It is election day in New Jersey and all eyes are on District three.

Can he repeat his structure of a wind?

Because it is not possible to make up 7000 votes on election day.

>> Culture was in District 11.

>> Everybody knew for the last two years.

District 11 was going to be one of the hottest races from 2023 election.

Monmouth University students look for ways to increase voter engagement across the state's campuses.

>> It all comes down to low voter turnout.

Will New Jerseyans show up at the polls to change the balance of power in Trenton?

>> Democrats have been shown to be on defense.

>> The spotlight is begins right now.

>> Funding is provided by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.

And by the PSEG foundation.

This is NJ Spotlight News.

>> Good evening and thank you for joining us this Tuesday night.

It is election day in New Jersey.

The polls are open until 8:00 p.m. but already the state division of elections has recorded more than 545 early boats.

Be it by mail or from the early in person option now available.

Residents are deciding key races in local county and school board seats.

Both Democrats and Republicans hoping to make gains.

One of the hottest races to watch is in South Jersey's third district where just two years ago, the GOP made political history, wiping Steve Sweeney and his assembly slate out of the district has.

Ed is planning to hold onto his Senate against John Besser jelly.

The race is expected to come down to the wire.

>> I am counting on 25 and 30% at least.

>> Help enough people cast ballots in this off year election to help them keep the senate seat he seized in a surprise absent from Steve Sweeney a couple of years ago.

He lists affordability as key issues.

>> It is just affordability.

New Jersey has not been affordable for anyone.

That is why everyone is leaving.

Democrats have slammed him for his comments on abortion.

Telling women to keep their legs closed.

Quest that is a lie.

I did not do it.

Request the Facebook comments, you are saying you did not make them?

>> I did not make them, that was not me.

Because who was it?

Because I don't know.

I am not concerned with it.

I am not concerned with all past.

There was before I was even a senator.

>> The statements are his, not mine.

He has to answer for them.

Whether or not that will be reflected in this vote, we will see.

The 10 term performance and women lost when voters swept Sweeney from office and now he wants to return to Trenton on the Senate side.

He says this is a different race.

Of course the Democrat base feels more engaged.

Two years ago they felt more distant.

Having that base active can make a difference.

>> Voter turnout is very light.

>> It is not impossible to make up 7000 votes on election day.

You have to get about 61% of all the votes that are coming out today and he needs a big boat out of day.

>> Michael Rasmussen says that is a lot in off year election as for the sub disavowal of the abortion comments?

>> I'm a little skeptical.

I'm not saying I don't believe the Senator, I am saying it is interesting we are only learning this on election day.

>> This is a conservative district despite having 10,000 more registered Democrats, one voter mentioned -- >> For him to make such insensitive statements like that is off.

Quickly voted for him anyway.

>> I did.

I like John as well but it is a 50-50 shot at that point.

>> And him for a lot of years.

I grew up with him.

Click the price of gas, food, everything is so high.

I just cannot vote for Democrats.

The local guys are bad but yet to follow the party.

Quest this district voted against Phil Murphy and for Donald Trump and it was redrawn to benefit Republicans.

Turn out today looks very sparse.

In Logan Township, I am Brenda Flanagan.

>> Republicans are also hoping to unseat the last remaining Democrat.

QUEST the legislative district is one of only two in the state split between the parties.

It has also become the most expensive race of the election cycle.

Joanna reports from Monmouth County.

>> He is alone Democrat in a sea of Republicans.

The two-term senator is fighting for his political life now in the 11th district.

>> Everybody knew for the last two years that district 11 would be the hottest if not just one of the hottest races coming into 2023's election.

QUEST this has been a moderate voice in the Senate as chair of the education committee.

He says bipartisanship is the effector that helped him gain support of Republicans here in Monmouth County.

Because I am proud to be the State Senator with the most bills cosigned by Republicans.

-- and of has not responded to request to include him in the story.

He also made it through the campaign without everything where he stands on key issues like abortion and his part of Donald Trump.

The culture wars are playing out in school districts and rally up the Republican base.

Three Monmouth County districts have policies that require educators to inform parents if a student comes out as transgender.

>> It is relevant because the losses are going on right in that county.

It brings it home for voters.

>> A lot of this is manufactured political crisis.

They are using this to try to instill fear in parents.

The reality as a father of a daughter.

There is nothing going on in our school district being hidden from parents.

Despite a lack of evidence and they are concerned about the impact on the tourism economy.

Despite once profited -- Saying in a post on X this weekend, they are running from his voting record on wind.

You can't run from your incessant lies anymore.

QUEST this was a bad bill that the governor signed which I voted against.

QUEST this race in the 11th is the most expensive in New Jersey.

A Super PAC called strength in our state funded by the head of the state Republican Party has spent big dollars on mailers like this one accusing them of not being liberal enough for Democrats.

Politico says both sides have fun raised and spent about 6 million total.

>> Every vote will matter.

>> I went tonight for the first Democrat to be reelected to a third term in this district.

>> This off year election is considered midterm for Governor Murphy's second and final year.

Turnout is expected to be low.

Analysts expected to mirror legislative races held in 2019 where just 27% of the electorate cast a ballot.

Raven Santana is where another key legislative race has been heating up.

QUEST for the past several years, we have been shouting at the top of our lungs.

>> All of this to cast her vote despite there being no presidential governor or mayoral races on the ballot, luckily there are high-profile elections on the top of the ballot that have motivated both Republican and Democratic residents to come out and vote.

>> L at the teachers that keep their opinions out of the classroom.

That is amazing to me.

QUEST one of them at hearings out there is women's health, that is a broad spectrum which affects children and I am really disturbed that there are people out there who are very ill-informed about what it means to protect women's health that they are willing to put women's lives in danger because of necessary medical procedures.

I understand their personal possessions but the whole point of the United States is the freedom to make choices for you and your family, don't make them for mine.

QUEST the voter turnout was disappointing for some.

QUEST you think there will be a big turnout?

>> Today?

>> I would love to say yes because we have been canvassing and encouraging people.

Just cherishing that and using it right.

QUEST this is our second time here in that we got some papers just returning.

It was not terribly crowded.

We have no idea if there has been a big turnout.

I was encouraged by the number of cars.

It was in person early, by mail, voter turnout -- and of course the voter turnout has been not very high but we have about 15 -- 15,230 advertisement by now.

That would just be voting today.

We had another 16,000 people vote through vote by mail that have been returned so far.

That is probably on the lower side.

So when we get 16,000 back, it is not a bad turnout, not a bad return.

We did well with that.

I would say that early voting was our lowest and it seems to be we -- that way all over the state.

>> I am slowly but surely losing faith in the election process due to just being disappointed with promises that were made there were not being made.

-- cap.

QUEST the bath -- the best way to change anything is to go out and vote.

You still have time to do so up until 8:00 p.m.. >> According to a new poll out today, it is not the mudslinging over national culture wars that matters most to New Jersey voters, it turns out it is taxes and the economy.

The poll finds a combined 30% of those surveyed from property taxes to inflation to the cost of living and affordability, according to the survey, pocketbook issues could be the deciding factor this year.

For more on that I am joined by our senior political correspondent, David Cruz and Colleen O'Day.

>> Welcome.

A big night ahead of us.

This people a simple kind of flies in the face of what pendants been saying all along.

40% when you combine it say it is the economy.

QUEST we should all be remembering that.

That almost lost my predilection two years ago.

Not concentrating on that.

This time around, the Democrats have been focused a lot on the tax breaks, stand J.

Who knows when that might happen.

The thing I think seems most interesting about that is this when you asked the person.

This is not what when you safe do you think X issue is important.

This was asking what you think is important and fiscal issues came out on top.

QUEST more said the so-called culture -- culture war issues matter.

Have Republicans or Democrats seized this moment of the issues that are really going to galvanize voters?

QUEST to the extent that issues matter to voters, Republicans have really cleaned the Democrats clock all summer long whether it is wind, keep your hands off my gas stoves, trans teens, parental notifications, all of those things, they defined the narrative and the Democrats have been shown to be on defense.

When you have the Senate president the assembly speaker all say hold up governor, we don't necessarily agree with you on you name it -- that means the narrative from your side is a little off.

QUEST they were forced to take some difficult positions on issues they maybe would not have had to.

All of this is happening under the shadow of a newly drawn map.

Why does that matter?

Crazy matters for a number of reasons.

A lot of people are going to be going into the polling place today and saying what district am I in?

I do not used to be in this district and not seeing any familiar name whereas in the past, if he always voted for a certain person, you might just click his lever.

That may not be there this time.

The map that was adopted was a compromised map.

What has happened in the last two years since the last election is there has been an increase in Republican -- a greater increase in Republican registration.

We have 29 districts whether Democrats have a small percent.

That is certainly not going to help them.

Republicans on the other hand have a greater percentage of the voter registration then they did two years ago.

>> Democrats still outnumber Republican voters.

Does early voting make a difference?

QUEST when we look back at this election, we will see this is the beginning of a transition.

What it ends up becoming I am not sure but Republicans are starting to get the message that vote by mail works.

Early voting is something they can use to their advantage.

They are handicapping themselves by criticizing these modes of election but they are here to stay and now they will have to start to get better at it.

We will see now also, election campaigning and stuff start sooner.

Everybody is moaning one month ahead of today.

>> Thank you.

Stick around.

We will see you later tonight.

For more reporting on all the camping issues, which candidate is running in your district?

Go to NJ Spotlight News.org.

And make sure you join us right here tonight.

I will take over with a team of reporters starting at 9:00.

Israel's Prime Minister is offering insight on future plans to control Gaza.

One of the Israel is aiming to take over the Gaza Strip when the Israel Hamas conflict ends.

If that happens, the plan appears to fall short of a whole preoccupation which is something the U.S. and other countries would say is a step too far.

The United Nations is reporting some 5000 people fled on foot to southern Gaza.

According to the Hamas run health ministry, within 10,000 Palestinians have been killed including over 4000 children since the fighting began October 7.

That was following the Hamas led an attack that killed over 1400 Israelis.

The World Health Organization documented five attacks on five hospitals in Gaza city just days ago.

It Defense force or say those attacks targeted Hamas leaders.

Here at home, the Jewish Federation of greater Metro West recently held events in Montclair to increase calls for the release of 240 hostages being held in Gaza while Palestinian New Jersey leaders are encouraging Palestinians to go out and vote today to remind officials of their presence in the state.

In our spotlight on business report, the file continues from the collapse of the offshore wind plans in New Jersey.

The Danish developer is now reportedly trying to get out of a $300 million guarantee to pay the state it had failed to build a wind farm off the coast.

They sent a letter to the Board of Public utilities, withdrawn from the agreement.

Saying the be pew never officially approved the deal and the company is no longer pursuing the tax incentives related to the project.

The Murphy administration in July approved a tax break that would've allowed them to keep federal tax credits that would otherwise be returned to ratepayers if the project was built.

The BPO disagrees.

An escrow agreement was made in September and I guarantee the was formalized in October.

Orsted asked the company is pulling out due to rising costs.

The decision has cast a shadow over the industry and could be a factor today's election.

On Wall Street, investors are building on this November rally.

Here is today's closing trading numbers.

>> Provided by the New Jersey tourism industry Association.

At resorts Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.

QUEST finally tonight, if this is a low turnout election as expected, youth voter involvement could have a significant impact.

Organizers have been ramping up efforts at college campuses across the state to register more first-time voters and spark their interest in local elections.

Ted Goldberg visited a political science class at Monmouth University where one of the states most expensive and competitive legislative races is playing out.

>> As New Jerseyans go to the polls today, don't expect young people to make up much of the votes.

QUEST they don't feel their voices are heard.

It creates this vicious cycle.

If candidates don't pay attention to them, they will not turn up to vote.

>> Steve Chapman is a political science professor at Monmouth.

He thinks young voters will turn out in the numbers statewide.

He teaches a course about the history and function of America's party system and while he is not demanding students vote, he is open the classes will make it more likely.

>> Probably from that, they will find the importance of voting.

>> Anna-Lena how the government operates.

I thought this would be a good steppingstone toward understanding the interest -- intricacies of legislation.

QUEST presidential elections, we test based on that.

Nothing locally.

I really wanted to take this class to understand bits and pieces that are not really looked at as much.

Kouachi is directly involved in one of the big races today as she currently volunteers for the reelection campaign.

She says reaching out to young voters was a big part of her work.

And it was not easy.

>> The college has a pretty heavy workload that just to cause some issues with free time.

I am pretty active on campus.

I am involved with about five clubs and I have some jobs on the side.

>> Younger people, Gen Z, even millennials need to stop being so apathetic.

They don't need to be affiliated with one party or the other but they need to get there say out.

QUEST Michelle is from Old Bridge.

She is voting there today.

She has seen how contentious school board meetings have become.

Education is one of the issues inspiring her to vote.

>> I want to vote for people that actually care for their education, care for who they are, who their identity is and and just promote being educated and not being naughty.

Clusters tend to focus on national issues rather than local concerns but there are plenty of thing students consider during campaign season.

>> I am sick of seeing the deforestation of trees, the building of luxury apartments everywhere.

And the subsequent traffic that goes with it.

QUEST they have similar ideas as I do.

But whatever those may be, it doesn't have to be left or right.

QUEST 2019 was the last year that assembly voters can choose a governor.

QUEST we will see if New Jersey's voters do better after the dust settles this year.

>> I am Ted Goldberg.

QUEST that does it for us.

But don't forget to download the Spotlight news podcast so you can listen anytime and make sure you tune into the live election night coverage starting at 8:00 p.m.. For the entire Spotlight news team, thank you for being with us.

We will see you in a bit.

>> Members of the New Jersey education Association.

Making public schools great for every job.

Let's be healthy together.

And committed to the creation of a new sustainable clean energy future for New Jersey.