New Jersey Voters Hold Special Election to Replace Late Congressman

Voters in New Jersey will soon be heading to the ballots for a special election to replace a late congressman.

On Wednesday, New Jersey residents will vote in the special election to fill a seat left open by longtime Representative Donald Payne Jr., who died earlier this year.

Voters will decide between Democratic Newark City Council President LaMonica McIver and Republican Carmen Bucco in the 10th Congressional District, a heavily Democratic and majority-Black area.

Democratic Governor Phil Murphy called for the special election after Payne’s death in April. The congressman had represented the district for over two decades.

The winner of the special election will serve in Payne’s seat until the end of his term on January 3, 2025. Following the special election, New Jersey residents will also vote in the regular election process to decide who will fill the seat after the end of the term in 2025. Both McIver and Bucco, as well as some other third-party candidates, will also be on the ballot in the regular election.

McIver emerged as the Democrats’ nominee after winning a crowded special primary earlier this summer, defeating 10 other candidates. She secured key endorsements from Payne’s family, party leaders, and Democratic Senator Cory Booker. McIver has served on Newark’s city council since 2018 and previously worked as a personnel director for Montclair Public Schools.

Some of McIver’s top priorities include abortion rights, affordability, infrastructure and “protecting our Democracy.”

“In my short period of time campaigning, I spent a lot of time talking with different residents about their ability to afford to live,” McIver told the Associated Press.

Bucco, a small-business owner, highlights his upbringing in the foster system on his campaign website. His platform includes support for law enforcement and a commitment to ending corruption.

It’s been a turbulent year for Democrats in New Jersey despite the party’s dominance in both state government and the congressional delegation.

Key events this year include the federal bribery conviction of U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, who has denied the charges, and the end of the “county party line” system, which allowed local political leaders to give their preferred candidates prime spots on the primary ballot.

Democratic Representative Andy Kim, running for the Senate seat formerly held by Menendez, joined other Democrats in filing a federal lawsuit challenging the party-line ballot system. The move is part of Kim’s campaign to replace Menendez, who resigned following his conviction.

This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.