With about a month to go, New Jersey's registered voters are largely unaware that a primary election for governor will take place on June 10, according to the latest Rutgers-Eagleton Poll.
When asked to state - to the best of their knowledge - when the next election in New Jersey will take place, 4% of participants of an early April poll say June 10; another 20% say it will take place some point in June, including individuals who got the right month but wrong date. Thirty-five percent say November, 1% mention an upcoming special election in their area and 24% say "other." Sixteen percent are unsure of when the next election will take place.
"Any election not held during a presidential year or not in November has historically seen lower turnout due to less awareness, less interest, and less engagement," said Ashley Koning, an assistant research professor and director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling (ECPIP) at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. "New Jersey's gubernatorial primaries are the perfect storm for this - typically held in June and never during a presidential year - with turnout in past primaries in the single digits to low double digits."
Any election not held during a presidential year or not in November has historically seen lower turnout due to less awareness, less interest, and less engagement.
Ashley Koning
Assistant Research Professor and Director of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling
