Monmouth County Clerk Christine Hanlon said turnout so far in shore-bound, Central Jersey county hovered around the 22,000 mark for the day, in addition to the 15,000 early votes recorded.

Hanlon was a key player in New Jersey's transition from the old county party organization bracketing system to the new balloting design, aimed at election fairness.

"It's going ok - it remains to be seen by the end of the day," Hanlon told InsiderNJ, when asked about the GOP's first election with the new format, which prohibits organization bracketing.

On a legal challenge by then-U.S. Senate candidate Andy Kim, Democrats went to the current form of ballot last year.

Clerks test drove the new system last year.

There are still voters out there who have expressed confusion about the new design.

"I wouldn't say it was overwhelming, yet I will have to see after today," said Hanlon. "Certainly, for some voters it was much easier to figure out in the past. But all of the candidates and the parties have done a good job with educating people by putting it in their materials."

Hanlon herself has worked hard to educate voters about the new ballots

"We have put out voter education pieces to teach voters what was different about the ballot and what they could expect," the clerk told InsiderNJ. "From a political perspective the fact that there is no line has led to a very large field on both sides. Let's see how it plays out. With a line maybe there wouldn't be so many candidates."

The clerk is herself on the ballot this GOP Primary season, seeking her third five-year term in a showdown with Danielle Bellomo. Hanlon is running on trust, experience, ethics and transparency.