Lakewood Voters Head to Polls With Congressional, Township, School Board and County Races on Ballot

Voters across Lakewood and Ocean County are heading to the polls today, Tuesday, November 3, for the 2026 General Election, with several important federal, county, and local contests on the ballot, along with two public questions affecting local education governance and county property taxes.

Polling locations throughout New Jersey opened at 6:00 a.m. and will remain open until 8:00 p.m. Any voter who is in line at their designated polling location by 8:00 p.m. is entitled to cast a ballot.

This year’s election includes contests for the United States Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, the Ocean County Board of Commissioners, the Lakewood Township Committee, the Lakewood Board of Fire Commissioners, and the Lakewood Board of Education.

Four candidates are competing for one of New Jersey’s seats in the United States Senate:

U.S. House of Representatives — 4th Congressional District

Congressman Chris Smith, who represents Lakewood and portions of Ocean and Monmouth counties, is seeking reelection to another two-year term in the House of Representatives.

Two candidates are competing for one three-year term:

The Ocean County Board of Commissioners oversees county government operations, services, infrastructure, and budgetary matters.

Four candidates are competing for two three-year seats on the Lakewood Township Committee:

The Township Committee is Lakewood’s municipal governing body, responsible for local policies, municipal spending, development matters, and other township operations.

Three candidates are seeking two three-year seats:

The Board of Fire Commissioners oversees the Lakewood Fire District, including fire protection services, department resources, and financial administration.

Two candidates filed petitions for the three positions appearing on the ballot:

Question 1: Ocean County Natural Lands Trust Fund

Ocean County voters will decide whether to authorize an increase in the dedicated tax rate supporting the county’s Natural Lands Trust Fund.

The program helps finance the preservation of environmentally sensitive properties, open space, and other qualifying land throughout Ocean County.

Approval would authorize the proposed tax-rate increase, while rejection would leave the existing rate unchanged.

Question 2: Reducing the Lakewood Board of Education From Nine Members to Seven

Lakewood voters will decide whether the Board of Education should be reduced from nine elected members to seven.

A YES vote would approve the reduction, effective January 1, 2027. Only one of the three board seats expiring at the end of 2026 would be filled, eliminating the other two positions.

A NO vote would preserve the current nine-member board.

No sitting board member would be removed before the expiration of their existing term.

Lakewood voters must report to their assigned Election Day polling location. Unlike early voting, residents cannot vote at any polling site in the county.

The following locations are listed for Lakewood’s election districts:

Voters should confirm their assigned location using the official Ocean County Clerk election information at https://clerk.co.ocean.nj.us/frmElectionServices before traveling, particularly if they have recently moved or are unsure of their election district.

Residents who have not yet returned their completed mail-in ballots still have several options available today.

Completed ballots can be deposited in an authorized Ocean County ballot drop box by 8:00 p.m., delivered directly to the Ocean County Board of Elections by the deadline, or returned through the mail with a valid Election Day postmark.

Voters returning ballots by mail should ensure they are postmarked no later than November 3.

Once polls close at 8:00 p.m., election officials will begin reporting results from races across Ocean County and New Jersey.

The outcome of several local contests, particularly the Lakewood Township Committee, Board of Education, and public questions, will determine decisions affecting municipal operations, schools, and county programs in the coming years.

Unofficial results will be made available through the Ocean County Clerk’s election results portal as ballots are counted.