An energized Mikie Sherrill voted in her hometown of Montclair this morning amid a lot of back chatter about weather and what it means in terms of Election Day turnout, vote by mail ballots, and alleged voter confusion about balloting.

The rain appears to favor a candidate like Steve Sweeney - at least early. The South Jersey labor leader amassed huge totals out of South Jersey heading into Election Day today.

But that could change by the end of the day when North Jersey voters start showing up - if they show up.

Progressive voters make the case too for Steve Fulop, who has a dedicated following, and have spent time going through the political paces with their technocratically inclined leader.

The reality is all of the candidates on the Democratic side can make a case for how they will cope with both the rain ballots that scrap the old bracketing system in an attempt at election fairness.

Sherrill campaigned last night in Union City, where she has the key backing of local mayor (and state senator) Brian P. Stack. If Fulop was fighting on his home turf of Hudson County, Sherrill - in part by virtue of her support from Stack and Hudson County Executive Craig Guy - appeared to keep pace.

Essex - 6K voter turnout on Election Day as of 8 a.m. - featured another showdown, between Sherrill and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.

And then there was Middlesex, where Speaker Craig Coughlin and Middlesex County Democratic Committee Chairman Kevin McCabe went all in with Sherrill, and where VBM totals show an engaged party organization.

Sources in South Bergen described heavy flooding and anemic voter activity, in an early afternoon snapshot that could change by the time polls close at 8 p.m. and voters go to the polls after work.