Today is election day here in Gloucester Township and the rest of the state. Because the county organization “line” system was eliminated for this election, the race is wide open, with candidates relying on their individual platforms, county endorsements, and fundraising to stand out. If you’ve made it this far and haven’t thought about who you are voting for, here’s a little info we dug up that may give you a little into on each contested race.
Democrat – United States House of Representatives
George Norcross
George Norcross is running unopposed in the primary.
Democrat – United States Senate
Corey Booker
Corey Booker is running unopposed in the primary.
Democrat – Camden County Commissioners
In the Camden County Democratic Primary, voters are choosing two nominees to run for the Board of Commissioners in November. The race pits two long-serving incumbents against two progressive challengers.
The Incumbents: Louis Cappelli, Jr. & Jonathan L. Young Sr.
Louis Cappelli, Jr. has been a Commissioner for over 20 years and currently serves as the Board Director. Jonathan L. Young Sr. has served on the board since 2015. They are running together under the official “Camden County Democrat Committee, Inc.” banner.
- Platform Focus: The incumbents are running on their established record of county management. Their platform emphasizes fiscal responsibility—specifically noting recent reductions in the county tax rate while property values have increased. They also highlight their oversight of infrastructure projects (like the 32-mile trail from the Ben Franklin Bridge to Winslow) and their management of community services, including public safety, health departments, and distributing millions in American Rescue Plan funds to small businesses and nonprofits. Young frequently champions the county’s reentry programs for the formerly incarcerated.
- Reasons to Vote For Them:
- Experience & Stability: They represent known quantities with decades of combined experience managing the county’s $300+ million budget and complex administration.
- Fiscal Record: Voters prioritizing consistent tax rates and economic development may approve of their recent budgets and oversight of property value growth.
- Institutional Power: As the establishment candidates, they have deep ties to local, state, and federal resources, which helps secure funding and execute large-scale county projects.
- Reasons Not to Vote For Them:
- Desire for Change: If you believe the county has been run by the same political establishment for too long, they represent the status quo.
- Labor & Community Friction: The current Board has faced recent public pressure regarding stalled contract negotiations and wage disputes with the unionized Camden County library workers, which may trouble pro-labor voters.
The Challengers: Vonetta Hawkins & Constance Mercedes
Hawkins (a real estate professional and CEO from Laurel Springs) and Mercedes (from Camden) are running as a ticket under the “South Jersey Progressive Democrats” banner.
- Platform Focus: The challengers represent a progressive insurgency against the entrenched Camden County Democratic machine. The South Jersey Progressive Democrats generally campaign on platforms of increased transparency, stronger environmental protections, and challenging corporate interests. Specifically, the group has been active recently in advocating for fair contracts for county library workers and pushing back against local municipalities allowing corporations to draw more water from the Pinelands aquifer. They also advocate for more direct community input on environmental justice issues, such as scrapyard operations in Camden.
- Reasons to Vote For Them:
- Progressive Values: If you align with stronger environmental protections, aggressive pro-labor stances, and a focus on marginalized communities, their platform is tailored to those issues.
- Challenging the Machine: They represent a direct challenge to the traditional county party organization, offering a vote for new voices, outside perspectives, and increased transparency in how the county operates.
- Reasons Not to Vote For Them:
- Lack of Government Experience: Neither candidate has the executive government experience of the incumbents, which could be a concern for voters prioritizing immediate competence in managing a massive county budget and administrative bureaucracy.
- Challenging Bureaucracy: Because they are running outside the established party structure, they may face more friction in executing their agenda if elected to a board still dominated by establishment members.
Making Your Choice
Your decision largely comes down to what you prioritize in local government:
- If you value experienced management, fiscal stability, and large-scale infrastructure projects, the Cappelli/Young ticket represents that continuity.
- If you prioritize environmental justice, disrupting the political establishment, and shifting county priorities toward progressive labor and community issues, the Hawkins/Mercedes ticket aligns with those goals.
Republican – United States Senator – 1st Congressional District
The winner of this four-way Republican race will go on to challenge incumbent Democratic Senator Cory Booker in the November general election.
Because the county organization “line” system was eliminated for this election, the race is wide open, with candidates relying on their individual platforms, county endorsements, and fundraising to stand out.
Here is a detailed breakdown of each candidate, their platform, and the political arguments for and against them to help you make your choice.
Robert Lebovics
Lebovics is an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor) from Englewood running under the slogan “America First Always.”
- Platform Focus: Healthcare reform. He is heavily focused on “getting Washington out of the exam room” and removing bureaucratic interference in medical care. ballotpedia.org
- The Case For: If healthcare policy is your top priority, his direct experience as a physician gives him firsthand knowledge of the system. He is also the best-funded candidate in the field, raising nearly $150,000 as of mid-May, which shows a stronger ability to self-fund or attract donors than his rivals.
- The Case Against: Lebovics lacks prior elected experience. He has also struggled to build institutional support, having secured zero county Republican Party endorsements, which could make it difficult to organize a statewide campaign against a well-funded incumbent in November. ballotpedia.org
Justin Murphy
Murphy is the former Deputy Mayor of Tabernacle, bringing prior local government experience to his campaign.
- Platform Focus: Energy independence and radical tax reform. He wants to expedite federal leasing for energy development to reduce costs. Economically, he is campaigning on abolishing the IRS and the Internal Revenue Code entirely in favor of a Flat Income Tax. ballotpedia.org
- The Case For: He is the only candidate with direct experience holding elected office. He has strong backing from conservative stalwarts, including an endorsement from 2025 GOP gubernatorial runner-up Bill Spadea, the N.J. Right to Life PAC, and three county GOP organizations (including your local Gloucester and Camden counties).
- The Case Against: His campaign is severely underfunded, reporting negative cash-on-hand in mid-May FEC filings. Additionally, proposing the complete abolition of the IRS is a massive systemic change that, while popular with some conservative bases, might alienate moderate or independent voters needed to win a statewide general election in New Jersey.
Rich Tabor
Tabor brings a background in public safety and service as an Army veteran and an active New Jersey State Police Trooper.
- Platform Focus: Public safety and inflation. His platform centers on backing law enforcement and keeping violent criminals off the streets. Economically, he wants to cut federal spending to drive down inflation and borrowing costs, and he advocates for allowing people to shop for health insurance across state lines. ballotpedia.org
- The Case For: His military and state police background makes him a strong “law and order” candidate. He has built solid institutional support with endorsements from seven county GOP organizations and a co-endorsement from the N.J. Right to Life PAC. His platform covers a broad, traditional conservative base of crime, the economy, and healthcare. en.wikipedia.org
- The Case Against: Like Lebovics and Zdan, he has no prior political or legislative experience. He also has the lowest total fundraising numbers in the field (roughly $10,600 as of mid-May), which raises questions about his campaign’s ability to compete on a statewide level.
Alex Zdan
Zdan is a former local television news reporter and conservative political commentator.
Platform Focus: Tech monopolies and drug prices. He is heavily campaigning on enforcing anti-trust laws to break up “Big Tech” companies, arguing they censor American viewpoints and harm children. He also focuses on driving down prescription drug costs. ballotpedia.org
- The Case For: Thanks to his career in television, he has the highest natural name recognition among the candidates. He has also secured the most establishment support, winning endorsements from nine county Republican Parties (including Burlington and Monmouth) and the Newark Freedom Caucus.
- The Case Against: He lacks experience in public office, the military, or healthcare administration. Additionally, voters whose primary daily concerns are local inflation, energy costs, or property taxes might find his heavy focus on national tech monopolies and internet censorship less relevant to their immediate needs.
At a Glance: Campaign Resources & Support
| Candidate | Background | County Endorsements | Total Raised (mid-May) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Lebovics | Physician | 0 | $149,407 |
| Alex Zdan | TV News Reporter | 9 | $40,535 |
| Justin Murphy | Former Deputy Mayor | 3 | $15,454 |
| Rich Tabor | State Trooper / Army Vet | 7 | $10,615 |
Republican – United States House of Representatives
Damon Galdo
Damon Galdo is the only Republican candidate running for the House.
Republican – Camden County Commissioners
Robert Stone
Robert Stone is the official candidate endorsed by the Camden County Regular Republican Party who will appear on today’s printed ballot.
Here is a breakdown of his background and campaign for the Board of Commissioners:
- Background: Stone is a resident of Stratford. He brings over 32 years of experience as a 911 responder and emergency medical services (EMS) professional. A graduate of the Camden County College EMT program, he has worked across several local communities, including Stratford, Waterford, and Gloucester Township. Outside of public safety, he also has corporate experience holding management positions in Fortune 500 companies.
- Political History: Prior to his current run for County Commissioner, Stone previously ran for the Stratford Borough Council in the 2022 Republican primary.
- Platform Focus: His campaign leans heavily heavily on his dual background in emergency services and corporate management. He is advocating for stronger public safety and better emergency response protocols across the county, while pointing to his Fortune 500 management experience as proof of his organizational and leadership skills.
- Current Campaign Status: Unlike his running mate Shane Bernat, Stone successfully filed his petition and his name will be printed directly on the Republican primary ballot today.
Because he is the only Republican candidate printed on the ballot for two available commissioner seats, the county Republican Party is urging voters to select Stone and then manually write in Bernat for the second slot.
Shane Bernat
Because Shane Bernat is running a write-in campaign, his platform and public presence are much more limited than the candidates whose names appear on the ballot. However, here is what is known about his background and campaign for Camden County Commissioner:
- Background: Bernat is a resident of Atco (Winslow Township). He has a background as a first responder, having graduated from the Camden County College emergency medical technician (EMT) program. He transitioned into the private sector and currently works as an entrepreneur and real estate investor. www.camdencountyrepublicans.com
- Political History: Bernat ran as a Republican candidate for Camden County Commissioner in the November 2025 general election for an unexpired term, though he was unsuccessful in that race. www.njpen.com
- Current Campaign Status: He initially filed to run in today’s 2026 Republican primary as a candidate for the Camden County Regular Republican Party. However, his name will not appear on the ballot due to an incomplete petition filing. The county Republican party is now asking voters to write him in to secure their second nominee spot alongside Robert Stone.
- Platform Focus: His official campaign biography leans heavily on his dual background in emergency response and real estate. His messaging focuses on applying his business insights to county government, specifically advocating for “bold redevelopment,” “economic growth,” and “fiscal responsibility.” www.camdencountyrepublicans.com
Because he is not on the printed ballot, if you wish to vote for him, you will need to manually write his name in the designated write-in section on the voting machine.