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How To Watch Election Results In New Jersey Live
Election Day is swiftly approaching, and many Americans will be more heavily invested in theresults this year than ever before. The presidential election feels incredibly high stakes for Americans on all points of the political spectrum, and whatever your political affiliation or ideology, you'll want to be paying as close attention as possible. Plus, with state and local elections potentially causing big changes, you'll want your coverage to be as specific as possible, too. Here's how to watch real time election results in New Jersey, because you don't want to miss a second of the reporting.
Neither New Jersey senator, Cory Booker and Bob Menendez, is up for reelection this cycle nor, to many citizens' dismay, is Gov. Chris Christie, so New Jerseyans will have a slightly shorter ballot than some other states. There are two potential amendments to the state constitution: one to legalize gambling in the rest of the state rather than just Atlantic City, and one to decide whether to give more money to the state public transportation system (if you've ever been on the PATH or NJ Transit, you know this desperately needs to be approved).
Depending on where you live, you could also be voting in any number of local elections this year, like for the sheriff, country surrogate, or a borough council member. Be sure to watch out for these results in addition to the presidential election, because they could have a big impact on your town and state. Here's how you can follow along.
Social Media
Your best bet of specific and timely information on social media is to follow local print journalists on Twitter — the platform allows for quick and succinct dissemination of information, which is almost always followed up by more in-depth pieces later.
The state's biggest newspapers will be a good source, so follow their main accounts as well as their beat reporters. Wayne Parry, a reporter for the Associated Press, covers the Atlantic City gambling business, and should definitely have a lot to say about the pending constitutional amendment, so be sure to follow him, too. Politico New Jersey's Twitter account should also have great and specific coverage.
Generally, though, remember that you shouldn't trust anything you see on Facebook without thorough verification, since information from your friends isn't as reliable as information straight from the source.
Television
The problem with television is that member stations will usually revert coverage to the networks for most of the night and only do periodic updates on the local elections.
Thirteen, the PBS station, might be your best bet for television — it's scheduled to show the PBS NewsHour Election Night special between 8 p.m. and midnight, but may cut to the local station to show what's going on in the New Jersey election. NJ.com should also be following their live stream tradition to help you supplement the televised coverage.
Also, YouTube will be streaming NBC, PBS, MTV, Bloomberg, Telemundo and The Young Turks on Election Day, starting at 7 p.m. EST.
Radio
Public radio is typically a great source for election information, but it's a little complicated for New Jerseyans. WNYC and WFUV, two of the top New Jersey stations, are actually based in New York, and are therefore more likely to cover their local elections than New Jersey's. If your primary interest is the presidential election, however, that should be a perfectly good source. Be sure to tune in to a New Jersey-based station like WNJT, WNJP, or WNJO to get the best local coverage, and check here to find their frequency and website.
New Jersey has a long tradition of political involvement, so it's up to you to keep that going. Thanks to social media, you can not only follow along with the results as they come in, but lend your voice to the crucial political conversation too. New Jerseyans also have a lot to say, so watch the results and engage in political dialogue too.