NJ elections, 2022 results: No surprises in Central Jersey countywide races

Time to cast your vote New Jersey. Follow along here for live coverage of the 2022 midterm elections.

Along with the high-profile congressional elections, we'll have updates from local races across the region, including municipal, school board and ballot measures. Need to find your polling place? Read below to see where to cast your ballot.

Check back here throughout the day for live updates from our reporters from the polls, including comments from candidates and voters. Don’t forget to refresh after the polls close Tuesday to see results for your local races.

You can see votes counts as precincts start to report here. Congressional races results will also be listed on our website.

Check back for updates.

12:28 p.m. Wednesday No surprises at Central Jersey county levels

There were no surprises in the countywide races in Central Jersey, with Democrats maintaining control in Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties and Republican incumbents reelected in Hunterdon.

Middlesex County

In an election where only a third of registered voters went to the polls, Democrats kept their hold on the county commission and the sheriff’s office. Democrat Mildred Scott, the first female sheriff in the county and the first Black sheriff in New Jersey, defeated Republican Brian Wojaczyk, a South Brunswick resident who is captain in the New Jersey National Guard, 106,106 to 79,028, a 15-point margin.

Three incumbent Democrats – Charles Kenny, who has been on the governing body since 2013; Claribel Azcona-Barber, completing her first term, and Chanelle Scott McCullum, a commissioner since 2021 – were successful in their reelection campaigns. They defeated Republicans Joellen Arrabito and Gerald Shine, both making their second try for county office, and Martin Herrman, who has unsuccessfully run for mayor and a council seat in Monroe. Kenny received 104,811 votes, Azcona-Barber got 102,967 votes and McCullum got 104,438 votes. Hermann got 77,991 votes, Arrabito received 76,686 votes and Shine got 76,239 votes.

Somerset County

Five years after breaking the decades-long GOP hold on countywide offices, Democrats were victorious in the races for county commissioner, sheriff and county clerk.

Melonie Marano was reelected to her second term as county commissioner, defeating Amber Murad, a member of the Watchung Borough Board of Education, 56,516 to 49,444, a 6.6% margin. Incumbent Darrin Russo was reelected sheriff, defeating Republican John Sheridan, a retired Hillsborough Police Department detective and head of the township's Office of Emergency Management, 57,431 to 49,335, a 7.6% percent spread. County Clerk Steve Peter defeated Suzanne Maeder, a member of the Manville Borough Council, 56,653 to 50,001, a 6.3% margin, for his second term in office. Turnout in Somerset County was 42.9%.

Hunterdon County

One of the GOP strongholds in New Jersey remains solidly Republican as voters reelected the incumbent sheriff and three members of the county commission.

Incumbent Sheriff Frederick Brown, who has served as sheriff since 2010, defeated Democrat Dominic Puzio, an investigator for the state, 32,607 to 23,851, a 15% margin. Republican incumbents John Lanza, who has served on the board for three terms, and Zachary Rich, who is finishing his third term, defeated Democrats Hope Cohen, chief operating officer of the Battery Conservancy in New York City, and Donald Becker, founder and president of Kardon Consulting. Lanza got 32,265 votes followed by Rich, 31,281 votes. Cohen trailed with 24,265 votes and Becker at 23,703 votes. Republican Jeff Kuhl, appointed to fill Matthew Holt's seat earlier this year, defeated Justin Balunsat, a sports coach at Hillsborough High School, for the unexpired two-year term. Kuhl tallied 32,418 votes and Balunsat got 23,386 votes. Turnout in Hunterdon was 54.6%.

Union County

Democrats coasted to easy victories in Union County.

County Commissioner Christopher Hudak was elected surrogate over Republican Peter Lijoi, 82,104 to 47,081, a 27% margin. Three incumbent Democrat county commissioners – Bette Jane Kowalski, Sergio Granados, and Rebecca Williams – defeated Republican challengers Carmen Bucco, Vincent Rettino and Carlos Santos. Kowalski received 80,334 votes, Williams 80,307 votes and Granados 79,728 votes. Trailing were Bucco with 48,040 votes, Rettino, 48,437 votes and Santos, 48,332 votes. Turnout in Union County was 36.4%.

11:30 a.m. Malinowski concedes to Kean

Rep. Tom Malinowski conceded to his Republican challenger Thomas Kean Jr. in the 7^th Congressional District race on Wednesday morning. The race had been too close to call on Election Night.

Kean, the son of Gov. Thomas Kean, previously served in the state legislature. He ran against Malinowski two years ago and lost. Redistricting last year led to a more heavily Republican demographic.

-Katie Sobko

Full story:Tom Malinowski concedes to Tom Kean Jr. in closely watched 7th Congressional District race

12:56 a.m. Wednesday: Kean's lead grows slightly

The last 10% of the votes that need to be counted in the 7th District contest between Democratic incumbent Rep. Tom Malinowski and Republican Tom Kean Jr. were still slowly trickling in well past midnight.

Stile:These are the problems facing NJ Democrats and Republicans moving toward 2024

Tuesday, 11:55 p.m. Kean declares victory but Malinowski says it's too close to call

Tom Kean Jr. told a crowd of supporters on Tuesday night that he had beaten Rep. Tom Malinowski in the hotly-contested District 7 race.

But minutes later, Malinowski took to his own podium and told supporters that the race was still too close. The Associated Press had not made a call on the race by the end of the night.

With 90% of the vote in, Kean was leading 52.1% to 47.9%.

About 12,000 votes separated the candidates as of midnight.

Story continues after gallery

10:45 p.m. Berkeley Heights Mayor Angie Devanney on way to reelection

With 100% of the districts reporting, Berkeley Heights Democratic Mayor Angie Devanney was leading Republican challenger, Councilman Jeffrey Varnerin, according to unofficial election results. Devanney received 3,351 votes (57%) while Varerin received 2,546 votes, unofficial results show.

10:44 p.m. Somerville voters approving sewer sale

With 89% of the ballots counted, Somerville voters are approving the sale of the borough's sewer system to New Jersey American Water by a 1,852-to-653 margin.

Full story:Somerville voters decide to sell sewer system to NJ American Water

10:24 p.m. North Hunterdon-Voorhees voters lean toward school projects approval

A $6.5 million bond referendum to fund upgrades, renovations and repairs at North Hunterdon and Voorhees high schools was leading by a 1,476-to-844 margin, according to unofficial results.

Related:North Hunterdon-Voorhees voters elect school board members

10:23 p.m. Branchburg voters decide on development

Branchburg voters have approved a referendum by a 2,459-to-1,806 margin, according to unofficial results, to allow the Township Committee to spend taxpayer money to buy properties in the North Branch section to avoid their development as warehouses or affordable housing. The referendum is non-binding. If residents from the entire township vote(d) no on the referendum, nothing will happen.

But if residents vote(d) yes, it gives the Township Committee the option to buy properties in the North Branch area that are valued at about $25 million.The land targeted for potential acquisition is within the Route 22/28 corridor west of North Branch village and near Raritan Valley Community College.

9:45 p.m. Metuchen voters lean toward school project approval

Metuchen voters have leaned toward approving an $84 million bond referendum for improvements to district schools. With 12 of the 13 districts reporting, preliminary results indicate approval of three questions about infrastructure, operations and the Metuchen High School gym and field. The first question had an unofficial 1,418 yes votes and 809 no votes. The second question had an unofficial 1,363 yes votes and 862 no votes. The third question had an unofficial 1,193 yes votes and 1,030 no votes.

Under the first question voters were asked to approve additions, renovations, alterations and improvements to all four district school buildings – Mildred B. Moss Elementary, Campbell Elementary, Edgar Middle and Metuchen High schools, at a cost of $71,682,187. Moss was built in 1925, Edgar in 1948, Campbell in 1951 and the high school in 1956. All saw improvements in the early 2000s. Question 2 dealt with operation costs — about $800,000 — associated with Question 1, as well as full-day Kindergarten, grade realignment, staffing and increased square footage in the buildings. The first two questions are interdependent; both must pass for the measure to be approved. The third question would only pass if the first two questions were approved. The third question deals with a new gym and turf football field replacement at Metuchen High School, at a cost of just under $13 million.

9:40 p.m. South Plainfield voters establish open space and recreation fund

South Plainfield voters have overwhelmingly approved a measure to establish an open space and recreation fund. The question on Tuesday’s ballot was passed by a vote of 1,185 (65%) in favor to 630 against, according to unofficial results.

The fund will be created through an annual levy of 2 cents per $100 of assessed property value for the purposes of improving recreational facilities, protecting water quality in rivers and streams, historic preservation, conservation of natural areas and developing, maintaining and acquiring lands for recreation and conservation.

9:30 p.m. Tom Malinowski still leads Tom Kean Jr. in NJ-7

Incumbent Democrat Tom Malinowski is continuing to lead Republican Tom Kean Jr. in the race for the 7th Congressional District. Malinowski is leading, 35,316 to 18,114, but no votes have been posted in Somerset and Morris counties.

9:06 p.m. Flemington mayor race is close

Republican challenger Marcia Karrow has taken an early lead over incumbent Democrat Betsy Driver for a four-year term as mayor of Flemington, 636-545. Karrow outpolled Driver in Election Day voting, 514-361 to take the lead.

8:40 p.m. Tom Malinowski has early lead over Tom Kean Jr.

Incumbent Democrat Tom Malinowski has taken an early lead over Republican Tom Kean Jr. in the race for the 7th Congressional District. With mail-in ballots and early votes counted in Union, Hunterdon and Warren counties, Malinowski is leading Kean, 18,384 to 10,091. The total reflects no votes from Somerset, Morris and Sussex counties.

8 p.m. The polls are closed in New Jersey

It's time to tally the votes in the Garden State as the polls close at 8 p.m. Stay right here with our liveblog for updates on the races as they happen.

5:40 p.m. Frank Pallone Jr. defends congressional seat from Susan Kiley

In the race for New Jersey 6th Congressional District U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., a lawyer, and a native of Long Branch is looking to defend the seat he has held for the Democrats since 1988. He is chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, one of the oldest standing committees in the House. Opposing him is Republican Susan Kiley, the current deputy commissioner of the Monmouth County Board of Commissioners.

5:35 p.m. We may not know the winners in Central Jersey tonight

It’s less than three hours until polls close in New Jersey.

But it may be a while before we know who the winners are.

By midnight, we could have all the results of votes cast today at the polls. Once the polls close and the voting machines are locked, the results will be taken to the respective county clerks’ offices for posting.

We will be posting the results as soon as the county clerks release them.

But they will not be the official results.

Mail-in ballots postmarked by 8 p.m. tonight and received by Nov. 14 will not be included in tonight’s totals.

And the official results will not be certified until Nov. 26, two days after Thanksgiving.

The most closely watched contest today in Central Jersey is the race for the 7^th Congressional District seat between Democrat incumbent Tom Malinowski and Republican Tom Kean Jr., an election that could have national implications in what party controls the House of Representatives.

12:13 p.m. Mercer County voting machine issues could affect results in 3rd, 12th Congressional Districts

In Mercer County, issues with voting machines were reported Tuesday morning. In a Facebook post, the county said poll workers would be on hand to walk voters through the manual voting process.

“[The board of elections] is working with Dominion, the machine maker, to resolve the issue,” the county said.

The issues were likely to delay vote counts in the 3rd and 12th Congressional District races, as well as local races.

The New Jersey GOP assured voters that their votes would be counted regardless of the glitch.

“On behalf of our NJGOP legal counsel and election integrity team, I want to make crystal clear to the voters of Mercer County that in spite of reported problems with scanners on voting machines in Mercer County, this issue does not affect their voting experience at all,” a party statement said. “Voters will still enter their polling place, cast their vote, and insert the paper ballot into the machine as they normally would.”

— Liam Quinn

Fact check roundup: False claims about election fraud, candidates swirl ahead of 2022 midterms

Here are New Jersey's candidates for Congress in your area

• In the 6th District, Democratic incumbent Frank Pallone Jr. is facing Republican challenger Susan Kiley.

• In the 7th District, Democratic incumbent Tom Malinowski is facing Republican challenger Thomas Kean Jr.

• In the 12th District, Democratic incumbent Bonnie Watson Coleman is facing Republican challenger Darius Mayfield.

How do I vote in New Jersey?

In New Jersey, the polls are open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Election Day. Voters can find their polling place and answers to other questions about voting at VOTE.NJ.GOV. NJ residents can also call 1-877-NJ-VOTER with questions.

If you requested a vote-by-mail ballot, it must be either postmarked by 8 p.m. on Election Day or delivered in person to your county's Board of Elections office by the time the polls close.

NJ congressional election results district-by-district

Check here for the latest results in NJ congressional elections as they come in.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Who won NJ elections: 2022 midterms in Central Jersey