stoltz, Mary Chao, Melanie Anzidei, Liam Quinn, Nicholas Katzban, Linda Voorhis and Albina Sportelli contributed to this report.

Melanie Anzidei is a reporter for NorthJersey.com. To get unlimited access to the latest news, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: anzidei@northjersey.com

Twitter: @melanieanzidei