• Barack Obama defeated John McCain in New Jersey in the 2008 presidential election, which awarded him 15 electoral votes. Barack Obama went on to win the presidency, giving an acceptance speech in Chicago, Illinois, where he thanked his family and staff.

  In the senate race in New Jersey, Democrat Frank Lautenberg defeated republican Richard Zimmer. The Associated Press projected that both would win in the state when the polls closed.The Star-Ledger: New Jerseyans pick Barack Obama and Frank Lautenberg (November 4, 2008)

• 1. CNN Preliminary Election Results (10: 07 PM EST):
  2. • Barack Obama
     : 56%
  3. • John McCain
     : 43%
  4. • Precincts reporting
     : 78%CNN: New Jersey Election 2008 Results
  5. Electoral votes: 15
  6. Polls open: 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  7. Current polls: Democratic candidate Barack Obama has a strong lead against GOP candidate John McCain.Real Clear Politics: NJ Polls
  8. Registered voters: 5.3 millionNJ Registered Voters by Party: New Jersey Voters
  9. As of October 24, 2008 more than 200,000 of the state's registered voters had applied for absentee ballotsNewsday: [1]
  10. Democratic Primary/Caucus winner: Hillary Rodham Clinton
  11. Republican Primary/Caucus winner: John McCain

• Background

  Polls in the state are open on Election Day, November 4, 2008, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. New Jersey generally favors Democratic candidates. Current polls show Democratic candidate Barack Obama with a strong lead against GOP candidate John McCain.Real Clear Politics: NJ Polls For the first time in presidential politics in New Jersey, voters no longer have to give a reason for applying for absentee ballots.Newsday: NJ Absentee Ballots In New Jersey politics, 84-year-old Frank Lautenberg, a Democrat, hopes to be elected to a fifth-term in the Senate.Associated Press: In NJ Senate race, incumbent faces ex-congressman

• Other New Jersey Races

  • Senate:
    • CNN Preliminary Election Results:

  1. • Frank Lautenberg: 55% (Winner)
     • Richard Zimmer: 43%
     • Precincts reporting: 78%CNN: New Jersey Election 2008 Results

  • • Incumbent: Frank Lautenberg (D)
    • Challenger: Dick Zimmer (R)
    • Recent poll numbers: As of October 29, 2008, Zimmer trails by 22 percent according to Quinnipiac University Polling InstituteAssociated Press: In NJ Senate race, incumbent faces ex-congressman
  • 13 Representative
  • Various Freeholder and Sheriff elections

• Past New Jersey Winners

  • 2004: John Kerry
  • 2000: Al Gore
  • 1996: Bill Clinton
  • 1992: Bill Clinton
  • 1988: George H. W. Bush
  • 1984: Ronald Reagan
  • 1980: Ronald Reagan
  • 1976: Gerald Ford
  • 1972: Richard Nixon
  • 1968: Richard Nixon

• New Jersey Government

  • Governor: Jon Corzine
  • Attorney General: Anne Milgram
  • Senators: Frank Lautenberg (D), Robert Menendez (D)

Categories