2026 Midterms State GuideNew Jersey
Hold on to your pork rolls and jughandles.
Polls are closed
Polls are closed in New Jersey, and results aren’t finalized yet.
Ballots are still being counted, close races can take days to call, and no result is official until it’s certified.
A prayer for New Jersey
Father, all eyes are on New Jersey. In the midst of that pressure, we ask that You would steady the hearts of its people with Your steadfast care. Protect voters’ judgment and anchor them in wisdom, seeking the righteousness of Your Kingdom and the flourishing of their communities.
Read the whole prayerUpdated
Hi! It’s me, Shadrach. Apparently, I’m your civic guide today. If you’ve been complaining about how things are going (and I’ve heard you... the walls are thin), this guide will help you feel informed and able to vote in this year’s midterms. Now, hold on to your pork rolls and jughandles, and let’s get into it.
New Jersey at a glance
New Jersey votes on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, for U.S. Senate and all 12 U.S. House seats.
- Election Day
- Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
- Voter registration
- Oct. 13: Voter registration deadline
- Early voting
- Oct. 24 to Nov.1: Early voting in person
- U.S. Senate
- 4 candidates
- U.S. House
- 12 seats
- Statewide ballot measures
- None
What happens next
The counting continues
Election-night numbers are unofficial. Mail, provisional, and military ballots are still being counted, so close races can take days to call.
- Nov. 9Mailed ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 must arrive by this date. Ballots without a postmark must arrive by Nov. 5.
Officials double-check the count
Local election officials review the ballots and the tallies (the canvass). A very close race can go to a recount.
New Jersey certifies the results
Results become official once New Jersey certifies them, usually a few weeks after Election Day.
Winners take office
The new Congress takes office in early January. Governors and other state officials take office on dates set by state law, most of them in January too.
Important dates
- Jun. 2Primaries This date has passed.
- Oct. 13Voter registration deadline This date has passed.
- Oct. 24 to Nov.1Early voting in person This date has passed.
- Oct. 27Last day to request a mail-in ballot by mail This date has passed.
- Oct. 30Last day for military and overseas voters to request a mail-in ballot electronically This date has passed.
- Nov. 2Last day to request a mail-in ballot in person (3 p.m.) This date has passed.
- Nov. 3Election Day. Drop off mail-in ballots by 8 p.m. This date has passed.
- Nov. 9Mailed ballots postmarked by Nov. 3 must arrive by this date. Ballots without a postmark must arrive by Nov. 5. This date has passed.
What’s at stake
New Jersey boasts a marquee House race this cycle, with NJ-7 among the most closely-watched races in the country. Incumbent Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R) drew outsized attention for being absent from Congress for four months to be treated for depression. He and his opponent Rebecca Bennett (D) are in a dead heat, making NJ-7 consequential for determining which party will walk out of November with the House. A 2026 Rutgers-Eagleton poll found that, for the 15th year in a row, taxes remain New Jerseyans’ top priority. 8 in 10 residents expressed dissatisfaction with how the state government handles taxes, and the same number are dissatisfied with the government’s handling of affordability and cost of living.
Who’s on your ballot
Tap a race to see the candidates.
- Get to know ’em
Justin MurphyRepublican - Get to know ’emVeronica FernandezEnd the Corruption! Party
- Get to know ’em
Joanne KunianskySocialist Workers Party
All U.S. House of Representatives seats are up for election every two years. Find your district here.
- Shadrach’s big picture
New Jersey will elect twelve candidates to represent The Garden State in the U.S. House. Democrats are expected to hold nine of those seats, Republicans are expected to hold two, and one could go either way.
- Open seats
One. NJ-12’s incumbent Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D) retired.
- Competitive districts
NJ-7 (covering Central and North Jersey suburbs and exurbs) is considered one of the most competitive races in the country; NJ-9 ranges from competitive to likely Democratic depending on the forecaster. NJ-2 and NJ-4 are considered solidly Republican, and the other districts solidly Democrat. NJ-8 was guaranteed to Democrats as no Republicans filed to run.
Also on the ballot
Other races New Jersey voters will decide.
- School boards
- Municipal government
Whose job is it?
Ten things government does. Tap the office that does each one.
Whose job is it to…
1 of 10
Declare a state of emergency after a hurricane or flood?
Pass it on
Know someone voting in New Jersey?
Send them the guide. It takes one tap, and it saves them an evening of arguing in a group chat.
From the newsroom
How TPO has covered New Jersey this cycle. Tap one to read it here.
A prayer for New Jersey
Father, all eyes are on New Jersey. In the midst of that pressure, we ask that You would steady the hearts of its people with Your steadfast care. Protect voters’ judgment and anchor them in wisdom, seeking the righteousness of Your Kingdom and the flourishing of their communities.
Keep Garden State candidates from performance, posturing, and contempt. Instead, help them campaign with transparency and integrity. May whoever wins steward the weight of this office well, leading with dignity and discernment.
For the New Jerseyans who will be disappointed by the result, comfort them in their grief and make Yourself known to them in their fear of tomorrow. Open doors for conversations about the good news that Your sovereignty is not suspended on election night, and Your good purposes aren’t undone by any election cycle.
And for those who will be pleased, turn their hearts toward love of neighbor, humble service, and gracious speech.
Amen.