For frum Jews in New Jersey, the upcoming gubernatorial election isn’t just another political event—it’s a decision that could shape the future of our communities, our yeshivos, and our religious freedoms. Yet, while many focus on the general election in November, the real battle happens much earlier: in the primaries.
By the time the general election arrives, the candidates are already chosen, leaving our options limited to just two candidates. Frum Jews in New York have understood this for decades: the real decisions are made in the primaries, not in November. If we wait until the general election to make our voices heard, we may end up stuck with a governor who doesn’t represent our interests.
But there’s a simple, powerful strategy to change this: participate in the Democratic primary. In New Jersey, only voters registered as Democrats or Unaffiliated can vote in the Democratic primary—registered Republicans cannot. The good news? Most Lakewood voters are Unaffiliated, and with primary turnout expected to be very low, our votes can literally be the deciding factor in who wins.
Why Would I Vote in a Democratic Primary?
In 2024, Republicans made significant gains statewide, raising hopes for many that a Republican could be elected governor in this year’s election. The main obstacle to this becoming a reality is that despite the big gains Republicans saw the last election cycle, Kamala Harris still won New Jersey by over 250,000 votes. The political landscape shifts from election to election, but the harsh reality is that Democrats in New Jersey have 800,000 more registered voters than the Republicans. In addition, history shows that Democrats are more energized to vote when a member of the opposite party controls the White House. So yes, a Republican can win, but anyone with an “R” next to their name faces an uphill battle in New Jersey’s governor race.
This means that while we may hope and vote for a Republican victory in the general election, there is at least a 50% chance that a Democrat will win. If that happens, we need to ask ourselves: which Democrat do we want in power? If we don’t participate in the Democratic primary, we are effectively letting others make that decision for us. And if the wrong candidate wins, we could be facing year after year of policies that make life harder for frum Jews in New Jersey. The time to act is now, in the primary, while we still have a say in who the Democratic nominee will be.
What About Jack Ciattarelli?
In this election, the preferred candidate for most frum voters is Jack Ciattarelli. He is a strong candidate, well-known, and generally aligned with the values of our community. As such, many feel compelled to vote for him in the Republican primary, ensuring that he is the Republican nominee for governor.
But here’s the key point: Jack Ciattarelli does not need our votes to win the Republican primary. The most recent polls showed that he is leading his closest competitor, Bill Spadea, by around 40 percentage points – and this was before President Trump endorsed Ciattarelli, effectively sealing the nomination for him. To put it mildly, Ciattarelli has the Republican nomination locked up. Whether frum voters turn out in large numbers for him in the primary or not, he is 99.9% certain to be the GOP nominee in the general election.
Contrast that with the Democratic primary. Six strong candidates are running, and nobody – not even the most veteran political analysts – have any idea who will win. The race is as wide open as could be, and the frum vote could have a real impact – even a deciding impact. Instead of voting in a primary where the outcome is already decided, we have the opportunity to participate in one where our votes can determine who the nominee will be.
Why Lakewood’s Vote Matters
Many people assume that Lakewood’s vote only matters in a general election, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, primaries are where our votes can make the biggest impact.
General elections in New Jersey bring out millions of voters, meaning Lakewood’s average of 20,000 votes don’t even register as 1% of the total. While 20,000 votes may be significant in an extremely tight race, in most cases, it isn’t nearly enough to change the outcome. But a primary? That’s an entirely different story.
In New Jersey, only registered Democrats and Unaffiliated voters can cast a ballot in the Democratic primary. Because most voters don’t realize the power of primaries, turnout is always much lower than in a general election. In the last New Jersey gubernatorial race, approximately 2.6 million people voted in the general election, but in the last contested Democratic primary, that number was just 600,000. That means our community’s vote counts four to five times more in a primary than it does in November.
Now, let’s break it down even further. If 20,000 Lakewood voters show up, that’s 3.41% of the total primary vote—a significant percentage that could absolutely tip the scales in a tight race. But Lakewood isn’t alone. Other Orthodox Jewish communities throughout New Jersey, including Bergen, Deal, Clifton, and Passaic, are also backing Josh Gottheimer. If they bring in another 20,000 votes, that puts us at 40,000 frum votes in a crowded primary where the winner will likely only need around 125,000 to clinch victory. That means frum voters could provide a staggering 32% of the total vote needed to win the nomination – if we only bothered to show up and cast a ballot.
The Smart Move
Elections are about more than just voting for the candidate we like the most in November. They are about strategy, influence, and securing the best possible outcome for our kehilla.
If we sit out, we risk ending up with a Democratic nominee who is openly antagonistic toward frum Jews—someone who will push policies that undermine our yeshivos and religious freedoms. But if we act and participate in the Democratic primary – even if we don’t plan on voting for a Democrat in the general election – we can help ensure that Josh Gottheimer, a moderate Democrat and the only candidate on the Democratic side who has shown real support for us, wins the nomination instead.
The question is not whether we have power. We do. The numbers don’t lie. The question is only whether we are willing to use it. Now is the time to take action. Now is the time to make our voices heard in the Democratic primary for governor and deliver a resounding message to Trenton: our voices and our community’s needs matter.