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Early voting begins in New Jersey's primary election. How to get a sample ballot, find your voting location

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Joe Brandt
Digital Content Producer, CBS Philadelphia
Joe Brandt has been a digital content producer for CBS News Philadelphia since 2022. He is a Temple University graduate and was born and raised in Pitman, NJ.
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The march to November's general election continues as New Jersey voters head to the polls for the 2026 primary election.

The six-day early voting period in the race gets underway Tuesday, as registered voters select which candidates they want to advance to the general election in November.

If you're interested in voting in the New Jersey primary, read on for helpful links to locate your polling place, check a sample ballot and learn more about the biggest race in the state.

When are polling locations open for early voting in New Jersey?

If you want to cast your ballot in person, New Jersey's early voting period lasts from Tuesday, May 26 to Sunday, May 31.

Voting locations will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Saturday, May 30.

Polling places are open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, the 31st.

You can find a list of early voting locations in your county at this page on NJ.gov.

When is the 2026 New Jersey primary election?

New Jersey's Primary Election Day in 2026 is set for Tuesday, June 2.

Can I vote by mail-in ballot?

You can apply for a mail-in ballot in New Jersey up to seven days prior to the election, making May 26 the last day to do so. Overseas civilian and military voters have until May 29.

You can also apply for a mail-in ballot in person with your county clerk by 3 p.m. on June 1.

Once you apply, you won't be able to vote at your polling place.

To return your mail-in ballot, make sure it's postmarked by Election Day and received by your county's Board of Elections on or before the sixth day after polls close.

You can also place your completed mail-in ballot in a drop box in your county, or deliver it in person to the county elections office before 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Who are we voting for in the New Jersey primary election?

Your ballot will vary depending on where you live, but will include the Senate, House of Representatives, County Commissioners, borough or township council and your party's county committee.  

The major race on the ballot in the New Jersey primary is for the U.S. Senate seat held by Democratic incumbent Cory Booker.

Booker, who has held the seat since 2013, is running unopposed in the Democratic primary and is likely to advance to the general election in November.

There are four Republicans vying for the chance to unseat Booker in November's general election: 

  • Former Tabernacle deputy mayor Justin Murphy
  • Robert Lebovics, an otolaryngologist and ENT surgeon
  • New Jersey State Police trooper Richard Tabor
  • Former News 12 reporter Alex Zdan

New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District primary election

In New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District, the southernmost in the state, Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew is running unopposed in his party's primary.

Four Democrats are running for the chance to take on Van Drew this November:

  • Civil rights attorney and former detective Tim Alexander, who won in the 2022 primary
  • Cape May Mayor Zack Mullock
  • Former retail manager Terri Reese
  • Former USAID worker Bayly Winder

Democrats have struggled to unseat Van Drew since he switched to the Republican Party out of opposition to the 2018 impeachment inquiry into President Trump.

He faced his most viable challenge in 2020, when he defeated mental health advocate and former middle school teacher Amy Kennedy by about 20,000 votes.

Can I vote if I'm an independent or "unaffiliated"?

New Jersey is a closed primary state, meaning only registered voters of the Democratic Party or Republican Party can vote.

If you want to vote in this election, you will need to be registered as a member of the party that you want to vote for. If you are switching parties, you need to switch 55 days before the primary, so it's too late to do so for the 2026 primary.

However, if you're not registered to a party, you can show up at your polling place during the early voting period or on Election Day and declare a choice.

New Jersey no longer has an "independent" designation — if you're not a Democrat, Republican or registered third-party voter, you are an unaffiliated voter.   

New Jersey sample ballots by county

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