New Jersey's special election primary gets underway on Thursday as voters in the 11th Congressional District begin casting their ballots in person or by mail for the seat vacated by newly-minted Governor Mikie Sherrill. The contest, seen as a bellwether for the Democratic Party's direction ahead of the midterms, is being closely watched as nearly a dozen Democrats and one Republican vie for the nomination.
Despite the relatively low-profile nature of the primary, with no Republican challenger capable of posing a serious threat to the incumbent Democrat, the competition remains fierce. A top tier of well-known candidates has emerged from the crowded Democratic field, including Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill, former Rep. Tom Malinowski, and former Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way.
Analilia Mejia, backed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' progressive wing, is generating buzz as the candidate who could consolidate left-wing support in the district. With many of her competitors expecting a narrow margin of victory, Mejia's team has launched a "power to the polls" campaign, deploying volunteer networks to mobilize supporters and encourage early voting.
To incentivize voters, candidates are hosting events and offering rewards for those who participate in democracy. For instance, the Gill camp plans to host "after parties" throughout the week, while Way is reminding voters of her experience implementing early in-person voting during Gov. Phil Murphy's tenure as governor.
However, winter weather has disrupted campaigning and could further interrupt voters' plans to head to the polls. With snowfall expected in the region over the coming weekend, candidates are focusing on leveraging the challenges posed by inclement weather to their advantage, with Zach Beecher, a former Army paratrooper and entrepreneur, noting that snowy conditions have allowed him to reach more people through phone banking.
As voters cast their ballots, they should be aware of the importance of meeting the postmarked deadlines for vote-by-mail ballots. Voting rights lawyer John Bartlett is emphasizing the need for early mail-in ballots to arrive by February 5 in order to count.
Ultimately, with over a dozen candidates vying for attention, it remains to be seen who will emerge victorious in this special election primary. One thing is certain, however – New Jersey's voters are set to exercise their right to shape the future of their congressional district.
Despite the relatively low-profile nature of the primary, with no Republican challenger capable of posing a serious threat to the incumbent Democrat, the competition remains fierce. A top tier of well-known candidates has emerged from the crowded Democratic field, including Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill, former Rep. Tom Malinowski, and former Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way.
Analilia Mejia, backed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders' progressive wing, is generating buzz as the candidate who could consolidate left-wing support in the district. With many of her competitors expecting a narrow margin of victory, Mejia's team has launched a "power to the polls" campaign, deploying volunteer networks to mobilize supporters and encourage early voting.
To incentivize voters, candidates are hosting events and offering rewards for those who participate in democracy. For instance, the Gill camp plans to host "after parties" throughout the week, while Way is reminding voters of her experience implementing early in-person voting during Gov. Phil Murphy's tenure as governor.
However, winter weather has disrupted campaigning and could further interrupt voters' plans to head to the polls. With snowfall expected in the region over the coming weekend, candidates are focusing on leveraging the challenges posed by inclement weather to their advantage, with Zach Beecher, a former Army paratrooper and entrepreneur, noting that snowy conditions have allowed him to reach more people through phone banking.
As voters cast their ballots, they should be aware of the importance of meeting the postmarked deadlines for vote-by-mail ballots. Voting rights lawyer John Bartlett is emphasizing the need for early mail-in ballots to arrive by February 5 in order to count.
Ultimately, with over a dozen candidates vying for attention, it remains to be seen who will emerge victorious in this special election primary. One thing is certain, however – New Jersey's voters are set to exercise their right to shape the future of their congressional district.
- Mark Twain 
... anyway, back to NJ's special election primary. I gotta say, it's pretty cool that they're making this a big deal, especially with Bernie Sanders' wing backing one of the candidates, Analilia Mejia 
. But at the same time, I mean, 11 candidates running? That's like, crazy town 
. And you know what's even crazier? The whole "power to the polls" thing... it sounds like a scene from some old-school sci-fi movie 
. But hey, if it gets people out to vote, that's all that matters, right? 
Just gotta hope they don't let the snow get in the way of the whole shebang 
...
This NJ primary's like a microcosm of what's happening nationwide - all these candidates throwing hats into the ring 
...it's crazy! I'm curious to see how Mejia does with that Sanders backing tho 
, could be big for left-wing voters in the district. Winter weather might actually help some campaigns tho 
, like Beecher's phone banking efforts 
. On the other hand, mail-in ballots gotta get there on time or else 
...can't stress this enough! Anyways, it's gonna be interesting to see who wins this thing and what it says about the party direction ahead of the midterms 
this weekend - I was looking forward to voting for my fave candidate, Brendan Gill 
. But at least he's trying to make the most of it by hosting those after parties 
! Ana Mejia's team is pretty cool too, they're getting people out to vote with their "power to the polls" campaign 
- don't wanna miss that deadline! And honestly, it feels kinda weird that there are so many candidates running, I'm still trying to figure out who's who 
.
anyway, i think it's dope that they're makin moves to get ppl out the vote & incentivizin' with events & rewards cuz let's be real, every vote matters 
who knows, maybe we'll get some surprises!
she's got bernie sanders' progressive wing on her side & that's some major cred 
plus, her team's all about mobilizing supporters & encouraging early voting - i love it 
I'm low-key excited about this NJ special election primary 
️
. All these strong candidates, it's hard to pick just one 
Essex Commissioner Brendan Gill, former Rep Tom Malinowski, and LT Gov Tahesha Way are giving me LIFE 
. Can't wait to see who takes the lead 
! Only thing that's got me worried is winter weather 
, hope everyone stays safe and gets to vote 
I'm low-key hoping Ana Mejia 
brings that progressive fire 
! The whole "power to the polls" vibe is so inspiring 
And seriously, can we talk about how awesome it is that John Bartlett is emphasizing vote-by-mail deadlines? 
It's all about making sure everyone's voice is heard 
! This special election primary is gonna be lit 
!