“If you don’t vote, then don’t complain,” said Sue O’Donnell, a 56-year-old mom from Hazlet. She expressed that too many people fight over political views, but most of them do not participate in many elections.  

O’Donnell said she has voted in every election since she turned 18 and will be voting next Tuesday, Nov. 6, but she was very private when asked about who she’s voting for.  

Others on Brookdale’s campus are more vocal about their views. “I would vote Democratic because I’m against Trump, and everything he stands for,” said a 49-year-old woman from Eatontown who wanted to remain anonymous. “I don’t like or appreciate the name calling, wasting our money whenever he goes on vacation and separating a lot of families. It’s not right, I think that he’s a bully. 

“When Trump was campaigning, he made hurtful remarks about an ethnic group voting. I was really hurt by those remarks because I’m Jewish, and he can’t change my mind about him,” she said. 

“Of course (I’m voting), I’m an American citizen,” said Marie Jen, a 52-year-old professor from Neptune. Jen, who is a Democrat, said she always votes and feels it’s her American duty.  

“I vote every year because I feel like that makes me a good citizen,” said George Ziggens, a 62-year-old BCC staff member from Farmingdale. Ziggens said he will split his ticket and is concerned about the race for the House of Representatives. “If you want to make a difference, you should get behind that ballot.”  Many citizens feel that when they vote that they are part of making a change.  

            “I don’t support the American party system,” said Andrew Sbarro, a 17-year-old social science major from Mahwah. Though Sbarro is only 17 and cannot legally vote, he still has strong opinions.  

Sbarro said he will never vote in an election until the two-party system is no longer in place. He feels as if this is a way for government to cheat the system, as only two nominees have an ability to be elected.  

“Between work and school, I don’t have the time to be so involved and vote,” said Derral Supada, an 18-year-old computer science student from Hazlet, who said he has not registered and feels undereducated in this upcoming election.  

Monmouth County voters have a lot of decisions to make next week. Running for the Board of Chosen Freeholders are Amber Gesslein, Larry Luttrell on the Democratic ticket, the Republicans Susan M. Kiley, Gerard P. Scharfenberger, and  Brendan Maroney and, John P. Curley, both independents. New Jersey’s 4th Congressional candidates are Chris Smith, Republican, Josh Welle, Democrat, Michael Rufo, Brian Reynolds, Edward Stackhouse Jr., Felicia Stoler and Allen Yusufov, all independent. For U.S. Senate, incumbent Bob Menendez, Democrat, faces challenger Bob Hugin, Republican.

The polls are open Nov.6 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.  

“It’s important, and I don’t know why I’m not registered, but I need to be,” said Caroline Zonis, a 20-year-old English student from Manalapan.