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Briana: Tonight on "NJ Spotlight News."

Primary election day and all eyes are on Andy Kim's race for the Senate now the senior he is choosing to replace is not running again.

>> Having a sitting senator in the race changes the dynamics and in this climate, people are fed up.

Briana: Plus, as his father battles for his political legacy in a Manhattan courtroom,, Rob Menendez is facing a challenge from Ravi Bhalla.

>> Really big numbers in Elizabeth and in Newark, which I don't think is practical, so we will end up winning.

Briana: a full of candidates looking to replace Andy Kim leading the pack are two long-term state legislature running mates.

>> I am fighting to make sure women are represented and everyone.

Democracy is important to me.

This year democracy is on the ballot.

Briana: Early voting numbers are well over 300,000, but it is not too late to get out and vote.

Polls close at 3:00 p.m. -- 8:00 p.m. "NJ Spotlight News" starts now.

♪ >> From NJPBS Studios this is "NJ Spotlight News" with Briana Vannozzi.

Briana: Good evening and thanks for joining us.

I'm Briana Vannozzi.

It is primary election day in New Jersey.

The polls close in a few hours.

Democratic and Republican voters are making their selections for the presumptive presidential nominees along with statewide candidates vying for an open U.S. Senate seat, all 12 in the house, and local and county positions.

More than 350,000 residents voted early, many using mail-in ballots.

Tonight's outcome sets the stage for the general election in November, but also tests the strength of New Jersey's Democratic political party organizations and whether the candidates they have endorsed can hold up without the power of a county line ballot behind them.

The U.S. Senate seat currently held by Bob Menendez has arguably gotten the most attention.

Even though he is not on the primary ballot, he is fighting his ongoing federal corruption trial.

Menendez had a significant influence on the federal races.

Three Democrats and four Republicans are running, but it is not the primary matchup we were expecting.

Ted Goldberg has been on the ground all day with candidates and has the latest.

>> it is something I never imagined as a public school kid or son of immigrants, but I am ready to step up for my state.

Ted: Andy Kim says he is not taking the primary for candidate, but he is the heavy favorite to win the Democratic over Larry Hamm and Patricia Campos-Medina.

They are hoping to replace Bob Menendez, who is defending himself against corruption and bribery charges and is running as an independent.

>> He is putting his personal benefit I get -- above what is best for the country.

Having a senator in the race changes the dynamic.

In this given climate, people are fed up.

Ted: Strategists are split over the impact Menendez could have a November.

>> I don't think Senator Menendez is planning on staying through this race in November.

I think it is a way for him to potentially raise more money for defense.

>> They are not going to take votes away from -- they will take them away from most likely Andy Kim.

I think the Republican who wins tonight still has to make the race close enough for that to matter.

Ted: The ballot itself is also a story, New Jersey's first Democratic ballot in a long time to not feature the county line, a result of Kim's lawsuit.

>> Probably the first time in a century we have not had a county line system on the ballot.

I think it is the start of a new era of a great democracy.

Ted: Voters I spoke with cared less about the county line than other issues like the integrity of the ballots.

>> It seemed cumbersome, a lot more involved.

I guess with -- this is designed to prevent false claims of fraudulent voting.

>> The last four years have been upsetting.

I would like to see changes as far as local government.

It is all Democratic.

I think we need two voices.

Ted: On the Republican ticket, we have Serrano-Glassner and -- >> We have been crisscrossing New Jersey.

Ted: He has more county endorsements than any other GOP candidate but his opponent, not available to speak, has national endorsements from figures like Donald Trump and Marco Rubio.

He says party voters should consider.

>> I know we can expand with this campaign.

The differences between my opponent in this campaign is that we are running a statewide campaign.

We have been in the private sector and built a huge difference -- business, created thousands of jobs.

We are a political outsider that can get things done for all New Jerseyans.

We are the only campaign that can win in November, in our opinion, and the only one that has built a statewide organization.

Ted: The Republican race is considered a tossup.

That should keep things interesting until the polls close at 8:00 tonight.

For "NJ Spotlight News," I'm Ted Goldberg.

Briana: The wildcard is the embattled senior senator who filed to run as an independent Democrat in the November election, seeking a fourth term while under indictment, saying, "it is pleases me to have to go this route, thanks to overzealous prosecutors, but I will do what must be done to uphold my oath of office."

The announcement serves as a potential spoiler and high-stakes election given Democrats narrowly control the Senate.

Is corruption trial entered day 13 where two new witnesses took the stand, both from the FBI.

They provided details about a dinner meeting in May 2019 at a Morton's steakhouse in Washington, D.C. where Nadine and Bob Menendez met with Egyptian officials, one believed to be a spy for the Egyptian government.

According to those who took part in the stakeout, Nadine allegedly asked the men, what else can the love of my life do for you?

They are trying to prove he was acting as an unregistered foreign agent.

Another witness answered questions about the safety deposit box found during the raid on the Menendez home, which held her jewelry, money and passports for Nadine's family.

With his father on trial, incumbent Rob Menendez faces a tough challenge from Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla in the eighth district which spans deeply blue areas.

The Menendez name was once thought of as an advantage, but political analysts say it may now prove to be a liability as the race has gotten increasingly nasty.

Accusations and attack ads lobbed from all sides.

The pool of candidates also includes the son of a former state assemblywoman and Republican Anthony Valdes's --Valdes.

Reporter: Flanked by a press of TV news cameras, Democrat Rob Menendez voted in Jersey City on a morning marked by relatively low voter turnout and no small irony.

Two years ago Bob Menendez reaped votes as son of Senator Bob Menendez.

Now that his father is in a scandalous court case with gold bars and bribery charges, the incumbent calls it noise.

>> You look at our track record and our campaign.

We focus making sure every day we are blocking out the noise and delivering error message of our proven results.

>> We have had enough of this, whether it is Senator Menendez or the machine of the establishment.

Vote for the people, not the politicians.

Reporter: Ravi Bhalla is also a politician, the mayor of Hoboken.

But he saw an opening and took a shot at challenging Menendez.

They agree on many issues, but it became a dumpster fire of negative ads with Menendez hitting Bhalla over ethics issues and then Bhalla slopping back with the trial issues.

>> they found Bhalla dishonest and deceitful.

>> Now Rob is defending his father's corruption saying he believes in his father's integrity and values.

Junior covers for senior and New Jersey pays the price.

>> I feel in Hudson County a Democrat usually sales to reelection, but his father dragged him down.

Reporter: Menendez the father's corruption trial has impacted public opinion and voter choice.

>> It is hard to separate that.

Reporter: The sins of the father do transfer to the sun?

>> Perhaps.

>> He is his son.

You will blame him because of what his father did?

We will see what happens.

Reporter: Meanwhile Rob Menendez must deal with another hurdle.

For the first time the county ballots were abolished at least for Democrats.

Menendez drew last place in the new design, but his name still resonates with Hispanic voters who comprise more than half the district.

>> I will support him because he is Latino.

Reporter: Without a county line ballot, this election tests whether or not powerful political issues can still get out the vote.

Hudson County is working to crank them out for an end as.

>> These are entrenched voters that do what the Democratic Party likes to do.

For Bhalla to take this he will have to have big numbers in Elizabeth and Newark.

That does not seem practical.

Brenda: A reporter says Governor Murphy turned up at a Menendez rally over the weekend.

And that will drive voters to the polls for the incumbent Congressman, capping a brutal race.

>> It was Bloody, dirty, they hit each other with everything but the kitchen sink, the toilet and a plunger.

But the results will not be surprising.

Brenda: He says Kyle Jasey will probably pull votes from Bhalla.

Polls close at 8:00 p.m.

In Jersey City, Brenda Flanagan "NJ Spotlight News."

Briana: After representative Andy Kim tossed his hat into the U.S. Senate race it left his third Congressional District seat wide open, pitting two former running mates against each other.

Assembly members Herb Conaway and Carol Murphy are considered the top contenders along with three other candidates on the Democratic side and four Republicans.

As Raven Santana reports, the race was made closer by the disappearance of the party line.

>> Women's reproductive rights, that has been under assault and also quality, affordable health care.

Raven: Two of the main reasons Rich came out to vote this morning.

They are also top issues for democratic assembly people Herb Conaway and Carol Murphy, former running mates now facing off against each other for Andy Kim's open seat in District three.

Along with Sarah Schoengood, Joe Cohn and teacher Brian Schkeeper.

>> Because of redistricting, the third District has gone from being a district that would marginally favored Donald Trump, to a district that would favor Joe Biden by 14 points.

That is a strong district for Democrats.

Raven: The race is considered historic because there is an opportunity for two firsts -- the first woman legislator in South Jersey or the first Black member of Congress from South Jersey.

The absent county line may be consequential.

I caught up with Herb Conaway where he cast his vote this morning.

The physician who spent 26 years in the legislature explains why he is the guy for the job.

>> I have shown I can take on big issues, whether school funding, expanding insurance access for seniors and families, and issues of public safety and protecting children.

Raven: Conaway, who has the support of the Democratic establishment, shares what separates him from his opponents.

>> Protecting access to health care, particularly women's health care.

As a physician I know politicians have no place in the examination room.

>> I am still fighting to make sure not only women are represented, but everyone is, and their voice matters.

Democracy is important to me.

This year democracy is on the ballot.

Raven: I met up with Carol Murphy at her campaign headquarters where she shared why people should vote for her.

>> I am accessible.

I am there for my constituency when they need me.

I work well on both sides of the aisle.

I am the right fit, besides being a woman -- by the way, I am a woman -- I believe I bring the right attitude to D.C.

Someone to bring tenacity and will not go along to get along, and worrying about making sure everybody likes me.

>> People know how important experience is in everyday life.

You don't ask someone to build a house who has never built one or ask someone to go to Congress who has never written a bill.

We need to focus on the needs of the American people.

>> If you are in office for that period of time and still trying to advance, you are not putting whole effort into it.

I know he is a good doctor.

Why go into Congress, if you are doctoring?

Raven: Murphy feels he could pose more of a threat to the other front runner.

Conaway is confident his experience is all he needs to claim victory.

Briana: Congressional and U.S. Senate primaries are typically low drama events, but there is midden -- there has been no shortage this year.

A glimpse of life without the county line in future elections.

A U.S. Senate seat is in play for the first time in decades.

Joining me for what to watch tonight, David Cruz and Colleen O'Dea.

Good to see you both.

Great to have you.

Colleen, let's start with the ground game and what we know about turnout.

Colleen: So far we have 6% of registered voters who voted early, either by mail, or early in person voting last week.

The vast majority, 75% Democrats.

Not surprising because Democrats have embraced vote by mail.

Briana: Why is that?

Why haven't Republicans?

Colleen: I think it goes back to Trump and comments made in the last election.

Republicans still don't embrace that.

Briana: That sounds lackluster.

David, how does that translate now, when Democrats may have endorsements, but don't have endorsements when it comes to being on a line on a ballot a judge ruled was unconstitutional?

David: Just a point on the Republicans -- they are trying to embrace early voting and alternative voting opportunities.

They are a little behind.

They tried to make it a terrible thing to try to vote early.

They are still catching up as far as that goes.

I think the line is the critical thing happening tonight.

You will see it in some races that might be closer than expected.

I am thinking in the race between Ravi Bhalla and Rob Menendez.

Kyle Jasey, third-party candidate.

Interesting to see what will happen with him and the impact he has.

I think the race for sheriff in the Democratic primary is where you will see what the line's power really was because Jerry Speziale, who has good name recognition, is running off the line against organization, but there is no line to put him in ballot Siberia.

His name recognition is pretty high.

It makes it even money for him.

Briana: That is interesting.

Micah Rasmussen said the same thing yesterday.

Let's go to the race with Rob Menendez and Ravi Bhalla.

You had both candidates on "Chat Box."

It seemed they were turning the page on an ugly election cycle, then went back to it.

There is no love lost between them.

What do you expect to happen?

David: I was watching Brian Stack, the mayor of Union City, rounding up the troops.

Literally people lined up down the block to get out the vote.

I think that is something to watch.

Ravi Bhalla, mayor of Hoboken, needs 70% in his town to have a chance.

I don't think he can get that.

Other parts of the district, he is not well known there.

Briana: What are you watching for?

Colleen: The third district race to replace Andy Kim, who, whether he wins or not, gave up his seat to run for Senate.

You have five Democratic candidates, four Republicans.

It is expected to be a Democratic seat in November.

But Herb Conaway and Carol Murphy, assembly District mates, one against another.

The line, Conaway has the endorsements, but the line is not there.

Briana: Interesting we are not talking about the presidential race at the top of the ticket because it is a foregone conclusion.

Although we are expecting some may vote on the uncommitted line.

More to come on that.

Don't go anywhere, you are stuck with me for tonight.

[LAUGHTER] Briana: As in past elections voters have three ways to vote this year.

Early in person which ended Sunday, via mail-in ballot which is still an option as long as it is postmarked by 8:00 p.m. tonight, and in person today.

State and federal election officials say they are going to extra lengths to ensure voting goes off without a hitch.

County Clerk's tell Joanna Gagis there are still a few last minute questions about the new Democratic ballot design.

>> From what I have seen in at least three towns, it is a low turnout.

>> Even for the registered faithful who turn out to support their party, on this primary election day, voter apathy seems to be the name of the game, at least in Union County.

>> We have 13,000 ballots received.

Turnout at the polls is low so far.

Only 2800 voters came out in five days.

Joanna: What they are not seeing his confusion around the new ballot layout.

Block style voting for candidates, the result of Andy Kim's lawsuit challenging the party line layout, format remains on the ballot for Republican challengers.

The County Clerk points out -- >> We have a lot of questions, especially on the sample ballots where they said why does the Democratic ballot look like this and the Republican ballot looks like this?

We have an explanation on the sample ballot.

It is also on the election machine ballots to explain why it looks different.

Joanna: Pull workers are out there to explain to the new format to any voters who need it.

One says the ballot sample helped him prepare for today.

>> I took a look at the ballot for a little investigation about what candidate is better for me.

I can understand perfectly what is the candidate I used to vote.

Joanna: The layout is not the only challenge for officials.

The U.S. Department of Justice issued a consent decree finding the county was not meeting certain requirements, including ballots be printed in Spanish and English, and that Spanish-speaking pull workers be on site in polling areas with large numbers of Spanish-speaking voters ready to assist including inside the curtain during the voting process.

That falls to the county board of elections.

Monitors are included in that decree.

>> They are entitled to go in and out of any polling location.

Our pull workers are -- poll workers are aware.

Joanna: Is it challenge to find Spanish-speaking poll workers?

>> It is hard to find any poll workers.

Joanna: What won't be compromise today is the security of the selection.

>> Every single ballot that comes into our office we check a signature verification to get the profile we have in the registration system.

We check to make sure the address they are registered at is the one that is written on the certification.

Joanna: Is that every single ballot?

>> Every ballot every time.

Pres.

Biden: Mail-in ballots are still being processed and counting begins tonight when the polls close.

They will be counting late into the night.

Joanna Gagis "NJ Spotlight News ."

Briana: In our spotlight on business report, stocks off to a sluggish start to the month with investors trying to find footing, given the path of interest rates.

Here is how the markets closed today.

>> Support for the business report provided by experience the vibrancy of Newark's arts in education district and Halsey Street.

Halsey, built on arts and hustle.

Check out the Halseyfest schedule.

♪ Briana: That is it for now.

You will want to keep it here tonight to follow along with all the primary election results.

Polls close at 8:00 p.m. and we will have live updates on the hour and full live coverage with our reporters covering key races, along with analysis in studio.

That is tonight on NJPBS, our website and streaming on the "NJ Spotlight News" YouTube channel.

Thanks for watching.

See you later.

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More information online at njrealtor.com.

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What do you see?

I see myself.

I became an ESL teacher to give the students what I wanted when I came to this country, the opportunity to learn, dream, achieve.

A chance to be known and to be an American.

I am proud to be an NJEA member.

♪