Across New Jersey, bomb threats at multiple polling locations have prompted closures and relocations, several reports noted on Tuesday.
Attorney General Matthew Platkin said law enforcement responded to emailed bomb threats targeting polling sites in seven New Jersey counties, securing each location after thorough sweeps.
He said several polling sites have already reopened to the public, while voters in affected areas have been redirected to nearby locations to cast their ballots.
“Voters should continue to have confidence that they can cast their ballot without fear of intimidation, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure a free, fair, and secure election. Make no mistake: We will not tolerate any attempts to interfere with our elections, and we will swiftly hold accountable anyone who seeks to interfere with the safety or security of our electoral process,” he said, New Jersey 12 reported.
Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said polling sites at School 2 and School 10 were temporarily closed after receiving threats.
In Newark, public safety officials reported receiving phishing emails containing false bomb threats and confirmed that this morning’s threat on Gotthard Street was unfounded.
Hackensack police said a high school employee reported a safety threat via email shortly before 6 a.m., prompting a K9 sweep. The site was cleared, and polls reopened by 7:33 a.m., New Jersey 12 reported.
Threats were sent to the following polling locations, according to the outlet:
–Bergen County
–Essex County
–Mercer County
–Middlesex County
–Monmouth County
–Ocean County
–Passaic County
Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba said that federal officials were monitoring the situation.
“We will ensure all voters can exercise their right to vote today in a safe manner. We are monitoring with our state and local authorities,” she wrote on the X platform.
Ridgewood police reported that a bomb threat at Somerville Elementary prompted the closure of all Ridgewood public schools for the day, though buildings remain open for voting, said the outlet.
In Middlesex County, officials shut down Avenel Middle School amid “an active law enforcement investigation,” relocating voters to Woodbine Avenue Elementary School.
A polling site in Lake Como was also moved following a similar threat, while Passaic Mayor Hector Lora confirmed additional threats in his city, saying details are still being gathered, the local outlet added.
One of the most high-profile races is the New Jersey governor’s race between Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill, which has narrowed significantly in recent days. Some polls have Ciattarelli even with or slightly ahead of Sherrill in the historically blue state.
Last month, the mayor of Bergen County, New Jersey’s fifth-largest municipality, formally switched parties, announcing his support for the Republican gubernatorial candidate.
Garfield Mayor Everett E. Garnto Jr. said he felt compelled to leave the Democratic Party, declaring that “the state is broken.” His announcement came during a rally at a Garfield gymnasium, where several hundred people gathered to hear from both Garnto and Ciattarelli.
“For the last seven and a half years, [Gov.] Phil Murphy’s policies have left us with sky-high taxes, soaring electric bills, and less safe communities,” Garnto said. “New Jerseyans deserve better. Jack Ciattarelli is ready to turn this state around.”
Garnto noted that he supported Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. A former school board member, he also spent twelve years as president of the Garfield Police Benevolent Association Local 46.
Trump won Garfield by about nine points in 2024, while Murphy narrowly carried the town by three points in the 2021 gubernatorial race.
Ciattarelli, a former assemblyman, also highlighted the backing of Dover Mayor James P. Dodd, a Democrat, arguing that such endorsements reflect growing frustration among moderate Democrats with state party leaders.