Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. in every town across the state. Voters will decide whether New Jersey should pursue legalized sports betting.
New Jersey voters are heading to the polls today to cast ballots that will decide who serves in the state Senate, state Assembly and scores of local and county governing bodies.
Voters in the Garden State will also have their say on whether New Jersey should pursue legalized sports betting.
Here's a look at what's at stake today. Check back tonight for live election results.
ELECTION DAY 2011
All 120 seats in the Democratic-dominated state Legislature are up for grabs today as both parties concentrate their fire in key legislative districts that can swing either way. On what is forecast to be a sunny day, voters will also cast ballots on a sports betting referendum and local races across the state.
THE BASICS
• When polls are open: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at every polling site across the Garden State
• Voter problems: State Attorney General Paula Dow said 200 deputy attorneys general will be in all 21 counties to handle court applications and give advice to elections officials. Voters who encounter problems should call 1-877-NJVOTER.
• Turnout: The last time the Legislature was at the top of the ticket, in 2007, just 32 percent of eligible voters showed up.
• Voter results: Follow news and results from The Star-Ledger and our affiliate newspapers at nj.com/elections
STATE LEGISLATURE
Democrats hold a 47-33 advantage in the Assembly and a 26-14 majority in the Senate. Here's where the hot races are (top two winners get seats in Assembly campaigns; * denotes incumbents):
DISTRICT 2 (part of Atlantic County)
• Senate: Jim Whelan (D)* vs. Vince Polistina (R)
• Assembly: John Amodeo* (R) & Chris Brown (R) vs. Alisa Cooper (D) & Damon Tyner (D)
• The skinny: In Senate, Democrat Whelan is fighting for a second term. Atlantic County is swing county; both sides spent big on nasty TV ads. Whelan is backed by South Jersey Democratic machine; Polistina used Gov. Chris Christie to help raise cash.
DISTRICT 7 (part of Burlington County)
• Senate: Diane Allen (R)* vs. Gail Cook (D)
• Assembly: Herb Conaway (D) * & Troy Singleton (D) vs. Christopher Halgas & (R) James Keenan (R)
• The skinny: Race to watch is in the Assembly after redistrcting brought more Republicans into district. Christie campaigned for Keenan, the Mount Laurel mayor.
Voters prepare to cast their ballots at the Battin Middle School in Elizabeth in this file photo from April 2011. In today's general election, polls are open throughout the state from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.DISTRICT 14 (parts of Middlesex and Mercer counties)
• Senate: Linda Greenstein (D)* vs. Richard Kanka (R)
• Assembly: Wayne DeAngelo (D)* & Dan Benson (D)* vs. Wayne Wittman (R) & Sheree McGowan (R). Steven Welzer (I) also running.
• The skinny: Democrats outnumber Republicans, but moderate Republicans held Senate seat since 1992 prior to Greenstein. She has union suport; Republican Kanka has name recognition.
DISTRICT 18 (part of Middlesex)
• Senate: Barbara Buono (D)* vs. Gloria Dittman (R)
• Assembly: Peter Barnes (D)* & Patrick Diegnan (D)* vs. Marcia Silva (R) and Joseph Sinagra (R)
• The skinny: A traditionally Democratic district, Middlesex County went for Christie two years ago and the Assembly races were too close for comfort for Democrats. Republicans spent big attacking Diegnan for holding several municipal attorney jobs over the years; Diegnan accused Silva — a former assistant Middlesex County prosecutor — of hypocrisy.
DISTRICT 27 (parts of Essex and Morris counties)
• Senate: Richard Codey* (D-Essex) vs. William Eames (R)
• Assembly: Mila Jasey* (D) & John McKeon* (D) vs. Nicole Hagner (R) & Lee Holtzman (R)
• The skinny: The district was redrawn this year to include six Morris County Republican towns that have about 40 percent of its voters. Codey, a lawmaker since 1974, is expected to prevail, but Republicans think they can pick off Jasey and/or McKeon.
DISTRICT 38 (parts of Bergen and Passaic counties)
• Senate: Robert Gordon* (D) vs. John Driscoll (R)
• Assembly: Connie Wagner* (D) & Tim Eustace (D) vs. Richard Goldberg (R) & Fernando Alonso (R). Vinko Grskovic (I) also running.
• The skinny: All but one of the district’s towns is in Bergen County, which trended Republican the last two years. Driscoll, the county freeholder chairman, has name recognition. Once considered safely Democratic, district lost Democratic stronghold towns such as Fort Lee under new map.
BALLOT ISSUES
Voters in Princeton Borough and Princeton Township will decide whether the two towns should merge into one.SPORTS BETTING: A statewide initiative asking voters to amend the Constitution to allow New Jersey to pursue legalized sports betting. It would only proceed if New Jersey wins a lawsuit against the federal government’s ban in all but four states. Backers say sports betting would reap big bucks that now go to other states and organized crime. Critics say there would be more gambling addicts by making it easier to place bets.
ONE PRINCETON? In Princeton Township and Princeton Borough, voters will decide whether they should merge into one Princeton. Supporters say it will save money; opponents, mostly in the borough, doubt that and worry they’d lose their political power.
LOCAL RACES
• Middlesex County mayors: There are races in 13 of 25 towns in Middlesex.
• Summit scrap: While GOP primary traditionally decides who becomes mayor, in this Union County town, a three-candidate contest is shaping up to be anyone’s game.
• Millville mayor: Councilwoman Susan Asher faces former mayor Angelo Corradino.
• Morris freeholders: After a tough primary, Morris County Republican Freeholder Margaret Nordstrom faces Democrat Truscha Quatrone. Democrats haven’t won since the Watergate aftermath.
• Essex freeholders: In staunchly Democratic Essex, Republicans are fighting to inch their way onto the freeholder board. Eight Democrat incumbents running in nine freeholder contests.
• Union freeholders: Republicans are outspent and outmatched, and have only two candidates though three seats are up for grabs.
• Somerset freeholders: Two Democrats say they may have a shot at ending nearly three decades of Republican rule after a surge of new Democratic voters from the 2008 presidential race.
Compiled by Star-Ledger staff writers Matt Friedman, Megan DeMarco, Ryan Hutchins and MaryAnn Spoto
LIVE ELECTION RESULTS WILL BE POSTED TONIGHT ON NJ.COM
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