Voting at the Bridgewater Senior Citizens Center in Bridgewater, NJ on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. (Ed Murray for New Jersey Monitor)
Though nearly 2 million New Jerseyans had already cast a ballot by the time polls opened at 6 a.m., many more flocked to the polls Tuesday to have their say on the final day of voting in the 2024 general election.
At the Westfield Armory in Union County, Karolina Kierzkowski, 42, voted straight down the line for all Republicans on the ballot in the 7th Congressional District: Donald Trump for president, Curtis Bashaw for U.S. Senate and Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. for Congress.
“I’m in line with the values Trump and his party represent: safety for my family, a strong future for the U.S., and reviving the economy,” said Kierzkowski, a data statistician. “For me, safety is the most important issue of all.”
Kierzkowski, who immigrated to the United States from Poland, has some concerns about Trump’s stand on pulling back from NATO and his positive relationship with a Vladimir Putin-led Russia. Yet her belief about the link between immigration policy and safety decided her vote, she said.
“I went through a valid process, and it should be fair for all of us. The mass onboarding of immigrants into this country is not safe. There should be vetting of people’s values,” Kierzkowski said. “The rest of the Republican ticket also aligns more with my conservative, Christian values and what I want for my family.”
In Jersey City at Frank R. Conwell P.S. No. 3, Dan and Holly Feldman both voted for all Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris for president. Dan Feldman called Tuesday an “important election,” while Holly Feldman said they thought of their 10-month-old daughter when they chose their vote for the top of the ticket.
“We want to make sure that women are heard and respected,” she said.
Asked who she thinks will win the race for the White House, Holly Feldman said, “Feels like it could go any way.”
Voters in Burlington County faced long lines Tuesday as county officials unveiled new voting machines to some voters for the first time. Law librarian Eric Berg said he went with his wife to a Delran polling place at 6:15 a.m. and didn’t wrap up until 7:45. Usually it takes them no longer than 10 minutes to vote, he said.
The new machines — which Berg used for the first time to cast a ballot in June’s primaries — require multiple confirmations from the voter, who must then bring the printed paper ballot to a scanner to finalize. Berg said he thinks this slowed things down, though other Burlington County voters reported no delays in voting.
Berg said he thinks it might have been easier for the county to introduce new voting machines during a lower turnout election than a presidential race.
“I don’t know why this couldn’t have been done last year or waited until next year,” he said.
Everything from the economy to bodily autonomy drew voters to the polls at the municipal building in East Amwell, a rural township in the southeastern corner of Hunterdon County.
“I’m just glad this one’s over with. This is one of the most awful , disgusting political campaigns in history, in my opinion, because one of the candidates is truly despicable,” said Peter Elston, 73. “I think Trump belongs in jail. He doesn’t belong on a presidential ticket, and I just can’t understand how anyone could support him, considering he’s a criminal. I voted for Harris because Trump has to be stopped.”
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