Just 27% of all those registered to vote in New Jersey cast ballots in the recently concluded general election, according to the NJ Division of Elections. 

That percentage is identical to the turnout in 2019, the last time the Legislature topped balloting. However, about 136,000 more people voted this year than in 2019, with a total of 1.76 million people. That represents an increase of 8.3%. The turnout percentage remains the same, though, because the number of registered voters also increased over the last four years, from about 6.06 million in 2019 to 6.46 million this year. 

Voter turnout is lowest in years when state Senate and Assembly seats are the highest seats on the ballot. Last year, when the House of Representative was atop the ticket, 41% of registrants cast ballots. That was just slightly higher than in 2021, when New Jerseyans reelected Phil Murphy governor and 40% of those registered went to the polls. Presidential elections always draw the largest turnout: In 2020, 72% of those registered voted, or 4.63 million people. 

Turnout also tends to differ by county, with some typically having higher rates than others. This year, Hunterdon County again had the highest turnout rate of 38%. Essex County, which usually has among the smallest rates in the state, had the lowest turnout of 17%, according to the report from the division of elections that was posted on Wednesday. 

The state has not released information about early voting yet. Before the polls opened on Election Day, about 545,000 people had voted in advance, most of them by mail-in ballot.