Live New Jersey Primary Election Results: Winners, Voter Turnout & Biggest Surprises

New Jersey primary election results: Sherrill, Ciattarelli secure gubernatorial nominations Voters across the Garden State cast ballots Tuesday in closely watched primaries that set the stage for November’s open-seat race for governor and a reshaped Legislature. With more than 93% of precincts reporting, here’s where the contests stand. Key takeaways • Rep. Mikie Sherrill clinched the Democratic nomination for governor, outpacing Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and four other contenders. • Former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli won the Republican primary, defeating conservative broadcaster Bill Spadea and three other candidates. • Turnout surpassed the 2021 primary by roughly 8%, buoyed by competitive top-of-ticket races. • Progressive candidates performed strongly in several urban Assembly districts, while establishment-backed slates held firm in the suburbs. • The general election on Nov. 4 will determine control of the governor’s office for the first time since term-limited Phil Murphy was elected in 2017. Democratic primary: Sherrill’s centrist coalition holds Unofficial tallies show Sherrill with 34.0% of the vote, a nearly 100,000-ballot margin over Baraka (20.4%). Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop finished third at 15.9%, followed by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (11.8%), Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller (10.7%) and former Senate President Steve Sweeney (7.2%). Sherrill dominated her home turf in Essex, Morris and Passaic counties, carried female suburban voters, and ran competitively in South Jersey despite Sweeney’s presence on the ballot. She enters the general election with a formidable $8 million war chest and endorsements from EMILY’s List and major labor unions. Republican primary: Ciattarelli gets a rematch Ciattarelli, the party’s 2021 nominee, secured 46% statewide to Spadea’s 38%, with Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick a distant third. Early results from Ocean and Monmouth counties—Spadea strongholds—kept the race tight, but Ciattarelli’s margins in Somerset, Morris and Bergen proved decisive. The former assemblyman cast the outcome as “a mandate to unite mainstream and MAGA Republicans alike,” previewing a general-election message focused on property taxes and parental rights in schools. Legislative highlights • Assembly District 11 (Monmouth): Progressive challengers Luanne Peterpaul and Ruben Sanaa upset establishment favorites, powered by reproductive-rights voters. • District 3 (Gloucester/Cumberland): Senate President Nicholas Scutari repelled a left-wing primary backed by the Working Families Party. • District 30 (Ocean/Monmouth): America First–aligned newcomer Dan Bean toppled incumbent GOP Assemblyman Sean Kean by 6 points. Turnout and voting method trends According to the Division of Elections, 27% of all ballots were cast by mail, continuing a pandemic-era shift toward early voting. In-person Election Day turnout still led in rural counties such as Sussex and Warren, while more than half of Essex County votes arrived through drop boxes or early-vote centers. What happens next County clerks must certify results by June 24; automatic recounts trigger if any race finishes within 0.5%. The Democratic and Republican conventions will meet in mid-July to formalize statewide tickets. Polling averages released prior to the primary showed a statistical tie between Sherrill and Ciattarelli; analysts expect national party committees to pour millions into the contest, seen as one of 2025’s marquee gubernatorial battles. Issues to watch in the general election 1. Affordability: Both nominees promise relief from the nation’s highest property taxes, but differ on school-funding formulas and tax credits. 2. Abortion: Sherrill backs codifying Roe in the state constitution; Ciattarelli supports New Jersey’s current statutory protections but opposes public funding. 3. Offshore wind and climate: The Murphy administration’s signature energy policy faces pushback along the Shore, giving Republicans an opening. 4. Public safety: Expect debate over the state’s post-cash-bail crime stats and the future of police accountability measures. County-by-county interactive map Readers can explore full, real-time results—including Assembly and Senate contests—through the interactive dashboard hosted by the Division of Elections. Bottom line Tuesday’s primaries delivered clear, early winners for both major parties and hinted at an energized electorate heading into November. With control of Drumthwacket and every Assembly seat on the line, New Jersey is poised to become 2025’s most expensive—and potentially most consequential—state race.