it's election day in New Jersey the polls are open until 8:00 pm but already the state division of Elections has recorded more than 545,000 early votes be it by mail or from the early in-person option now available residents are deciding key races in the Senate assembly local County and Schoolboard seats control of power in Trenton is at stake with both Democrats and Republicans hoping to make gains one of the hottest race to watch is in South Jersey's Third District where just two years ago the GOP made political history wiping Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney and his assembly slate out of the state house flipping the district red with a political newcomer Ed dur better known as Ed the trucker well now Durr is fighting to hold on to his senate seat against former longtime Democratic assemblyman John berselli as senior correspondent Brenda Flanigan reports the race is expected to come down to the the wire I'm counting on hopefully a 25 to 30% at least Republican incumbent Ed D showed up to vote in his hometown hoping enough folks cast ballots in this low-key off offe election to help him keep the senate seat he seized in a surprise upset from Steve Sweeney a couple years ago D who's deeply conservative lists parental notification and affordability as key issues it's just affordability New Jersey has not been affordable for anybody that's why everybody's leaving but in campaign ads Democrats have slammed door for his 2020 anti-abortion comments on Facebook that a woman quote does have a choice keep her legs closed words so controversial even fellow Republican candidates in other districts distance themselves from dur but today dur denied he ever said it that's a lie because I didn't do it the Facebook comments you're saying you didn't make them no I didn't make them that was not me no who was it I don't know and I'm not I'm not concerned with it I'm not concerned with the whole past because that that that was before I was even a senator those statements are his not mine uh so and he has to answer for them and whether or not that'll be reflective in what this vote is today remains to be seen Democrat John berselli is running to flip ld3 back from red to blue the 10-term former assemblyman lost when voters here swept Sweeney from office now he wants to return to Trenton on the Senate side he says this is a different race the Democrat base feels more engaged two years ago they felt they felt sort of distant uh not hostile but distant this year it's been a much different reception on doors having That Base active uh can make the difference in a low turnout year voter turnout as expected is very light as for votes already cast and in the bank belli's got a 7,000 vote Advantage it's not impossible for dur to make up 7,000 votes on Election Day he'd have to get about 61% of all the votes that are coming out today um and he needs a big vote out of today Ryder University's Mich rasm says that's a lot in an off offe election as fur's sudden disavow of the abortion comments I'm a little skeptical I'm not saying I don't believe the senator I'm saying that it's interesting that we're only hearing this um this defense on Election Day do voters think this is a conservative District despite having 10,000 more registered Democrats one voter mentioned D's abortion statement for him to make State such insensitive statements like that it's kind of rough but you voted for him anyway yeah I know I did I like John belli too but it's just a 5050 shot at that point I'm voting for bur Kelly because I figure he would do a good job yeah what makes you think that oh because I knew him for a lot of years I grew up with him of gas food everything is so high I just couldn't vote for Democrats what about not that the local guys are bad but uh you got to follow the party this District voted against Phil Murphy and for Donald Trump and it was redrawn to benefit Republicans but turnout today looks very sparse in Logan Township I'm Brenda Flanagan NJ Spotlight news