With more than 10 candidates running this year to become New Jersey’s next governor, a new poll shows Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill as the early front-runners less than six months to the big primary election. Still, many, many voters still don’t know who they want to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy.

Candidates across the board for New Jersey governor are struggling with name recognition, leaving an open — and crowded — playing field nearly five months before the primary election, new poll numbers suggest.

A 2023 overhaul of campaign finance law opens the floodgates for outside groups, with limited public disclosure.