Polls are now closed in Virginia as voters there determine who will be the state’s next governor and attorney general.
The Center Square is monitoring vote counts and will update readers throughout the night.
VIRGINIA GOVERNOR
Republican Winsome Earl-Sears and Democrat Abigail Spanberger are competing to be Virginia’s next governor.
Earl-Sears is the current lieutenant governor of Virginia and Spanberger most recently served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Earl-Sears won alongside Republican Glenn Youngkin in 2021. The Virginia Constitution limits governors to a single four-year term, which prevented Youngkin from pursuing the governorship a second time.
Polls closed at 7 p.m. eastern.
VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL
The race for Virginia attorney general took a turn after the National Review revealed that Democrat candidate Jay Jones texted Republican state Del. Carrie Coyner about shooting former House Speaker Todd Gilbert. Jones faces incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares
“Three people, two bullets. Gilbert, hitler, and pol pot. Gilbert gets two bullets to the head,” the text from Jones to Coyner reads, referring to Gilbert and the two dictators. The National Review also reported Jones tried to call Coyner after she had objected to the message and went on to text that Gilbert and his wife were “breeding little fascists.”
Spanberger has been closely associated with Jones and Democrat candidate for lieutenant governor, Ghazala Hashmi. Often, the three candidates displayed materials advocating for voters to elect them together.
NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR
Voters in New Jersey also are electing a new governor, choosing between Democrat Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli. Sherrill has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019. Ciattarelli is a businessman and previously served as a state legislator.
Ciatterelli lost to Democrat Phil Murphy in 2021. This year, Ciattarelli has an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Polls close at 8 p.m. eastern in New Jersey.
NEW TORK CITY MAYOR
In one of the most talked about races in the country, Democrat candidate and self-proclaimed Zohran Mamdani faces Republican Curtis Sliwa and Independent and former Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Mamdani has made headlines for his socialist policies including raising taxes on wealthy residents and opening government-run grocery stores.
Polls close at 9 p.m. eastern in New York.
The Center Square will also report on elections in Michigan, Colorado, California, Washington state and elsewhere.
The Center Square reporters Andrew Rice and Shirleen Guerra contributed to this report.
