Tuesday is primary election day in NJ: What you need to know

Erik Larsen and Charles Daye, Asbury Park Press
·5 min read

Tuesday is primary election day in New Jersey with contested federal, county and municipal races across Monmouth and Ocean counties.

Here’s what you need to know:

Early voting began on Wednesday and continued through Sunday at 10 locations in Ocean and Monmouth each.

Voters can still vote by mail, but the deadline to apply for and obtain such a ballot is today and must be done in person at county election offices.

All local polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday. New Jersey has a closed primary, which means only those voters who are registered Democrats or Republicans may vote for candidates seeking the respective nominations of their parties.

New Jersey elections: Everything you need to know about June 4 primary

Later in the evening, the public can check vote counts on app.com.

A unique aspect of this year’s primary election is that a legal challenge — resulting from a dispute among Democrats in New Jersey — has resulted in a federal court order that affects only the Democratic ballot. In the past, candidates could run as part of a ticket for federal, state, county and local offices and would be grouped together under a single column. Now, for the first time, candidates will be organized by the office they are seeking.

This change does not affect the Republican ballot. GOP candidates still appear on the ballot organized by the ticket they are affiliated with, or if running alone under a column of their own.

From a national perspective, attention will largely be focused on the U.S. Senate and House races. Although President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are also on the ballot, both men have already won enough delegates in other states to become the presumptive nominees of their parties ahead of their national conventions this summer.

National consequences: In the New Jersey primary, more than the U.S. Senate is at stake. Watch these races

Related: Toms River mayor, councilman start shouting match over what to do with animal shelter

Locally, at the Shore, perhaps the most compelling primary battle in Monmouth and Ocean counties is among Toms River Republicans.

This is the first electoral test for Mayor Daniel Rodrick, who was elected last November with 70% of the vote, but has made a number of divisive moves in his first five months in office, leading to an exodus of municipal employees, an extraordinary public battle with the chief of police and boisterous Township Council meetings since January.

In the Republican primary, political newcomer William Byrne is Rodrick’s hand-picked candidate to fill his old council seat. The seat, representing Toms River’s Ward 2, includes parts of the Silverton section, Green Island, the age-restricted communities of Greenbriar Woodlands and Holiday City Silverton, and neighborhoods near the campus of Ocean County College.

Daniel Rodrick takes the oath of office as Toms River mayor from state Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-Union, while his wife, Diana, holds the Bible and his children, Daniel and Samantha, look on.
Daniel Rodrick takes the oath of office as Toms River mayor from state Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-Union, while his wife, Diana, holds the Bible and his children, Daniel and Samantha, look on.

Running against Byrne for the GOP nomination is former Councilman Kevin M. Geoghegan, a retired Toms River police sergeant, who often clashed with Rodrick when they both served together on the council.

Ocean County elections

Elsewhere in Ocean County, there are contested Republican primaries in Beachwood, Plumsted, Ship Bottom and South Toms River.

In Beachwood, John P. Farro Jr. and Dan Santos, the official GOP-endorsed candidates for Borough Council, are being challenged by Philip A. Schena and Todd Dexter, who are running as “Republicans for a Better Beachwood.”

In Plumsted, Mayor Dominick Cuozzo and Township Committeeman Michael Hammerstone have the official Republican line but are being challenged for their respective GOP nominations by James Hagelstein and Thomas Potter, who are running on the ticket “Republicans for Plumsted.” Under Plumsted’s form of municipal government, the mayor is appointed by their fellow committee members to serve for a one-year term.

In Ship Bottom, incumbent Republican Councilman Joseph Valyo and running mate Ken Yankowski have the official line but are being challenged in that borough by Mary Alice Basile over the slogan “Mary Basile is the Real Deal” and William J. Fenimore who has no slogan.

In South Toms River, incumbents Sam Fennell and Kayla Rolzhausen face a challenge for a place on the Republican ticket from Anna Polozzo, a member of the Toms River Regional Board of Education since 2019.

On the Democratic side, there is a contested primary for the party’s nominations for two open seats on the county Board of Commissioners this year.

Kenneth Seda and Karen Sugden, both of Manchester, who were both endorsed by the county’s official Democratic organization, are facing a challenge by former Lacey Board of Education member Regina C. Discenza and Joseph Lamb of Brick. No Democrat has been elected to the board since 1989.

Residents come out to cast their votes during Primary Election Day. The Toms River Township Senior Center serves as a polling place. Toms River, NJ Tuesday, June 6, 2023
Residents come out to cast their votes during Primary Election Day. The Toms River Township Senior Center serves as a polling place. Toms River, NJ Tuesday, June 6, 2023

Monmouth County elections

In Monmouth County, there are contested Republican primaries in Howell, Manalapan, Matawan, Rumson and Sea Bright; and a contested Democratic race in Neptune.

In Howell, Deputy Mayor Ian Nadel, Councilman Fred Gasior and Planning Board member John Leggio are competing for the Republican nomination for mayor. Mayor Theresa Berger, a Democrat, is not seeking reelection this year. Longtime Councilwoman Evelyn Malsbury O’Donnell is running for the one full-term on the Township Council. Nadel and O’Donnell are running on the official county Republican line.

In Manalapan, Republican Robert Gregowicz is challenging Committeeman Barry Jacobson for his seat on the Township Committee.

In Matawan, three Republicans are vying for two seats. Borough Councilman Charles Ross and Councilwoman Melanie S. Wang are running for re-election. However, Suzanne Reynolds is running on the official Republican ticket with Ross while Wang is running over the slogan “Matawan People for Change.”

In Neptune, four Democrats are running on the party’s new ballot for two seats on the Township Committee. Committeeman Kevin McMillan is running with Bryan Acciani, while Committeeman Derel Stroud is running with Jason Jones.

In Rumson, Borough Council incumbents John J. Conklin, III and Sarah H. Pomphrey are running off the official Republican line on a “Rumson First” ticket. Challengers Stephanie L. Hoitt and Peter S. Izzo have the official GOP line.

In Sea Bright, incumbent Councilman William J. Keeler is running with Jeffrey M. Booker for Borough Council on the official Republican line, while Councilman Erwin Bieber is seeking reelection alone as a “Sea Bright Republican.”

The winning candidates on Tuesday will advance to the general election on Nov. 5.

Contact Asbury Park Press reporters Erik Larsen and Charles Daye at elarsen@gannettnj.com and cdaye@gannettnj.com, respectively.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Primary Election Day 2024: New Jersey elections are June 4