NJ primary election guide: Check your registration, key races to watch

The 2025 primary election in New Jersey is on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.

In the closed primaries, voters who have registered with the Democratic or Republican party will be able to participate in the electoral process. Though, voters will need to check their registration status and familiarize themselves with the issues.

When was the last day to register to vote in the New Jersey Primary?

Tuesday, May 20, 2025 was the last day to register to vote in the New Jersey primary elections.

Click here to check your registration status.

For information on how to register, visit the state's Division of Elections, here.

When's the 2025 New Jersey Primary?

Polls for the Tuesday, June 10, 2025 primary election in New Jersey will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Check your voter registration and find out where you can cast your vote.

New Jersey doesn't have open primaries, so you must be registered to the party which you would like to pick a candidate for. The closed primary means Democrats can't vote in Republican primaries and vice versa and independents can vote in primaries for either major party.

All voters, however can vote on ballot questions, constitutional amendments and any special elections that may be on the ballot.

Also, come the general election, to be held on Nov. 4, 2025, voters can vote for any candidate they want to support, regardless of party.

The last day to register to vote or switch parties is Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

Click here for details on getting registered to vote in New Jersey ahead of the November general election.

Why was the date of the primary elections moved?

In December of last year, Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation to move the date of the primaries from Tuesday, June 3, 2025 to Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in order to allow members of the Jewish faith to observe Shavuot, a two-day Jewish holiday (to be held from June 1 to 3, 2025).

How can voters participate in early in-person voting in New Jersey?

Voters in New Jersey are able to participate in early in-person voting.

The option allows registered voters to cast ballots in-person, using a voting machine, ahead of the primary elections.

Officials said that every county in New Jersey will designate in-person voting locations that will then be open on Tuesday, May 3, 2025 through Sunday, June 8, 2025.

These locations will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

For full details, click here.

Want to vote by mail in the primary election?

Anyone can vote-by-mail in New Jersey as long as they complete an application in order to do so.

You don't need to explain why you want a mail-in ballot, state election officials say.

After voters complete a vote-by-mail ballot, state officials said voters can return them in one of three ways, mail it back, place it in their home county’s secure ballot drop box location or voters can return it to their home county's Board of Elections office.

The deadlines to return ballots vary depending on how a voter plans to participate in the elections:

• Mail: It must be postmarked on or before 8 p.m. on Election Day and be received by the voter's home county’s Board of Elections on or before six days after Election Day.
• Secure Ballot Drop Box: Ballots must be places in voter's home county’s secure ballot drop boxes by 8 p.m. on Election Day. A list of secure ballot drop box locations can be found here.
• Board of Elections Office: Voters can also deliver ballots in person to their home county’s Board of Elections office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. For a list of county election offices and contact details for each, click here.

Who is on the ballot?

New Jersey voters will be asked to find a replacement for Gov. Phil Murphy, as he is term-limited and cannot run for re-election for governor.

The field of challengers for Murphy's seat is deep -- at least, five Republican candidates and six Democrats have thrown their hats in the ring.

The race is considered hotly-contested, but some candidates are signaling that they view Rep. Mikie Sherrill as the one to beat.

Still, Sherrill will need to best five other candidates in order to claim victory as her party's candidate in the general elections.

The Democratic candidates in the upcoming New Jersey primaries are:

• Mikie Sherrill, a Democratic congresswoman for the House of Representatives for New Jersey's 11th district, is a former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor who took office in 2019.
• Ras Baraka, the mayor of Newark, an educator and a poet. He was also formerly a high school principal before he joined the Newark Municipal Council ahead of being becoming mayor in 2014.
• Steve Fulop is another mayor running for governor. He's currently the mayor of Jersey City after taking office in 2013. Fulop is a former investment banker who joined the Marine Corps. following September 11, 2001, and served in Iraq.
• Josh Gottheimer is currently a congressman in the House of Representatives in New Jersey's 5th district. He's also a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania who previously worked as a speechwriter under the administration of former President Bill Clinton.
• Sean Spiller is the former mayor of Montclair, New Jersey. He is currently the president of the New Jersey Education Association, a labor union for educators throughout the state.
• Stephen Sweeney was previously a state senator representing New Jersey's 3rd district and was the president of the New Jersey Senate. He's a former iron worker who served as an elected official for over 20 years.

On the other side of the aisle, registered Republicans in New Jersey have five candidates to choose from.

• Justin Barbara is a contractor from Marlton, New Jersey. He has never previously held an elected office. He lost a bid for New Jersey's 3rd Congressional district last year while running as candidate for the Join the Revolution party.
• Jon Bramnick serves as a state senator in New Jersey's 21st district. He also previously served as the minority leader of the state's general assembly. He's a longtime lawyer who calls himself the "funniest lawyer in New Jersey" and has written a comedy book.
• Jack Ciattarelli is a former assemblyman for New Jersey's 16th district. He is also the owner of Galen Publishing, L.L.C., a medical publishing company and has previously served as a public accountant.
• Mario Kranjac is the former mayor of Englewood Cliffs. His campaign website describes Kranjac as an attorney and venture capitalist.
• Bill Spadea is a former morning radio personality and previously hosted the controversial "Chasing News" tv show that was produced in Trenton, New Jersey.

Along with voting for a new governor, voters in New Jersey will have the opportunity to vote for candidates across the 16 districts in the state's general assembly.

For a list of candidates in these districts, click here.