Governor orders special elections to fill Rep. Donald Payne Jr.’s unexpired term

by Dana DiFilippo, New Jersey Monitor

Gov. Phil Murphy has ordered special elections to be held in July and September to fill the unexpired term of Rep. Donald Payne Jr., who died last month after suffering a heart attack.

Murphy issued a writ of election Friday afternoon setting a special primary election on July 16 and a special general election on Sept. 18.

Nomination petitions for candidates seeking a party nomination are due before 4 p.m. on May 10, 2024, which is next Friday afternoon. Direct nominations by petition for independent candidates must be filed by July 16.

Completed candidate petitions can either be hand-delivered or mailed to the Division of Elections in Trenton, but there are some strict guidelines.

Payne, 65, was serving his sixth term and running for reelection in North Jersey’s 10th Congressional District when he passed away on April 24 after spending 18 days in the hospital. Payne replaced his father, who also died while in office, in 2012.

Murphy’s announcement comes one day after the Congressman’s funeral in Newark.

The district covers parts of Essex, Hudson, and Union counties.