Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania hold key elections Tuesday

Voters across the country – particularly in Virginia, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania – will head to the polls next month for off-year elections that could offer an early reading of the strength of the two parties heading into 2026.

The Virginia races include governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general and were brought to the forefront of the national consciousness by the murder scandal involving Democratic candidate for attorney general, Jay Jones.

Virginia law now allows voters to register to vote on the same day as the election. If anyone chooses this route, they will be asked to vote provisionally; that is, a ballot paper which is then supposed to be checked against the electoral roll and other information.

Every county, from urban Arlington to far-flung Lee, must also have at least one secure drop box. Voters can usually find them outside county offices, courthouses or libraries.

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A voter places her absentee ballot in a drop box in Troy, Michigan, October 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, file)

Early voting in Virginia will run through Saturday, November 1, ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, November 4.

Key issues in Virginia’s elections include how candidates align on transgender debates in bathrooms and school sports, with Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears accusing Democrat Abigail Spanberger of failing to stand up for Virginia’s children.

That topic, along with Jones’ texts contemplating the murder of a former GOP leader, led Earle-Sears to repeatedly intervene in what she considered vague or indirect responses from Spanberger during their only debate held in Hampton Roads.

Earle-Sears warned Smyth County voters Thursday that Democrats would continue their previous efforts to suppress fossil fuel development — which she said would not only affect jobs in the coal and gas-rich Southwest but also every Virginian’s electric bill.

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During the lieutenant governor race, businessman and commentator John Reid criticized Democrat Ghazala Hashmi for refusing to debate him — with Reid creating an AI version of the Chesterfield senator to try to get the public to see the stark differences between their policy proposals.

Jones continues to be embroiled in scandal, as Attorney General Jason Miyares focused during his own debate in Richmond on the contrast between a candidate trying to be the state’s top law enforcement officer while having a criminal record and a short-tempered character according to the texts, and a candidate who has no such baggage.

The federal government shutdown threatens the race and should help Democrats who blame not their congressional leaders but President Donald Trump for the unique effects the situation is having on the workforce there, in Maryland and theoretically in eastern West Virginia.

In New York, the future of the city’s political system hangs in the balance as a far-left congressman. Zohran Mamdani runs both Democrat-turned-independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

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Cuomo and Sliwa — typically political adversaries — have both accused Mamdani of harboring “communist” policies that would make most city services free and weaken public safety through police reforms.

Sliwa, the outspoken Republican from Canarsie who founded the Guardian Angels, said he was the only one who could keep New York safe and solvent.

But his third-place finish led to debates with ideologically aligned colleagues, like fellow radio host Sid Rosenberg, over his potential role as a spoiler. Sliwa suggested last week that he would never appear on 77WABC again after his colleagues reportedly abandoned him.

Cuomo has positioned himself as the moderate, relying on his characteristic Queens wit to fend off attacks from both rivals. Yet his resignation, pandemic-era controversies and resolved sexual misconduct allegations continue to cloud his campaign.

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Uganda-born Mamdani continues to face criticism for his far-left proposals, including free public transportation, rent freezes and closing Rikers Island.

Early voting in New York will run through November 3.

Across the Hudson, New Jersey is shaping up to be Republicans’ best chance to flip a blue state — as former Rep. Jack Ciattarelli made headway over Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J.

As with other elections, affordability is leading the vote, and Ciattarelli has picked up several cross-party endorsements, including in well-established blue Hudson County — where Democrats like imprisoned Robert Menendez Sr. have made names for themselves.

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Trump has endorsed candidates in New Jersey, but not for the Virginia gubernatorial race. He supported Miyares for attorney general.

Pennsylvanians face a unique off-year election with three Democratic Supreme Court justices awaiting retention — or a vote to keep them in office for another 10 years.

It is extremely rare for such elections to see the “No” column win – which would trigger a new election for any jurist who loses more than 50% of voter confidence.

Justices David Wecht, Christine Donohue and Kevin Dougherty all face immense opposition from the right – particularly for their decisions to keep the state closed in accordance with the wishes of then-Gov. Tom Wolf and his administration during the coronavirus pandemic.

The aftermath of Pennsylvania’s shutdown — during which Wolf adopted policies often mirroring those of Cuomo — has been somewhat divided among those who continue to receive criticism.

Although Wolf was term limited, many of his colleagues from the time, including then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, remain at the highest levels of government. Shapiro enjoys high approval ratings as an outgoing governor and is touted as a potential 2028 presidential contender – while Republicans have notably directed their anger at the judges for their role.

Counties have the option of using drop boxes, while larger counties, like Philadelphia and Allegheny, must have several, according to reports.

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Pennsylvania’s election system has been lambasted for its long counting delays — which often stem from its policy that absentee ballots received by the county cannot even be prepared (or “pre-prepared”) for tabulation before 7 a.m. ET on Election Day.

Of all the large states that hold elections, only Virginia has an actual voter ID law.