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As the nation waits for the results of a historic presidential race, New Jersey also awaits the results of controversial ballot questions and tense local races that threaten to oust incumbents from office.

With still not all districts counted at 11 p.m., voters were overwhelmingly defeating a ballot question to allow casinos in North Jersey.

Ballot Question 2 — which asked voters to dedicate an unpopular gas tax hike to the Transportation Trust Fund — was headed to victory with about 54 percent of voters saying yes and 46 percent saying no.

Just 2.3 million votes had been counted at 11:00 p.m. For comparison, more than 3.5 million New Jersey voters cast ballots in the 2012 election.

Polls closed at 8 p.m. and results are expected to trickle in through the night. The Associated Press already called New Jersey for Democrat Hillary Clinton. New Jersey awards 14 Electoral College votes to the candidate who carries the state.

 

New Jersey 101.5 is updating an Electoral College map through the night as results come in across the county.

We also will post election results on the New Jersey ballot questions as counties report them to us, so check back often.

That second ballot question had received fierce opposition from some corners with a #VoteNoOnTwo campaign whipped up by New Jersey 101.5 morning host Bill Spadea. Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno broke with Gov. Chris Christie by coming out against the question. State Sens. Ray Lesniak, D-Union, and Mike Doherty, R-Warren, and U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance, R-N.J. 7th District, also urged voters to say no.

We're also following the close race in the 5th Congressional district between U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett and Democrat Josh Gottheimer. With most votes counted at 10:50 p.m., Gottheimer was leading the Republican incumbent with 52 percent with a landslide victory in Bergen County. The district also includes Passaic, Sussex and Warren counties.

In Monmouth County, where Democratic challengers mounted a serious challenge, the Republican incumbent sheriff, surrogate and two freeholders appeared to heading to victory with a comfortable lead.

Ballot Question No. 1 vote totals (unofficial results, most districts reporting, as of 1 a.m. Wednesday)

YESNO
STATE TOTAL730,3492,009,659
ATLANTIC89,9566,065
BERGEN76,355211,906
BURLINGTON25,32589,147
CAMDEN29,312115,664
CAPE MAY33,0023,527
CUMBERLAND6,04235,210
ESSEX55,302143,544
GLOUCESTER20,92799,569
HUDSON42,07392,806
HUNTERDON12,31742,700
MERCER28,21693,464
MIDDLESEX54,331185,848
MONMOUTH55,002199,415
MORRIS41,474139,468
OCEAN36,093195,874
PASSAIC32,67676,433
SALEM6,94522,377
SOMERSET19,57366,260
SUSSEX22,63950,956
UNION33,034110,422
WARREN9,75529,004

Ballot Question No. 2 vote totals (unofficial results, most districts reporting, as of 1 a.m. Wednesday)

YESNO
STATE TOTAL1,447,9841,224,975
ATLANTIC49,33043,695
BERGEN175,94698,046
BURLINGTON60,42453,899
CAMDEN72,07173,466
CAPE MAY20,79215,620
CUMBERLAND18,71820,244
ESSEX122,34872,227
GLOUCESTER58,73961,205
HUDSON73,46947,364
HUNTERDON28,69432,830
MERCER60,70358,666
MIDDLESEX121,046117,475
MONMOUTH123,547130,057
MORRIS108,09671,339
OCEAN106,905124,750
PASSAIC63,38443,840
SALEM2,2726,543
SOMERSET45,65239,241
SUSSEX43,79429,417
UNION74,23064,356
WARREN17,82420,695

Sergio Bichao is deputy digital editor at New Jersey 101.5. Send him news tips: Call 609-438-1015 or email sergio.bichao@townsquaremedia.com.

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