New Jersey Voters Have Eight Days to Request Mail Ballot for June 2 Primary
May 18, 2026 | NJBallot.com
URL: njballot.com/nj-june-2-primary-mail-ballot-guide-2026
TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey voters have just eight days to request a mail ballot for the June 2 primary election. Republican primaries will also appear on the ballot, but this guide focuses on the contested Democratic congressional races.
With early voting set to open May 26 and several competitive districts in play, here's what you need to know to cast your vote.
Critical Deadlines
The window is closing fast. According to the New Jersey Division of Elections, the following deadlines apply for the 2026 primary:
• For mail ballot requests sent by mail: May 26, 2026, eight days from today
• For mail ballot request delivered in person: June 1, 2026 by 3:00 p.m. The forms are available at your county clerk's office
• Election Day: June 2, 2026, polls open 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Mail ballots must be postmarked by 8:00 p.m. on June 2, and county election offices must receive ballots by June 8, 2026
• For military and overseas voters (UOCAVA), the return deadline is extended to June 13, 2026
Voter registration and party affiliation changes closed earlier this cycle. Registration ended May 12, and party switches had to be completed by April 8. Only registered Democrats and Republicans can vote in their respective primaries. Unaffiliated voters may declare a party at the polls on Election Day. County clerk websites have posted sample ballots; check your county's site to preview your specific ballot before voting.
How to Vote Early
Early voting runs May 26 through May 31, 2026, at designated county locations. No appointment is required.
Hours at early voting sites run Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Counties designate between 3 and 10 sites based on population. A complete, county-by-county list is available at Vote.NJ.Gov.
Most voters will need only to provide their name and address. First-time voters who registered by mail without providing identification must show ID. But note: if you applied for a mail ballot but decide to vote in person instead, you must either surrender your mail ballot at the polling place or vote provisionally. You cannot cast a regular ballot without resolving your mail ballot status first. If you requested a mail ballot but never received it, contact your county clerk's office immediately for a replacement.
Contested Races on Your Ballot
While many incumbents face no primary challenge, five congressional districts feature competitive Democratic primaries.
NJ-7: Where's Tom Kean, Jr.?
Republican incumbent Tom Kean Jr. is seeking re-election, but with the Congressman absent for more than two months, Democrats see a pickup opportunity. Four candidates are competing: Brian Varela, a Perth Amboy councilman focused on infrastructure; Rebecca Bennett, a business owner pitching fiscal responsibility; and two additional candidates, Michael Roth and Tina Shah. No clear Democratic frontrunner has emerged in the crowded field, per analysis from the NJ Globe. Kean has the incumbent advantage, but his continued absence puts that edge at risk.
NJ-8: Menendez Jr. vs. Ali
The most closely watched primary pits incumbent Robert Menendez Jr. against Jersey City Board of Education President Mussab Ali. Menendez, appointed to the seat in 2023 following his father's conviction on corruption charges, carries the endorsement of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee and Senator Cory Booker. Ali has secured backing from the Hudson County Progressive Alliance and the Working Families Party, running on education equity, affordable housing, and a "new generation" platform that has criticized establishment ties.
Federal Election Commission filings show Menendez raised $485,000 in the first quarter of 2026, while Ali brought in $320,000 with a significant share from small-dollar grassroots donors. The race has split the Hudson County Democratic Organization, with ward leaders divided between the two camps.
NJ-10: McIver Facing Electoral Rival, Federal Charges
Incumbent LaMonica McIver, a former Newark City Council member, faces Lawrence Poster, an Essex County attorney running on fiscal discipline. McIver holds the advantage in Newark-heavy precincts, while Poster has gained traction in suburban Essex County communities including Maplewood and South Orange.
McIver is facing federal assault charges for allegedly interfering with ICE agents during a May 2025 confrontation at Newark's Delaney Hall facility, an indictment she is appealing on legislative immunity grounds. Amid the ongoing prosecution, McIver announced in mid-May 2026 that she is 17 weeks pregnant with her second child. The charges and her pregnancy have reshaped a primary that was initially expected to be noncompetitive, though McIver remains the favorite in a district where Democrats outnumber Republicans more than seven to one.
NJ-11: Mejia’s Repeat
Incumbent Analilia Mejia, former director of the New Jersey Working Families Alliance, faces three Democratic challengers: John Cresitello, a Morris County Commissioner running as a moderate; Dr. Patricia Lewis, an educator focused on school funding; and Tanya Strickland, an activist campaigning on reparations. The fractured opposition likely benefits Mejia, who won a special election in April to fill Governor Mikie Sherrill’s former House seat.
NJ-12: The Open Seat
The widest-open race features 10 candidates vying to succeed retiring Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman. Leading contenders include Sue Altman, a former NJEA organizer running on education funding and labor rights; Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson; entrepreneur Kyle Little; and accountant and former Plainfield mayor Adrian Mapp. With such a crowded field, the winner may prevail by fewer than 5,000 votes, according to projections from the Rutgers Eagleton Institute of Politics.
Requesting and Returning Your Mail Ballot
Residents can request mail ballots online at Vote.NJ.Gov/Apply. The system requires a New Jersey driver's license or non-driver ID. Once submitted, track your ballot status at Vote.NJ.Gov/Track.
Return options include standard mail, secure drop boxes, and in-person delivery. Ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by 8:00 p.m. on June 2. Secure drop box are available 24/7 at designated county locations available online; ballots must be deposited by 8:00 p.m. on June 2. In-person returns at a county election office must also be delivered by that time.
Do not return mail ballots to your polling place, as they will not be accepted there.
What Happens Next
Approximately 2.4 million registered Democrats are eligible to vote in this primary, and roughly 180,000 mail ballots have already been requested as of May 15, according to the NJ Division of Elections. Turnout typically ranges between 18 and 22 percent in New Jersey primaries.
The winners of these Democratic primaries will advance to the November general election, where control of Congress may be decided. NJBallot will publish live results, county-level breakdowns, and post-election analysis beginning June 2. For complete election information, visit Vote.NJ.Gov.
Related Articles
• New Jersey Primary Election 2025: Key Changes, Candidates, and What Voters Should Know
• NJ-11 Special Election Preview: Mejia Enters as Heavy Favorite in Democratic Stronghold
• New Jersey Congressional Primaries Ramp Up Amid Battles over ICE, Progressive Politics
• Progressive Upset in NJ-11: Analilia Mejia Wins Democratic Special Primary
• The Invisible Representative: Kean's 52-Day Absence Tests NJ-7 Governance
Sources
• New Jersey Division of Elections, "2026 Primary Election Information" (2026).
• New Jersey Division of Elections, "2026 Primary Election Timeline" (2026).
• Federal Election Commission, "Q1 2026 Campaign Finance Filings" (2026).
• Ballotpedia, "New Jersey's 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th, and 12th Congressional District Elections, 2026" (2026).
• NJ Globe, "2026 Congressional Primary Analysis" (2026).
• Rutgers Eagleton Institute of Politics, "NJ-12 Race Projection" (2026).
• Hudson County Progressive Alliance, "Endorsement Announcements" (2026).
• New Jersey Working Families Alliance, "Platform and Endorsements," (2026).
• Center for Strategic Politics, "NJ-8 Democratic Primary Poll" (April 2026).
• NJ Spotlight News, "2026 Primary: 8th Congressional District" (May 2026).
• U.S. Department of Justice, "Congresswoman Charged for Forcibly Impeding and Interfering With Federal Officers," DOJ.gov (June 10, 2025).
• Saundra Allman, NJ.com "NJ Rep. LaMonica McIver's Legal Saga Overshadows Her Policy Record" (February 2026).
• Marsha A. Stoltz, NorthJersey.com, "NJ Rep. LaMonica McIver Announces Pregnancy Amid Federal Charges," (May 16, 2026).