These are the issues NJ legislative candidates aren't really talking about this fall

Editor's note: In advance of the Nov. 7 election, which will decide control of the New Jersey Legislature, NorthJersey.com and the USA TODAY Network are exploring the issues driving Democratic and Republican campaigns.

While much attention is often paid to what politicians are talking about, the topics that they aren’t addressing can often be more interesting.

Historically, voter turnout in New Jersey is low during years when there is no headliner, like a gubernatorial or presidential race, at the top of the ticket. The same can be expected this year.

So while every voter, and candidate, has topics they care strongly about, the ones that will drive turnout receive the most attention when there are no statewide or federal campaigns to motivate voters.

That means other topics end up lost in the shuffle. All 120 seats in the Legislature are up for grabs, and some ballots have already been cast, both by mail and during early in-person voting.

Jeanette Hoffman, a Republican political consultant, said most issues have taken a back seat to things like "parental rights" and pocketbook issues during this campaign cycle.

“Republicans did very well up and down the ticket in 2021 talking about Governor Murphy’s out-of-touch, expensive policies,” she said.

She also noted that inspiring voters to head to the polls plays a part in choosing what issues to focus on but that she doesn’t think “Republicans need as much help in turning out their base given the current environment and issues.”

That’s not the only reason candidates pick certain issues to campaign on.

Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, said campaigns typically focus on one or two issues simply because if they are covering too many topics, they really aren’t focused at all. He also noted that picking a topic to receive attention is usually because it will be “effective” at the polls or will stand out against another candidate.

Veterans' homes

When the Department of Justice issued a scathing report in September about the pandemic response at New Jersey's veterans' homes, Republicans called for an investigation. State senators including Joe Pennacchio and Kristin Corrado sent a letter saying as much to Senate President Nick Scutari, but attention has since faded.

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Guns

As campaign season entered the home stretch, tragedy struck in Maine, leaving 18 dead and even more injured in another mass shooting incident. The gun debate was at the forefront of people’s minds, but closer to home it was still not much of a campaign talking point.

The state is embroiled in litigation related to the concealed carry law signed by the governor late last year, limiting the places guns are allowed, but beyond some remarks by legislative leaders about that, it wasn’t much of a talking point.

“Nothing represents a bigger potential change in our way of life," Rasmussen said. "So why we haven't had more discussion about those who are working to bring these changes to New Jersey is really puzzling, except maybe there's a feeling it needs to be more immediate and near-term in order for voters to feel a sense of urgency about it."

Asylum seekers

While New Jersey is considered a “sanctuary state,” when there was the possibility of asylum seekers arriving in Atlantic City courtesy of the federal government, the tune on that shifted pretty quickly.

Gov. Phil Murphy opposed the potential Biden administration plan last month by citing the strain on state resources to accommodate them. Most candidates agreed that it should not happen in New Jersey, so the issue isn’t something they are talking about in the first place, even if it is grabbing attention on the national level.

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Judicial vacancies

Something that may not be on anyone’s mind, until it has to be, is just what havoc the judicial vacancy crisis is wreaking on the state’s court system. Hunterdon, Somerset and Warren haven’t had a civil or marital trial since February, and Passaic County was put on hiatus in July. That means no trials for things like divorce or custody.

In May, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner said that if a seat is left vacant for a few months, the impact can be “modest.” But, he said, when judicial seats are left open for years, which has been the case throughout the state, significant delays can be expected.

“Every case has its own story. Every case matters,” Rabner said. “This problem will not simply go away. For the judiciary as a whole, we need to see the number of vacancies reduced to a more manageable level of no more than 25 to 30 positions.”

But no judges have been appointed since June, and while 18 nominations are pending, there are still no Senate Judiciary Committee meetings on the calendar. The state has 64 vacancies now and is expecting one more each in November and December.

Katie Sobko covers the New Jersey Statehouse. Email: sobko@northjersey.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ election 2023: Issues candidates aren't talking about