Election Day 2022: Polls in N.J. are now open. What you need to know about the mid-term elections.

Its Election Day, New Jersey, and polls are now open across the state for the 2022 midterm elections.

Topping the ticket are races for all 12 of the Garden States seats in the U.S. House of Representatives 10 of which are currently controlled by Democrats. Four years after Democrats flipped four seats in the 2018 midterms, Republicans are aiming to regain some ground.

Some of those races could play a key role nationally as Democrats seek to stave off Republicans from taking control of Congress two years into President Joe Bidens term.

There are also two special races for seats in the New Jersey Legislature, a series of increasingly bitter school board races, and a number of other local elections throughout the state.

Heres what you need to know before you step into the voting booth:WHEN ARE POLLS OPEN?

Polls across New Jersey are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday. As long as you are in line by 8 p.m., you are allowed to vote.

The same goes for if youre dropping off a vote-by-mail ballot in a dropbox. The dropboxes are locked at 8 p.m., but if theres a line at that time youll be able to drop your ballot in the box.WHO CAN VOTE?

You have to be at least 18 years old and registered to vote. Check here to see if youre registered. If you havent registered yet, the deadline has passed for these elections.WHERE IS MY POLLING PLACE?

Your polling location is assigned based on your address. Click here and plug in your address to find where you vote.HOW CAN I VOTE?

You can either vote in person on traditional machines or drop off a mail ballot at your countys Board of Elections office or one of the hundreds of drop boxes across the state by 8 p.m.

But its important to remember that mail-in-ballots need to be put in boxes located within the county where youre registered to vote. If you drop yours off in a box outside of where youre registered maybe because you see a dropbox on your commute to work your vote will most likely not be counted, election officials have warned.

Heres a complete list of drop box locations. If you have questions, check your county website.

After returning a ballot, you can check on its status at the states Track My Ballot website.

More than 725,000 people have already voted in New Jersey, state officials said Monday. Of those, more than 511,000 voted by mail and more than 213,000 cast a ballot in person during the states early-voting period, which ended Sunday.WHOS ON THE BALLOT?

HOUSE RACES

The top of the ticket features races for all 12 of New Jerseys U.S. House seats. There are no statewide elections this year.

The states hottest race is the 7th District showdown between Democratic incumbent Tom Malinowski and Republican challenger Tom Kean Jr. a rematch of a close 2020 election and one of the most closely watched races in the nation.

Republicans also have their eyes on three other districts the 3rd, 5th, and 11th that switched to the Democrats during the last decade.

Incumbents or the incumbent party are favored to win the rest of Tuesdays House races. The winner of each race gets a two-year term.

Nationally, 35 of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate and all 435 seats in the House are up for grabs, as are 36 governor races, including in neighboring New York and Pennsylvania.

Currently, Democrats and the independents who caucus with them hold 50 Senate seats and control the chamber because Vice President Kamala Harris has the tie-breaking vote. The Democrats also have a narrow House majority, with 220 votes.

Heres are the New Jersey candidates:

(i) incumbent

1st DISTRICT

Democrat Donald Norcross (i) vs. Republican Claire Gustafson

2nd DISTRICT

Democrat Tim Alexander vs. Republican Jeff Van Drew (i)

3rd DISTRICT

Democrat Andy Kim (i) vs. Republican Bob Healey

4th DISTRICT

Democrat Matthew Jenkins vs. Republican Chris Smith (i)

5th DISTRICT

Democrat Josh Gottheimer (i) vs. Republican Frank Pallotta

6th DISTRICT

Democrat Frank Pallone Jr. (i) vs. Republican Sue Kiley

7th DISTRICT

Democrat Tom Malinowski (i) vs. Republican Tom Kean Jr.

8th DISTRICT

Democrat Rob Menendez vs. Republican Marcos Arroyo

9th DISTRICT

Democrat Bill Pascrell Jr. (i) vs. Republican Billy Prempeh

10th DISTRICT

Democrat Donald Payne Jr. (i) vs. Republican David Pinckney

11th DISTRICT

Democrat Mikie Sherrill (i) vs. Republican Paul DeGroot

12th DISTRICT

Democrat Bonnie Watson Coleman (i) vs. Republican Darius Mayfield

Click here to read where the congressional candidates stand on key issues.

LEGISLATIVE RACES

There are also special races for two seats in the New Jersey Legislature previously held by a pair of veteran former lawmakers: state Assemblyman Ron Dancer, who recently died at age 73, after nearly 20 years in the Legislature, and state Sen. Ron Rice, who recently retired at age 76 amid health issues after 35 years in the seat. Rice is the longest-serving Black lawmaker in state history.

SCHOOL BOARD AND LOCAL RACES

A total of 533 school districts in the state have elections as 2,151 candidates are scrambling for 1,569 open seats, according to the New Jersey School Boards Association. And the partisan divide has overtaken some school board elections.

In addition, voters will decide on whether to approve school construction plans totaling $398.7 million in 11 school districts.

There are other local elections across the state, including contests for mayors and council seats and battles for county commissioner.WHAT IF THERES A PROBLEM AT THE POLLS?

The New Jersey Secretary of State serves as the states chief election official. If you have concerns about voting and elections, call the state Division of Elections voting information and assistance line at 877-NJVOTER (877-658-6837).

Separately, the state Attorney Generals Office of Public Integrity and Accountability investigates public corruption and election crimes. To report a potential crime, call 844-OPIA-TIPS. The Attorney Generals Office has an anti-corruption reward program that will offer a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to a conviction for a crime involving public corruption. For more details, see http://nj.gov/oag/corruption/reward.html.WHERE CAN I FIND RESULTS?

There will be results and coverage after the polls close on NJ.com.WHEN WILL FINAL RESULTS BE AVAILABLE?

Many races are typically called on Election Night. But the rise in mail-in ballots in recent years has led to some results taking days most notably last years governors race in New Jersey.

Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law this year to allow mail-in ballots to be processed starting five days before Election Day, which aims to help avoid delays.

Check out our coverage of Campaign 2022:

The fight for America begins in N.J. As our hottest congressional race goes, so may the nation.

Voter anger over abortion rights could be big wild card in N.J. and nation at Biden midterm

Can Republicans grab multiple N.J. congressional seats on Election Day? Heres where it may happen.

The Lands of Oz

Where N.J. congressional candidates stand on inflation, abortion and other big issues

Wow! Check out how much money is being spent on N.J.s hottest congressional race.

Whats driving these Latinas to the N.J. polls this midterm election? Not the reasons you think

In this N.J. GOP stronghold, will a racism scandal matter to voters?

Are you surrounded by Democrats or Republicans? How N.J. breaks red and blue in all 21 counties.

A year after Murphys election scare, N.J. Dems are clearly worried going into Tuesdays midterms

Politics and polarization fire up N.J. school board races

Everything you need to know about N.J. midterm elections Tuesday, including all House races

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Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @JDSalant.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @johnsb01.