Polls are now open across New Jersey as voters head to the ballot box for Primary Election Day, with Lakewood residents set to choose party nominees for two seats on the Township Committee in what has been an otherwise quiet election season.

Polling locations opened at 6 a.m. Tuesday and will remain open until 8 p.m.

The primary follows a week of early voting, which concluded Sunday. Voters who did not participate in early voting can cast their ballots today at their assigned Election Day polling locations.

New Jersey operates a closed primary system, meaning registered Republicans may vote only in the Republican primary and registered Democrats may vote only in the Democratic primary. Unaffiliated voters may declare a party affiliation at the polls and participate in either party’s primary.

The most closely watched local contest is the race for two seats on the Lakewood Township Committee.

On the Republican side, incumbent Committeewoman Deborah Fuentes is seeking reelection and faces challenges from Aaron Hirsch and Moshe Raitzik. Republican voters may select up to two candidates, with the top two finishers advancing to the November general election.

The Lakewood Vaad endorsed Fuentes and Raitzik ahead of the primary.

Hirsch has focused much of his campaign on quality-of-life issues affecting Lakewood residents, including road construction scheduling, traffic concerns, and education funding. He has noted that Lakewood receives disproportionately low state education funding despite having the largest K-12 student population in New Jersey and has pledged to advocate for increased state support.

Raitzik, who currently serves as a Lakewood fire commissioner, has campaigned on issues including public safety, infrastructure, government transparency, and responsible development. He has called for increased oversight of new construction projects, updates to Lakewood’s master plan, expanded hazardous-road busing for students, and greater public participation in Township Committee meetings.

Fuentes has maintained a relatively low-profile public campaign, reflecting the broader subdued nature of this year’s primary season.

On the Democratic side, Mayor Ray Coles is seeking another term and is joined on the ballot by Harriet Goldberg. The Democratic slate has also largely avoided a high-profile campaign in recent weeks.

The calm atmosphere surrounding this year’s primary stands in contrast to last year’s election cycle, which featured several high-profile statewide races that drew significant attention and spending into Lakewood.

The winners of today’s Republican and Democratic primaries will advance to the November general election, where voters will ultimately decide who will fill the two Township Committee seats.