The Brian Lehrer Show NJ Elections Update: Obama and Trump Weigh In
Oct 30, 2025
Nikita Biryukov, a reporter for the New Jersey Monitor, dives into the intricacies of New Jersey's electoral landscape. He shares insights on early voting trends and how they compare to previous elections, highlighting party registration effects. Biryukov discusses the role of Republican and Democratic sentiments in voter enthusiasm and the significance of the DOJ's monitoring in Passaic County. Notably, he analyzes endorsements from Obama and Trump, their impact on gubernatorial dynamics, and the shifting voter demographics in the region.
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Early Voting Uses Differ By Party
- Early-voting patterns differ by party, with Democrats favoring mail and Republicans favoring in-person early voting.
- These medium preferences make raw early in-person counts a poor proxy for overall partisan turnout.
Early Vote Margin Signals Enthusiasm
- Comparing year-to-year early-vote partisan margins reveals enthusiasm shifts; Democrats led 55% more than Republicans in 2024 final early returns and 95% so far this year.
- That jump suggests stronger Democratic early enthusiasm relative to last cycle.
DOJ Monitors Sent To Passaic County
- The DOJ announced monitors for Passaic County without detailed public explanation of their remit.
- Republican county officials had requested monitors after a dispute over adding cameras to a mail-ballot storage room.