Norman Rockwell, Election Day, 1944. (Photo: Cedar Rapids Museum of Art).

Good morning, New Jersey.

It’s Election Day in Oakland, Montclair, and eleven other New Jersey municipalities.

In Oakland, voters will return to the polls again to fill one seat on the borough council after the November general election ended in a tie. Republican incumbent Kevin Slasinski will face independent Matthew Dumpert.

Roughly 675 vote-by-mail ballots have been returned in Oakland, while another 700 ballots mailed by election officials remain outstanding.

Superior Court Judge Kelly Conlon ordered the March 10 election after an exhaustive series of legal challenges that ended in a trial in January.

Conlon rejected a ballot cast by a 30-year-old woman who lives in Chicago with her husband but votes out of her parents’ home in Oakland.

At a trial, the woman declined to testify – she had indicated an intention to exercise her Fifth Amendment privilege – and Conlon instead heard testimony from the woman’s parents as to their daughter’s political leanings.  Conlon used that testimony to determine who the woman voted for and dropped the vote, bringing the race to a tie.  Conlon, who didn’t speak to the voter, never determined if the woman was one of the 309 VBM voters in Oakland who didn’t vote in the council election.

Conlon also relied on expert testimony by Republican John McCann, who lost his bid for re-election to Dumpert’s running mate and is now a municipal court judge in Cresskill.  McCann says Democrats tend to run as independents in Oakland “to increase their chances of being elected.”

Last year, it took Conlon ten days to hold a hearing to get a recount of the tied election, and then more than a week to actually recount the ballots.  Conlon ordered a brief to outline reasons why an error in the count might have been made, an event that doesn’t really matter since the result was a tie.

In November, independent William Eilert ousted GOP incumbent John J. McCann by 77 votes, but Slasinski and Dumpert each received 2,516.

The polls are open in Oakland from 6 AM to 8 PM.  Eleven secure ballot drop box locations will be available in Bergen County.  Click HERE for a full list.   The estimated cost of the special election is $50,000 to $70,000.

Montclair Special School Referendum

Voters in twelve New Jersey municipalities will have the chance to vote in a special school board election today.

The high-profile contest is in Montclair, where the local Board of Education must get voter approval to raise an additional $12.6 million from taxes over the last school budget to cover a significant budget deficit.  If the referendum fails, it could force Gov. Mikie Sherrill to seek a state takeover of her hometown school system.  During last year’s gubernatorial campaign, Sherrill said she might appoint a state monitor.

A second question would raise an additional $5 million from taxes, which would be a personal increase to the district’s tax levy.  The first question must pass for the second one to be approved.

Essex County election officials have issued 6,648 vote-by-mail ballots; 2,724 were returned as of yesterday afternoon.  For Montclair, this is the second special election of the year, following a February 5 special primary for Sherrill’s now-vacant 11th district House seat.

The polls in Montclair will be open from 3 to 8 PM.  With polls open for 13 or 14 hours everywhere else in the state, Montclair’s five-hour voting window is the shortest in New Jersey – by far.

On December 2, 2025, Superior Court Judge Robert Gardner abruptly cancelled Montclair’s December 9 special school referendum after a resident, Carl Kraus, alleged that the wording of the ballot question was confusing.  Over 1,750 votes had already been cast; those votes have been discarded.

Special School Elections

School elections will also be held in Berkeley Heights, Bernardsville, Far Hills, Ho-Ho-Kus, Mahwah, Neptune City, Netcong, Norwood, Peapack-Gladstone, Robbinsville, and Seaside Heights.

Proposals are as follows:

Berkeley Heights: Seeking $21,227,001 for security, technology, site, and building upgrades across district schools. Estimated state aid: $8,298,800.  (Question 2): Seeking $29,125,969 for HVAC replacements, roofing work, electrical upgrades, and classroom renovations across district schools (contingent on approval of Question 1). Estimated state aid: $11,566,387.   Polls are open from 6 AM to 8 PM.

Ho-Ho-Kus: Seeking $3,100,000 in additional taxes to maintain current district programs, services, and staff for the 2026-2027 school year. The effect would be a permanent increase to the school tax levy.  Polls are open from 7 AM to 8 PM.

Mahwah: Seeking $73,756,733 for major renovations across six schools (roofing, HVAC, boilers, windows, fire alarms, exterior repairs, and classroom reconfiguration). Estimated state aid: $29,502,693.  Polls are open from 6 AM to 8 PM.

Neptune City: Seeking $8,446,700 for roof replacement, HVAC and electrical upgrades, boiler replacements, and restroom renovations at Woodrow Wilson School. Estimated state aid: $3,378,680.  Polls are open from 6 AM to 8 PM.

Netcong: Seeking $9,029,717 for renovations and an addition at Netcong Elementary School. Estimated state aid: $2,269,732.   Polls are open from 6 AM to 8 PM.

Norwood: Seeking $6,107,478 for renovations and construction of an addition at Norwood Public School. Estimated state aid: $1,846,010.  Polls are open from 6 AM to 8 PM.

Robbinsville: Seeking $5,031,476 in additional local school funding to maintain class sizes, prevent the loss of up to 22 teachers and staff, and preserve academic programs, athletics, clubs, and electives.  The effect would be a permanent increase to the school tax levy.   Polls are open from 6 AM to 8 PM.

Seaside Heights: Seeking $4,445,415 for system upgrades and renovations at Hugh J. Boyd Jr. Elementary School. Estimated state aid: $1,778,166.   Polls are open from 6 AM to 8 PM.

Somerset Hills Regional (Bernardsville, Fair Hills, and Peapack-Gladstone): Seeking $38,024,257 for improvements and renovations at Bernards High School, Bernardsville Middle School, and Bedwell Elementary School. Estimated state aid: $13,346,881.   Polls are open from 6 AM to 8 PM.

The state funds at least 40% of eligible school construction costs through annual debt service aid under the Educational Facilities and Construction and Financing Act of 2000.

How to vote in N.J. – and how to fight disenfranchisement

Here are some common questions about voting in New Jersey.  Remember, sometimes you must advocate for yourself to avoid being disenfranchised.  Don’t go down without a fight.

What time are the polls open today?

In today’s election, polling locations’ hours of operation fluctuate, but every place is open until 8 PM.

Do I have to be declared as a member of a political party?

Not today.  Just a registered voter.

What happens if I get to my polling place before 8 PM and there is a line?

As long as you arrive before 8 PM, you will be permitted to vote.  Polling places must remain open until every voter who arrives on time has the opportunity to vote – so please don’t leave.

How do I find my polling location?

It will be on your sample ballot.  If you can’t find it, you can use the Division of Elections website to find out.  Click HERE.

Is there a way to check my voter registration?

Yes.  Click HERE.  Believe it or not, not everyone in New Jersey realizes the voter registration deadline for today’s election was on October 15.

Should I put my ballot in the mailbox?

No! No! Don’t even think about it!  If you use the U.S. Postal Service this late, your vote may not count; the U.S. Postmaster General has said he couldn’t assure the delivery of ballots mailed less than a week before Election Day.  Click HERE to learn about the new USPS rules.  Use only Secure Ballot Drop Box locations in the county you live in.

How do I find a Secure Ballot Drop Box?

Click HERE for a list.

If I have already voted by mail, how can I confirm that my ballot has been received?

Click HERE to sign up for a Track Your Ballot account.  It’s free and private.

What should I do if my ballot hasn’t arrived?

Voters need to take responsibility for their own vote.  Contact a county election official.  You will have the option of going to the county election office and getting a replacement VBM ballot.  Or go to your regular polling place and ask for a provisional ballot.

How do I contact county election officials?

Click HERE for a list.

Will provisional ballots be counted?
Absolutely.  A legitimate provisional ballot is the same as a machine vote.  You have a right to cast a provisional ballot if you believe you are entitled to vote, but your name does not appear on the electronic poll book list of registered voters.   You may also vote with a provisional ballot if you moved within your original county and not registered at your new address or moved to a new county within 30 days of Election Day – but you may not vote if you moved from another county or another state 31 days before.  Remember that the number one cause of provisional ballots is a vote-by-mail ballot already sent to you.  Don’t worry if you can’t locate it; you may use a provisional ballot.  Just don’t vote twice.

If my provisional ballot is rejected, how will I know?

Election officials are required to send you a notification letter, but that won’t be sent out until the results are certified.  In an abundance of caution, call your county Board of Elections and find out if your ballot was counted.

What’s the Hail Mary move if I get turned away from the polls?

Voters should not readily accept being turned away.  Ask to speak to the person in charge, known as the Super Poll Worker, the individual who is most fluent in ways that can help you vote.

Here are two things to know:

You have a right to ask for and cast a provisional ballot.
If you are not allowed to vote or feel incorrectly pushed to vote on a provisional ballot when you’re entitled to vote on the machine, you can present your case to a Superior Court Judge to determine your eligibility to vote.  Judges will be on call for each of the all day; hearings are done remotely, and you can attend a hearing via Zoom from your phone at a polling location. There is no requirement to appear in person.

Who can help me?

If you intend to appear before an election judge, call the ACLU Voter Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) or contact your county election officials.  Click HERE for a list.

Will I need to show ID?

If you are a first-time voter and registered by mail, you will be asked to show identification at the polls.  If you don’t bring an acceptable form of ID, you may vote by provisional ballot and then get your ID to your county election office within 48 hours to have your vote counted.

May I request a disability accommodation?
Yes.  If you have a disability, a friend or family member can help you, as long as it’s not Craig Callaway.  A poll worker must offer a reasonable accommodation.  If they don’t, you may file a complaint with the Division of Civil Rights, either online or by calling the NJBIAS Hotline at 1-833-NJDCR4U (1-833-653-2748).

What if I changed my name?
If you have changed your name since registering to vote, you have the right to vote under your original name.

What if someone threatens me?

As a New Jersey voter, you have a right to vote without intimidation, threats, coercion, or interference.  Anyone who believes their vote has been interfered with or seeks to report voting-related issues can call the New Jersey Voter Information and Assistance line at 877-NJVOTER.  You may also contact the American Civil Liberties Union hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE.  Click HERE to read the Attorney General’s guidance on the role of law enforcement in election activities.

How do I know my vote was counted?

If you’re uncertain if your vote was counted, ask a poll worker for help. If a voting machine malfunctions, ask for a paper ballot.  That counts the same.

Can people from campaigns approach me at the polls?

It’s illegal to solicit or electioneer voters within a “protective zone” as voters enter or exit a polling location.  The “protective zone” extends 100 feet from the outside entrance of any polling site.  Report any attempts to interfere with voters within this zone to local law enforcement.

Am I allowed to wear campaign gear to the polls?

No.  New Jersey has a law that prohibits anyone from wearing anything that advocates for a candidate, slogan, or issue.

May I bring my kids into the voting booth with me?

Yes.

Is voting safe and secure in New Jersey?

Yes, very much so.