An early look at VBM return rates in some N.J. towns with local elections next week

Voters in some North Jersey municipalities with hotly contested non-partisan local races on Tuesday are slow to return vote-by-mail ballots, but the total numbers in some places are surprisingly good, considering the traditionally low voter turnout in May elections.

In Bayonne, where two-term Mayor Jimmy Davis faces City Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski and Dr. Mitchell Brown, 33% of VBM ballots have been returned as of Friday morning.

But in Paterson, just 13% of mail-in ballots have been returned despite a fierce race for mayor between incumbent Andre Sayegh and four challengers: Michael Jackson, Alex Mendez and Luis Velez, all sitting city councilmen; and former councilman Aslon Goow.

Four years ago, Michael Melham ousted a three-term incumbent mayor in Belleville after mounting an unprecedented grass roots vote-by-mail effort.  So far, 40% of voters who received VBM ballots have returned them.

Predictably, Union City voters are also at the top of the list, with 39% of VBM ballots already returned, even though Mayor Brian P. Stack is unopposed for re-election.

In Newark, 23% of vote-by-mail ballots have been returned so far.  While Mayor Ras Baraka is the heavy favorite to win a third term, there are competitive races for four ward city council seats.

All four wards are returning mail-in ballots at around the same rate: Central Ward (25%); East Ward (24%); South Ward (22%); and West Ward (21%).  In the North Ward, where incumbent Anibal Ramos is unopposed, the VBM return rate is 22%.

Voters in Irvington have returned 30% of their vote-by-mail ballots as of Friday morning.  Mayor Tony Vauss is the strong favorite to win re-election there.

Orange, where there are contested city council races, 30% of VBMs have also been returned.

Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner and his slate are also unopposed, and 21% of mail-in ballots have been marked as received by election officials.

In non-partisan municipal elections, local governing bodies must proactively opt in to in-person early voting.  Paterson and Hudson County decided to allow early voting, but the four Essex towns — Belleville, Irvington, Newark and Orange – decided not to.