Campaigns make final get-out-the-vote push in New Jersey governor race

New Jersey Governor Campaigns Make Last-Ditch Efforts Ahead of Election Day

In the final weeks leading up to New Jersey's governor election on November 4th, both Democratic nominee Mikie Sherrill and Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli are intensifying their get-out-the-vote efforts.

Sherrill has been crisscrossing the state, attending rallies and speaking with voters in various towns. Her campaign has also been knocking on doors, making phone calls, and sending text messages to registered Democrats. These grassroots outreach efforts have resulted in over 595,000 door knocks, 2 million phone calls, and 3.9 million text messages.

Sherrill's team believes that her core supporters, including women who were inspired by her opposition to President Donald Trump, are crucial to her success in the election. Tolkowsky, a volunteer for Sherrill since 2018, has spent countless hours knocking on doors and talking with voters about her candidate. She attributes her own involvement in politics to her brother's disability and her opposition to Trump.

Meanwhile, Ciattarelli has been taking a more aggressive approach, visiting diners across the state and shaking hands with voters. He claims that his relentless schedule is necessary to win over voters who may not be familiar with him. Despite attending fewer events than Sherrill, Ciattarelli appears to be doing more outreach in traditionally Republican areas.

The polls have shown a narrowing gap between Sherrill and Ciattarelli, which has led some to believe that the Democratic nominee needs every vote possible to win. "It sounds so overly simplistic, but it's going to be won or lost on ground game and on turnout," says Ashley Koning, director of the Rutgers University Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling.

For voters like Lori Montague, who has become involved with Sherrill's campaign since 2018, her opposition to Trump is a key factor in her support. As an African American woman, she sees Sherrill as a champion for marginalized communities and believes that Ciattarelli's association with the president will hurt him in the election.

As Election Day approaches, both candidates are making final pushes to turn out their base voters. Sherrill's campaign has announced a rally in Newark featuring former President Barack Obama, while Ciattarelli continues his diner tour across the state.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around how close this election is going to be ... on one hand I'm hoping for the best for NJ and whoever wins will have their work cut out for them, but on the other hand it's kinda worrying that we're at a point where every single vote matters . I mean, both candidates are doing some pretty intense get-out-the-vote efforts, and you can tell which ones are more focused on energizing their base vs trying to win over undecideds . I'm just hoping that whoever wins will be able to bring some real change to the state instead of just perpetuating the same old politicking .

I don't usually comment but I gotta say, these campaigns are going all out for that last push... It's crazy to think about how much effort Sherrill and Ciattarelli are putting in - door knocks, phone calls, text messages... it's like they're trying to wear out their supporters! I don't know if it'll be enough to sway undecided voters or make a difference in the polls, but you gotta admire their dedication. For me, it's all about who can bring people together and represent the state's diverse communities better.

omg is it really that late in the game for these campaigns lol they're like "oh we need all your votes or else" i feel like sherrill's team should be doing more outreach to republicans too, not just democrats. and what's up with ciattarelli's diner tour? like isn't that just a fancy way of saying he can't afford a campaign plane or something? anyway i think it's cool that obama is coming out to support sherrill, but can we talk about how the polls are so narrow now? like what if turnout is super low? wouldn't that basically guarantee ciattarelli wins?

I don’t usually comment but I think it’s crazy how much effort is being put into these last few weeks leading up to the election . 595,000 door knocks, 2 million phone calls and 3.9 million text messages? That's a lot of people knocking on doors! It just goes to show that both sides are really trying to make sure everyone knows about them. I don’t know who’s going to win but it’ll be interesting to see how all these efforts pay off

I'm feeling kinda hopeful about this NJ gov election . Both candidates are really putting in the work to get out their voters, which is awesome! Sherrill's been doing some sweet grassroots outreach, and Ciattarelli's been visiting diners all over - that's a lot of hands-on voter meetups!

But seriously, I think what's important here is that these candidates are really listening to what voters care about. It's not just about throwing around slogans or promises; it's about connecting with people and understanding their pain points. And from what I've seen so far, both Sherrill and Ciattarelli seem to be doing that.

Of course, the polls have shown a tight race, which is always super tense . But at the end of the day, I think it's gonna come down to turnout - who shows up to vote? Will it be more Sherrill supporters or Ciattarelli fans? It's anyone's guess!

I'm getting so sick of these politicians thinking they can just coast on their name recognition and charisma. What about actually doing some real work? I mean, 595k door knocks is a lot of people, but it's just scratching the surface. Where are these voters even going to get their info from? Social media, maybe? And what about those who don't have a phone or internet? It's like they're not even thinking about the everyday person. I swear, if Sherrill wins, she's got to make sure she's actually listening to her people, not just her donors and party hacks

the polls are getting pretty close, it's like either candidate is gonna win or lose by like super small margin ... both sides are really crisscrossing the state trying to get out the vote, door knocks, phone calls, texts... i think its good that they're all about engaging with voters in a more personal way. my thing would be to focus on those key communities, especially women and people of color who were inspired by sherrill's stance on trump . it sounds like ciattarelli is trying really hard to make a name for himself, but i'm not sure if that's enough to overcome the fact that he's associated with trump . anyhoo, just 1 week to go and the election fever is getting real...

I think its crazy how much effort is being put into this election . Both candidates are really going all out to win over their supporters and it's awesome that people like Tolkowsky are getting involved in politics because of personal reasons . I'm curious to see who will come out on top, but I think its clear that the ground game is super important for whoever wins . And OMG, a rally with Obama? That's some serious star power ! But what really gets me is how people like Lori Montague are making their voices heard and demanding change . Fingers crossed for a positive outcome on election day