After all the lurid mail, A-I generated agony, breast-beating, semi broken hearts and supposed passion, Election Day turnout is light in key areas, according to clerks in a clutch of counties.

Somerset County Clerk Steve Peter, who mans the heart of battleground Congressional District 7 (and part of the 12th), told InsiderNJ, "It's pretty slow."

Early voting last year pegged turnout at 50%.

Today, it's at an anemic 6%.

Same in Mercer, a key county in the 12th District, where candidates battle for the seat occupied by retiring U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman.

Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello confirmed light turnout in Mercer, "a little bit heavier in Princeton."

In Cumberland, Clerk Celeste Riley (who presides over a county that contains all towns in the heavily CD-2 Democratic Primary) put the vote by mail numbers at 5.6%, and early voting at 2%.

Essex County Clerk Chris Durkin said, "Turnout is on pace with should match the 2022 Primary midterm election."

The absence of challengers to Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo and U.S. Senator Cory Booker "brings the energy down a touch," Durkin noted. Turnout is higher in the towns where there are contested primaries for local office, including Bloomfield, Livingston and Maplewood.

In Hunterdon, which falls entirely within the 7th Congressional District, home to incumbent U.S. Rep. Tom Kean, Jr. (R-7), Clerk Mary Melfi said turnout is "quiet" - four percent.

In Hudson, in an outlier, scene of a collision between U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez and challenger Mussab Ali, turnout appears higher than in most other counties. 

Significance?

Unknown. For now.

A source said the Delaney Hall situation plus Brian Stack GOTV appear to be strong contributing turnout factors, which benefit both CD-8 candidates, with an organizational advantage going to the incumbent.