One week until the Special Primary on Thursday, Feb. 5. Here to say a couple of things:
Y'all who love to vote in person? Take a look at this weather forecast. See what’s up on Primary Day? Early in-person voting is now open, PLEASE consider not waiting. And tell your friends! All the Early Voting locations and hours are in our Voter Guide.
Here’s another thing: We had the party line here for what, decades? So we’re not used to the crowded fields we’re seeing now. We have 11 candidates for our D nomination in CD11. There are seven Democrats running in the 7th. And now 15 or 16 in CD 12 (did they not get the memo about only having 12??)
We've said this a bunch, but it bears repeating. Be passionate about your candidate. Ideally, in a positive way. Talk about why you support them. But also, we recognize that negative campaigning is a fact of life in a highly competitive race. Debating the issues raised by the dozens (and dozens and dozens!) of fliers and ads and text swarming our way? Inevitable.
Conversations will be challenging. We ask that you be respectful of each other. You may not agree on which candidate to support, but we are all members of this community. We LOVE this community and the work we do.
On that note, we did something hopeful and wonderful together on Martin Luther King Day. We raised nearly $1200 for Delaney Hall gift cards, as well as two full vans of food, coats, and diapers for the Human Needs Pantry and Toni's Kitchen. We are a strong and powerful community with a huge heart. That’s important to remember in these difficult times.
Look at these precious cards we sent to Delaney Hall, drawn by two of our open house guests!
Even as we’re consumed with our special election here in the 11th, we’ve also been gripped by what’s happening in Minneapolis and across the country. Our state troubadour is paying attention, too. Have we listened to this song 20 times already?
Need suggestions for concrete action? We highly recommend watching this Eyes On ICE: Document and Record training from our friends at NO KINGS. It’s packed with excellent and practical advice and information.
Speaking of NO KINGS, save the date! The next mass mobilization event is on March 28. More information coming soon, watch this space!
In statewide news, we’ve entered our GOVERNOR MIKIE SHERRILL era.
And she was on the Daily Show this week talking about Minnesota, ICE in NJ, and what the state will do to protect everyone who lives here. Check out the segment on ICE, which starts at about the 5 minute mark. More about Sherrill’s plans here. Sean Higgins, a spokesperson for Sherrill, said the administration will release further details soon: “Keeping New Jerseyans safe is Governor Sherrill’s top priority and, in the coming days, she and Acting Attorney General Davenport will announce additional actions to protect New Jerseyans from federal overreach.”
One last word on crowded primaries and their inevitable aftermath:
Chances are a lot of us will be disappointed (and/or disillusioned and uninspired) when this rough-and-tumble NJ-11 special primary is done and dusted.
But hopefully, with a bit of luck and a bit of grace, each of us will find our own way to face forward. We’ll also remember the people who stand to lose a lot when elections go sour, and cast general-election votes not necessarily as cheerleaders, but as engaged and clear-eyed citizens making sure that our voices continue to be heard.
And we won’t let ourselves or our neighbors down.
Events…
The next, most critical, event is the Special Primary Election, taking place next Thursday, February 5, 2026!
Early voting started on January 29 and runs through Tuesday, February 3, 2026!
Save the Date:
Friday, February 27, 2026
5th Annual Social Justice Symposium, RE: Claim Truth
Hosted by Caldwell University
Timeline: 2026 NJ-11 Special Election
Primary Vote-By-Mail Ballots Mailed To Voters:
Dec. 22 [Already done; if you expected a ballot and it didn’t come, contact your County Clerk!]
In-Person Early Voting For Primary Election:
Jan. 29-Feb. 3
Filing Deadline For Primary Election (Independents):
Feb. 5 (Signatures needed: 250)
Primary Election Day:
Thursday, February 5
In-Person Early Voting For General Election:
April 6-April 14
General Election Day:
Thursday, April 16
