More Republicans than Democrats have cast in-person early votes in New Jersey, and a big factor in that sudden change in voter habit could be an endorsement of voting early by former President Donald Trump.
The alternative of voting early at a polling location is critical for Republicans battling a significant advantage for Democrats in vote-by-mail ballots.
New Jersey Republicans appear to be embracing in-person early voting this year. In a state with over 900,000 more Democrats than Republicans, more GOP voters have voted early than Democrats, 36%-36%, an edge of about 9,000. But roughly 280,000 more Democrats than Republicans have returned vote-by-mail ballots.
An 1892 poll conducted at the request of Republican strategist Alex Wilkes earlier this year among likely GOP voters from New Jersey in the 2024 general election showed that 55% of Republicans said that they would not consider voting early, and just 33% said they would. Nearly half (48%) said they would be more likely to vote early if Trump told them to.
Trump has said that “Republicans must get tougher and fight harder to cast our votes and get our ballots turned in earlier so Democrats can’t rig the polls against us on Election Day.” Still, just months ago, just 27% of Republicans knew of Trump’s support.
“Republicans are in a cultural ditch on early voting: 73% think 2020 rigged or stolen and 47% believe New Jersey elections are rigged,” the pollster stated. “Republicans are 48% more likely to vote early when they hear Trump endorses early voting.”
The poll showed that “Republican voters have no trust in Droboxes but are the most open to early in-person voting. Republicans do not trust pre-filled ballots.”