The filing deadline to get on the ballot in the June 8 New Jersey primary is one week from today, with Gov. Phil Murphy still unopposed for the Democratic nomination and Jack Ciattarelli still the presumptive Republican nominee for governor, but no gubernatorial candidates have filed petitions.
The deadline is 4 PM on Monday, April 5. Candidates for governor need 1,000 valid signatures
It’s not unusual for candidates to wait until the final week – or the last day — to file nominating petitions. Easter Sunday largely takes one day out of the final weekend of signature gathering.
Under an executive order signed by Murphy to lessen the spread of COVID-19, petitions may be filed online or in-person. Candidates for governor or the legislature must file with the Division of Elections in Trenton. Petitions and filing instructions may be found on their website and may be signed electronically.
The Division of Elections has evening appointments available tonight and tomorrow night. On April 5, in-person petition filings will be at the New Jersey Museum auditorium at 205 West State Street.
County candidates must file with their county clerk, and municipal candidates with their local clerk.
Out of a possible 80 major party candidates for State Senate, just 9 have filed. That includes Quadir Selby, who is challenging State Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Newark) in the 28th district Democratic primary; and former Atlantic County Freeholder Seth Grossman, who is seeking the Republican nomination for State Senate in the 2nd district.
In the 37th district State Senate race, Valerie Vainieri Huttle has already filed her petitions, along with Assembly candidates Gervonn Romney Rice and Lauren Dayton.
In the Assembly, 16 major party candidates have field so far out of a possible 160 Assembly slots.