Credit: (McIver campaign; NJ Spotlight News screengrab)Wednesday is another Election Day in 18 northeastern New Jersey municipalities, with the only seat on the ballot the temporary replacement for the late Rep. Donald Payne Jr. representing the 10th Congressional District.
Only those already registered can vote in this special election. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the usual polling sites in the district. Registered voters can find their polling location on the sample ballot they should have received or by using the state’s online polling locator.
Four candidates are on the ballot in this district that includes parts of Essex and Union counties and part of Jersey City in Hudson County. It has the largest percentage of registered Democrats — 54% — of any congressional district in the state and has been represented by Democrats for decades.
LaMonica McIver, city council president in Newark, beat 10 other Democrats to win the party’s special primary in July. Carmen Bucco was unopposed to win the Republican nomination. Two independents also filed: Russell A. Jenkins of Maplewood, whose slogan is “One for all …,” and Rayfield Morton of Orange, running under the banner “Creating real progress.”
Taking office when?
The winner will represent the district until the new Congress takes office Jan. 3, but it’s unclear when that person might take office.
The election results will not be certified before Oct. 8, with Oct. 14 as the deadline for certification, and the winner cannot take office until official certification by the Board of State Canvassers. The House is not scheduled to meet until Nov. 12 and it’s unclear whether the winner could be sworn in before then. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office did not respond to questions about when the new representative will take office.
A separate election for the term beginning Jan. 3 will take place on Nov. 5 as part of the general election. McIver and Bucco are the major-party standard-bearers in that election, as well, with four independents also running.
Turnout for a special election for one seat on a Wednesday in September is not likely to be high, especially given there is at least some confusion among voters about the reason for, and timing of, the election. People have been voting by mail for more than a month and the nine-day early, in-person voting period ended Sept. 16.
About 506,000 people are registered to vote in the district. Almost 29,000 voted in the special primary on July 16, roughly 6% of all registrants and 9% of registered Democrats and Republicans.
The district
The state’s last special election for a federal office was the statewide contest for a U.S. Senate seat following the death of Democrat Frank Lautenberg in 2013. About 25% of all registered voters turned out for an October election, less than a month prior to the general election.
Some 41% of registrants voted in the 2022 general election when House seats topped balloting.
Payne represented the 10th District from November 2012 until his death following a heart attack. He had succeeded his father, Donald Payne Sr., who also died in office.
The municipalities that make up the district are Caldwell, East Orange, Essex Fells, Irvington, Orange, Verona, West Orange and parts of Montclair and Newark in Essex County; part of Jersey City in Hudson County; and Cranford, Garwood, Hillside, Kenilworth, Roselle, Roselle Park, Union and part of Linden in Union County.
The state Division of Elections has a special page with information about the special election, including voting locations.
NJ Spotlight News’ voter guide has information about the district and the candidates, where available. This elections page also includes information about how to check voter registration, find polling places and more.
NJ Spotlight News plans to publish live election results after the polls close.
Although a second congressional seat is open, due to the Aug. 21 death of long-time 9th District Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., the timing of Pascrell’s death does not leave enough time for a special election to fill out his term. As a result, his seat will remain vacant until January. State Sen. Nellie Pou (D-Passaic) will replace Pascrell on the general election ballot, when voters will choose a new representative.
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