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

Voters across the country — especially in Virginia, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania — will head to the polls next month for an off-year election that could offer an early read on the strength of both parties heading into 2026.

Virginia’s races include governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, and have been brought to the forefront of the national conscience by the murder transcript scandal that has eclipsed Democratic attorney general nominee Jay Jones.

Virginia law now allows voters to register to vote on the same day as the election. If someone chooses this route, they will be asked to cast a provisional ballot; This means a ballot that is later supposed to be checked against the voter register and other information.

Every county from urban Arlington to outlying Lee is also required to have at least one secure drop box. Voters can usually find them outside county offices, courthouses, or libraries.

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Early voting in Virginia continues until Saturday, November 1, before Election Day on Tuesday, November 4.

Key issues in the Virginia races include how candidates line up over transgender bathrooms and school sports debates, with Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earl Sears accusing Democrat Abigail Spanberger of failing to stand up for Virginia’s children.

This topic, combined with Jones’s scripts depicting the murder of a former Republican Party leader, led Earl Sears to repeatedly interject what she considered Spanberger’s vague or indirect answers in their only debate, held in Hampton Roads.

Earl Sears warned voters in Smith County on Thursday that Democrats will continue their previous efforts to suppress fossil fuel development — which she said not only affects jobs in the coal- and gas-rich Southwest, but also Virginia’s electric bill.

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On the lieutenant governor’s ballot, businessman and commentator John Reed criticized Democrat Ghazala Hashmi for refusing to debate him — with Reed creating an AI-powered version of the Chesterfield senator to try to get the public to see the stark differences in their policy proposals.

Jones remains embroiled in the scandal, with District Attorney Jason Miyares focusing in their own debate in Richmond on the contradiction between a candidate trying to be the state’s top law enforcement official while carrying a criminal record and a temper on the books, and someone who has no such baggage.

The federal government shutdown looms over the race, expected to help Democrats who blame not congressional leaders but President Donald Trump for the unique effects of the situation on the workforce there, nominally in Maryland and eastern West Virginia.

In New York, the future of the city’s political system is on the ballot as a far-left member of the House of Representatives. Zahran Mamdani is led by Democrat-turned-independent Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa.

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Both Cuomo and Sliwa, usually political rivals, accused Mamdani of harboring “communist” policies that would make most city services free and weaken public safety through police reforms.

Sliwa, an outspoken Canarcian Republican who founded the Guardian Angels, said he is the only person who can guarantee New York’s safety and financial solvency.

But his position in third place led to discussions with ideologically biased colleagues such as fellow radio broadcaster Sid Rosenberg about his potential spoiler role. Last week, Saliwa suggested that he would not appear on 77WABC again after his colleagues abandoned him.

Cuomo has positioned himself as the moderate, relying on his trademark Queens wit to fend off attacks from both rivals. However, his resignation, pandemic-era controversies, and allegations of sexual misconduct continue to cast a pall over his campaign.

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Mamdani, who was born in Uganda, continues to face criticism for his far-left proposals, including free public transit, a rent freeze and closing Rikers Island.

Early voting in New York continues until November 3.

Across the Hudson, New Jersey is shaping up to be Republicans’ best chance at the heart of a blue state — with former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli making gains over Rep. Mickey Sherrill, D-N.J.

Like other elections, affordability is at the top of the ballot, and Ciattarelli has picked up several endorsements in the aisles, including in solidly blue Hudson County — where Democrats like incarcerated Robert Menendez Sr. made his name.

A new poll in the key Virginia governor’s showdown suggests a single-digit race

Trump has endorsed candidates in New Jersey, but not the Virginia governor’s race. He has endorsed Miyares for attorney general.

Pennsylvanians face a unique off-year election with three Democratic Supreme Court justices to retain — or vote to keep them on the bench for another 10 years.

It is extremely rare for such elections to see a “No” column win – which would spark a new election for any judge who loses more than 50% of voters’ confidence.

Justices David Wecht, Christine Donohue and Kevin Dougherty face massive opposition from the right — particularly to their rulings to keep the state closed under the wishes of then-Gov. Tom Wolfe and his management during the coronavirus pandemic.

In the wake of the Pennsylvania shutdown — where Wolf enacted policies that often mirrored Cuomo’s — who continues to receive criticism is somewhat divided.

While Wolf was term-limited, many of his then-aligned colleagues, including then-Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, remain at the highest levels of government. Shapiro has high approval ratings as the incumbent governor and is touted as a potential 2028 presidential figure — while Republicans have notably directed their anger at the justices for their role.

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

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

Of all the major states that hold elections, Virginia is the only one with a real voter ID law.