We're Transitioning Into General Election Mode
The site is being updated — stay connected as the campaign season unfolds.

Learn More As we shift from the primary to the general election season, this site is currently in a transitional phase. Over the next month or so, some pages may still reflect outdated primary content, and candidate information for the general election may appear incomplete.

This is expected. It’s still early in the season, and many candidates are just beginning to shape their campaigns. We're also waiting on official materials — including full candidate lists and contact info from sources like the Millville City Clerk — before building out new pages.

While that information trickles in, we’re using this time to raise awareness of the project:
  • We're collecting emails for our new Substack newsletter, where voters can get updates directly in their inbox.

  • We're continuing our weekly radio show on 92.1 WVLT every Tuesday from 5–6pm.

  • We'll be out at community events like the Cumberland County Fair and other public meetings to keep building trust and visibility.


Thanks for your patience while the site evolves. If you're new here, now's a great time to subscribe to email updates or catch up on our interviews and candidate transparency work so far.

📣 Connect with us:
Facebook YouTube Substack WVLT Facebook

Learn More Regarding Multiple Platforms

When I first started InformTheVoteNJ, it became clear that local election information wasn’t hard to understand — it was just hard to find.

Some candidates had websites. Others posted sporadically on social media. A few only spoke during committee meetings. There was no centralized pipeline, and voters were left to piece things together. My goal is to make those connections clearer, easier, and more consistent than when I started — no matter where you like to tune in.

🧭 Different Tools for Different People


Not everyone uses technology the same way. So instead of expecting voters to all follow one channel, I’m using a mix of formats:


  • 📬 Email Newsletters (Substack): for people who avoid social media

  • 🎥 YouTube: for people who prefer video content and interviews

  • 💬 Facebook Group: for those who like ongoing posts and discussion threads

  • 📻 WVLT 92.1 FM Radio: for those who want to tune in live on the radio, stream on Facebook, or catch prior episodes in the Facebook group

  • 🌐 This Website: for structured, long-term reference

Each of these serves a different type of voter — and that’s important.

📌 The Website Is the Final Destination

While it’s great when voters follow along year-round, the reality is: people are busy. Not everyone has time to stay engaged every week. That’s why the website matters.

When primary or general elections are near, voters deserve a reliable place to:

  • Catch up on what happened during the campaign season
  • Compare candidate messaging with real issue summaries
  • Make confident, informed choices without going down every rabbit hole

This site is not meant to be a daily newsfeed — it’s meant to be a voter’s guide, especially in those final days and weeks when decisions are made.

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Larae Smith Interview Summary

Read to get a quick breakdown of the 1.5 hour interview.
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Pignatelli Interview

Watch to meet Larae and get a great overview of her platform.
KNOW WHO YOU ARE VOTING FOR

VIDEOS

2025 WVLT Interview With Carolyn Rush

📋 Click here for full interview summary 📋

Carolyn Rush, Democratic candidate for New Jersey’s General Assembly in LD1, joins Steven Solof on the InformTheVoteNJ Radio Hour (WVLT 92.1 FM) for a wide- ranging discussion on policy, party dynamics, and transparency.

This conversation starts by covering the origin story of InformTheVoteNJ.com and the challenges voters face in accessing clear, centralized civic information. With that in mind, it then moves on to Rush offering her perspective on NJ REAL and concerns about executive overreach, while also explaining her views on taxation, budgeting, and the importance of affordability. She discusses the need for Route 55 expansion, supports potential consolidation of school districts, and pushes back on the idea that New Jersey is overregulated. The interview clarifies her views on a controversial social media post linked to the Democratic Socialists of America and introduces her framework of “guardrail capitalism” as an alternative to unfettered capitalism or democratic socialism. Additional topics include immigration policy, ICE enforcement, and her support for civics education and verified public information sources. Throughout the interview, Rush distinguishes her platform from both establishment politics and more radical ideologies—giving voters a clearer understanding of where she stands heading into the 2025 General Election.

⏳ Click to view timestamps, topics, and takeaways ⏳

Interview Summary – Carolyn Rush

This table highlights the key topics covered in the interview, summarizing major takeaways per section.

Timestamp Topic Key Takeaways
0:00 Intro & Origin Story How this platform started with a sample ballot and turned into a civic education project.
2:56 Discovering Carolyn Rush’s Campaign Her candidacy wasn’t easily found, underscoring the value of structured interviews and transparency.
4:41 DSA Social Media Post & Candidate Labels Raises concerns over Rush’s social media and her alignment with Democratic Socialists of America.
6:04 Government Overreach & NJ REAL Policy Rush critiques Governor Murphy’s executive order on coastal zoning reform as overreach.
14:04 Taxes & Budgeting Priorities Supports targeted taxes (e.g., cigarettes, alcohol) and emphasizes tradeoffs in public funding.
17:00 Route 55 Expansion Rush supports expansion but calls for engineering and environmental studies before full commitment.
20:15 Radical Agenda or Necessary Services? Rush argues that NJ’s regulations and public services are reasonable, not radical.
23:44 Guardrail Capitalism Explained Describes herself as a “guardrail capitalist” seeking limits on inequality, not a democratic socialist.
26:30 CEO-to-Worker Pay Ratios Wants to explore wage gap caps between executives and frontline workers.
30:01 Praise for Anti-Establishment Campaigns Rush supports anti-establishment energy focused on affordability and civic engagement.
36:09 Electoral College & Senate Abolition? Doesn’t support abolition but favors reforms like the National Popular Vote Compact.
41:01 Citizens United & Money in Politics Would prioritize overturning Citizens United before changing the Constitution’s structure.
45:21 Immigration & ICE Enforcement Supports due process for immigrants but doesn’t favor a zero-deportation policy.
50:00 Protest vs. Agitation Backs due process advocacy but distances herself from confrontational ICE protests.
51:02 Public Ownership & Capitalism Clarifies she does not support abolishing capitalism or full public ownership of industries.
52:02 Support for Civics Education & Press Reform Aligns with InformTheVoteNJ’s advocacy for civics education and better local political information.
54:36 Closing Remarks Rush confirms her platform will evolve and be accessible through InformTheVoteNJ.com.

2025 WVLT Interview With Assemblyman McClellan



📋 Click here for full interview summary 📋

In this episode of the Inform The Vote NJ Radio Hour, Steven Solof speaks with Assemblyman Antwan McClellan, who is running for re-election in New Jersey’s 1st Legislative District.

McClellan shares his background in public service, his work with the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office, and his longstanding community involvement through youth sports. The conversation highlights South Jersey’s ongoing struggle for fair investment, with McClellan warning of increasing taxes, executive overreach, and infrastructure neglect—especially regarding Route 55 and NJDEP flood zone regulations.

McClellan expresses strong support for reintroducing civics education in schools and rebuilding a local press ecosystem, while also exploring the feasibility of county-facilitated voter information systems. Emphasizing transparency, he encourages voters to reach out directly rather than rely on rumors or partisan noise. This interview offers a grounded, community-first perspective on what it means to serve South Jersey effectively.

⏳ Click to view timestamps, topics, and takeaways ⏳

Interview Summary – Assemblyman Antwan McClellan

This table highlights the key topics covered in the interview, summarizing major takeaways per section.

Timestamp Topic Key Takeaways
0:00–5:20 Intro: Civic Information is Hard to Find Steven frames the mission of InformTheVoteNJ.com and why structured interviews matter.
5:21–8:00 Framing the Interview Clarifies this is a non-confrontational conversation focused on transparency and clarity.
8:01–16:40 McClellan’s Background Raised in LD1, long career in public service and law enforcement, deeply involved in the community.
16:41–24:00 Life Outside Politics Coaches girls’ basketball, discusses how public service perceptions affect elected officials.
24:01–26:30 The Case for Civic Engagement Calls for more accessible information and direct voter-candidate interactions.
26:31–30:30 General Campaign Themes Fighting for South Jersey, supporting small business, education, and family values.
30:31–33:00 Executive Overreach & Taxes Criticizes Governor Murphy’s tax policies on alcohol, cigarettes, gambling as unfair to working people.
33:01–36:50 North vs. South Jersey Priorities Argues that South Jersey often loses out on funding and attention compared to North Jersey.
36:51–40:50 Infrastructure & Flooding Cites Route 55 as a broken promise; warns NJDEP flood rules could harm property values and town budgets.
40:51–44:40 Civics Education Strongly supports reintroducing civics and local government into the school curriculum.
44:41–48:40 County-Level Voter Info Systems Open to the idea but urges cost analysis and coordination with county clerks before implementation.
48:41–50:30 Rebuilding Local Press Supports revitalizing regional news outlets; recalls when local TV coverage helped keep people informed.
50:31–54:10 Closing Discussion Lighthearted banter about music, Assemblyman Simonsen, and upcoming community events.
54:11–55:44 Final Thoughts Encourages direct voter engagement and thanks the audience for staying informed.

2025 InformTheVoteNJ Radio Hour With Patricia Clark-Kears


Interview Description

On July 8, 2025, Steven Solof hosted Patricia Clark-Kears, candidate for Millville City Commission, for a full-length radio interview. They discussed her background in small business and social services leadership, detailed her priorities on economic development, public safety, code enforcement, and civic engagement, and explored broader challenges around voter information access and local press coverage.

⭐ Key Takeaways

  • Accessibility & Responsiveness
    Patricia emphasizes her commitment to answering residents’ questions, following up personally, and promoting transparency at meetings.
  • Economic Vision
    She supports hiring qualified professionals to drive redevelopment, clean up brownfields, and pursue grants to fund new projects.
  • Public Safety Priority
    Patricia believes Millville must fully staff and equip its first responders, proactively maintain vehicles, and improve community relations.
  • Code Enforcement Focus
    She wants stronger accountability for absentee landlords and clearer responsibility areas for enforcement staff.
  • Civic Information & Culture
    She fully agrees that more civic education and better information pipelines are necessary so voters don’t feel overwhelmed or disengaged.
  • Collaborative Mindset
    Throughout the conversation, Patricia repeatedly stressed the importance of working across agencies, administrations, and community organizations to tackle problems.

🕒 Timestamps & Topics

  • 0:00 – 1:24
    Intro & Program Disclaimers
  • 1:24 – 9:27
    Opening Commentary by Steven Solof
    • The challenges of gathering civic information
    • The need for more structured candidate engagement
    • Appreciation for Patricia’s early and thorough participation
  • 9:27 – 12:01
    Candidate Introduction
    • Patricia’s lifelong Millville residency
    • Attendance at nearly every commission meeting since Jan 2022
    • Motivation to run: dissatisfaction with current development and governance culture
  • 12:01 – 16:05
    On Communication & Responsiveness
    • Frustration with unanswered public questions at meetings
    • Her pledge to follow up with residents and report answers publicly
  • 16:05 – 24:32
    Professional Experience & Qualifications
    • Early experience in her family’s small business
    • 30+ years in social services (progressing to Director of Welfare)
    • Perspective shaped by first-hand exposure to poverty and complex social needs
  • 24:32 – 31:20
    Economic Development Vision
    • Revitalizing blighted areas like the former glass factory sites
    • Recruiting an experienced Economic Development Director and grant writer
    • Promoting small businesses through introductions at meetings
    • Examples of successful redevelopment in other cities
  • 31:20 – 33:04
    Supporting Small Businesses
    • Helping new and existing businesses promote their services
    • Building synergy with local content creators and photographers
  • 33:04 – 40:53
    Public Safety & Police Staffing
    • Acknowledging strained staffing levels in police, fire, EMS
    • Supporting investments in equipment and proactive planning
    • The regional and statewide challenges of ATV/motorbike enforcement
    • Need for intergovernmental collaboration to solve public safety issues
  • 40:53 – 43:00
    Code Enforcement
    • Advocating for fully staffed, area-specific code enforcement
    • Cracking down on absentee landlords and vacant properties
    • Emphasizing accountability through enforcement and court follow-up
  • 43:00 – 53:00
    Civic Engagement & Information Access
    • Discussing Steven’s 3 advocacy ideas:
      • Local civics curriculum in schools
      • Counties (or civic groups) offering structured candidate information
      • Rebuilding local press (print and digital)
    • Patricia’s support for more civic education, starting as early as 4th grade
    • The importance of consolidated, accessible election information
  • 53:00 – 55:41
    Closing Thoughts & Farewell
VOTE WITH CONFIDENCE

At Inform the Vote, our mission is to establish a new standard of civic engagement by equipping you—the citizen—with thoroughly researched, unbiased, and easily digestible information.

We believe an empowered citizenry is the cornerstone of a transparent and accountable local government. Yet, in an era where this should be the norm, both transparency and accountability often fall short. We're here to challenge this status quo.

Our platform is designed to streamline and consolidate the essential information you need to become an informed voter, breaking down the barriers that often deter civic participation in a process that can and should be more straightforward.