Over 20,000 votes have been case as of 4:45 p.m. on Election Day in Hudson County, according to Hudson County Board of Elections Clerk Michael Harper.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Harper said that is in addition to over 7,000 early votes cast during early voting and over 14,000 vote-by-mail ballots countywide.
The premiere matchup is the Hudson County-centric 8th congressional race between U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez and Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who have bludgeoned each other early and often in this Democratic primary.
A third candidate, Kyle Jasey, is also on the ballot but he is not expected to be anywhere near striking distance.
The district includes 13 municipalities overall, including Bayonne, East Newark, Guttenberg, Harrison, Hoboken, parts of Jersey City, a portion of Kearny, North Bergen, Union City, Weehawken, West New York, Elizabeth, and a section of Newark.
The only other Hudson County race being contested pits Kearny 3rd Ward Councilman Renata da Silva, who was appointed in December, against Kearny Democratic Committee Vice Chair Fred Esteves.
In other local contests, Hudson County Surrogate Tilo Rivas, a former Union City commissioner and Hudson County freeholder, is unopposed, while East Newark Council Chair Kenneth Graham and Councilwoman-at-Large Rose Evaristo also don’t have opponents.
The 9th District Congressional race (a district that includes Secaucus and parts of Kearny sees U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell against Prospect Park Mayor Mohammed Khairullah, while Republican Billy Prempeh is taking on Hector Castillo.
Pascrell defeated Prempeh by about eight points in 2022.
Additonally, the 10th congressional District features the late Donald Payne, Jr. uncontested after passing in April, with a special election next month with 11 Democratic candidates expected to determine his successor, though a special general election will then be held in September.
Furthermore, the U.S. Senate race features U.S. Rep. Andy Kim (D-3) is heavily favored against Dr. Patricia Campos-Medina and Larry Hamm for blue voters.
The Republican Senate primary is technically a four-way contest, but it is expected to be a competitive affair between Curtis Bashaw and Mendham Mayor Christine Serrano Glassner, the latter who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
Justin Murphy and Albert Harshaw are also on the ballot, but are expected to be long shot candidates at best.
The presidential race that will likely be a rematch between President Joe Biden (D) and Trump features no serious primary challengers, though Democrats have the option of voting “uncommitted” over Biden after a campaign was started opposing his stance in Gaza.
The polls are open until 8 p.m. this evening.
