AREA — New Jersey voters chose Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill as the candidates to compete for the state’s Governor in November.

Rep. Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor who was first elected to serve as a congresswoman in New Jersey’s 11th District in 2018, beat out five fellow Democrats with 34 percent of the vote, according to the Associated Press.

Mr. Ciattarelli, a former assemblyman and public accountant, won a decisive victory against four fellow Republicans, garnering 67.8 percent of the vote. In his previous run for Governor four years ago, Mr. Ciattarelli came just 3 percent shy of beating Governor Phil Murphy.

This was the first Primary election with new ballot rules that prevented county party chairs from controlling column positioning, as had been practice for decades before courts ruled it illegal.

While Rep. Sherrill was the victor, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka came in second, with 20.4 percent of the vote; Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop came in third, with 15.9 percent; Congressman Josh Gottheimer took fourth, with 11.8 percent; New Jersey Education Association President Sean Spiller garnered 10.7 percent and former State Senate President Stephen Sweeney received just 7.2 percent of the vote.

Republicans were more decisive in their choice of Mr. Ciattarelli, who despite prior criticism of the President, received the endorsement of Donald Trump. Conservative radio talk-show host Bill Spadea came in second place, with 21.9 percent of the vote; Westfield resident and State Senator Jon Bramnick came away with 6.2 percent of the vote, and Mario Kranjac, the former mayor of Englewood Cliffs who currently works as an attorney, garnered 2.7 percent.

There were no local Primary elec- tions, though a write-in effort was launched by Republicans to fill the ballot spot for November’s Westfield Fourth Ward election. Union County results show that 131 write-ins were received, but names and final vote counts were not available as of press time.