TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — The state of New Jersey is concluding its voting process today to elect a new Legislature. All 120 seats are up for grabs, and Republicans are striving to gain control of either chamber for the first time in over 20 years.
The GOP is refraining from making definitive statements about recapturing control, considering they haven’t held either chamber since 2001. Nevertheless, their optimism grew after winning seven legislative seats in 2021, during which Governor secured reelection by a narrower margin than projected by polls.
The balance of power in the 80-member Assembly and the 40-seat Senate is at stake, with Democrats presently holding dominance in both chambers and the governorship.
While candidates in the contested races tackled individual issues, Democrats prioritized showcasing the property tax rebates they achieved over the past two years and promising to protect abortion rights.
As part of their campaign, Republicans highlighted their efforts to end the Democrats’ lengthy control and heavily criticized the state’s failure to acknowledge parental rights in schools. Specifically, the GOP opposed a lawsuit by the state Attorney General’s Office that aimed to prevent three school districts from informing parents about their child’s transgender identity.
An important topic dominating the election in key battleground districts was offshore wind farms, which Governor Murphy and the Democrats have actively supported and passed legislation for. However, the campaign took an unexpected turn when Danish wind company Orsted suddenly canceled its plans for two offshore projects. This action proved detrimental, particularly to Murphy and the Democrats.
Republicans viewed this as a victory for grassroots opposition to wind farms and as evidence of Democrats’ mishandling of a major part of their agenda.
Currently, Democrats have a 25-15 advantage in the Senate and a 46-34 lead in the Assembly.
New Jersey’s Legislature consists of 40 districts, each sending one senator and two Assembly members to Trenton. Typically, both parties field all three candidates together on a ticket. The 11th District is one of the races that received significant attention, as Democrats hold the Senate seat while the GOP occupies one of the two Assembly spots.
The voting process commenced in late September with the first mail-in ballots, and early in-person voting was also made available. Polls will close at 8 p.m. on Tuesday.
