More than 300,000 VBMs returned with 12 days to go

New Jersey voters have returned 302,173 vote-by-mail ballots for the November 7 general election so far after 32.5% of all VBMs sent out by county clerks have been returned to election officials.

That puts statewide voter turnout twelve days before the election –and one day before early in-person voting begins – at 4.7%.

Almost two-thirds of all returned mail-in ballots (66%) are from Democrats and 21% from Republicans.  With all 40 legislative districts combined, Democrats have returned 133,753 more VBMs than the GOP. Democrats also requested 357,596 more ballots than Republicans.

In the most competitive legislative districts, Democrats have an advantage:

District 2: 33.4% of VBMs returned; 65% from Democrats and 23% from Republicans; Democratic margin: +2,894.

District 3: 45.1% of VBMs returned; 68% from Democrats and 20% from Republicans; Democratic margin: +5,428.

District 4: 40.4% of VBMs returned; 68% from Democrats and 21% from Republicans; Democratic margin: +7,179.

District 8: 38.9% of VBMs returned; 63% from Democrats and 27% from Republicans; Democratic margin: +3,225.

District 11: 40.4% of VBMs returned; 67% from Democrats and 23% from Republicans; Democratic margin: +4,254.

District 14: 40.2% of VBMs returned; 66% from Democrats and 19% from Republicans; Democratic margin: +6,432.

District 16: 34.3% of VBMs returned; 64% from Democrats and 21% from Republicans; Democratic margin: +5,235.

District 30: 31.9% of VBMs returned; 38% from Democrats and 42% from Republicans; Republican margin: +268.

District 38: 33.4% of VBMs returned; 67% from Democrats and 18% from Republicans; Democratic margin: +3,097.