Early voting begins Wednesday in New Jersey's primary election.

Eleven candidates are running for governor, including six Democrats and five Republicans. The two winners will face off against each other in the November election.

An Emerson University poll finds that the economy remains the top issue for voters at 45%, followed by housing affordability at 12%, threats to democracy with 11% and immigration policy at 9%.

In order to vote in New Jersey's primary, you have to be registered as a Republican or Democrat.

CBS News New York visited three diners in three counties across the state to ask voters about the issues important to them. What we found was quite consistent -- affordability in the Garden State is top of mind. 

First stop, Bergen County

At the Candlewyck Diner in East Rutherford, Max Zaccone said the most important issue to him is the economy.

"We're feeling the squeeze, you know, and we need somebody that's going to lower the gas prices, try to lower some of these food prices, because there's a lot of struggling Americans," Zaccone said. "I feel that we need somebody that is for the people and not for the agenda, somebody that's basically going to take both the Republican and Democratic side."

Zaccone said his choice is Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican candidate endorsed by President Trump. Ciattarelli is the leading GOP contender in several polls, including the Emerson College poll previously mentioned.

Simon Santa Maria, a member of Gen Z, said protecting immigrants and the environment is high on his list, and he's leaning toward progressive Democrat Ras Baraka, Newark's mayor. Baraka gained the national spotlight after he was arrested while trying to see the conditions at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Newark.

"He's obviously very adamant about protecting immigrants," Santa Maria said. "He's done a lot of things for the environment of Newark. He's planted a lot of trees. He's done a lot of things against, like. urbanization, the rapid urbanization, the gentrification that's affecting Newark."

Myrna Kamel, 25, said she doesn't know much about the candidates, including Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who is leading Democrats in that same Emerson College poll. However, Kamel said the state's high property taxes are preventing her generation from becoming homeowners.

"I find New Jersey a little bit hard to live in, just given the fact that, you know, it's very hard to buy a home in our generation now. And then the property taxes are another problem that we, you know, if you can afford a mortgage, you can't afford the taxes on the home, and so on and so forth," Kamel said.

The owner of the Candlewyck Diner said what he is concerned about is New Jersey's business climate.

"My concerns as a business owner, I think the last eight years ... everything that New Jersey has done from the pandemic, even before that, has been anti-small business," Emanuel Logothetis said. "It's almost like they have us in a chokehold at times and we're on our own left to fight by ourselves."

Gov. Phil Murphy is a Democrat, and his party has controlled the state Legislature for decades. Voter Tom Drexler had a message for them.

"I think the Democratic Party has to figure out what they're really standing for in such a way that they can show the public what they are about now, because I think there are some questions about that given how things have moved politically since the last election cycle," Drexler said. 

Second stop, Morris County

At the Roxbury Diner in Succasunna, voters were not holding back.

"Anybody but a Republican because Republicans do not care about people," Brian Malcolm of Mount Olive Township said.

Malcolm said he's worried about benefits he's paid into for 45 years.

"Potentially the loss of benefits -- Social Security, Medicare," he said. "According to the Congressional Budget Office, it's going to pull $550 billion from Medicaid … That's going kick about 8 million people off health care altogether."

"I voted for Trump, and I won't feel bad about that or deny it to anybody," Lisa Dolan of Stanhope said.

So does a candidate stand out to her?

"No, because the things that are important to me, nobody's fixed," Dolan said. "I think that the property taxes are very high here. It's forcing a lot of people out."

At the Roxbury Diner, where so many people have been affected by the I-80 sinkhole, we found that voters are more concerned about the economy and affordability.

"Other than the things that are going on currently in New Jersey, the airport, the 80 sinkhole, because I have children, I have boys, I have millennials … it's property … property taxes, being able to buy things," Dover resident Paris McDaniel said.

McDaniel said she's disillusioned by both Republicans and Democrats that she holds responsible for residents fleeing the state.

"We love New Jersey. We don't want to leave New Jersey. People have to migrate to the South to be able to afford a home and to get a yard and bring up their children," McDaniel said.

"On the Republican side, I'd like someone that can actually distance themselves as the clear winner," Succasunna resident Steve Alford said. He's betting on Ciattarelli. 

Third stop, Monmouth County

Political experts say while big counties like Bergen are crucial in the primaries, the southern part of the state that's been leaning red in some districts is just as important.

Voters spoke out at the New Monmouth Diner in Middletown.

"Property taxes are always at the forefront, especially living in New Jersey. We are one of the highest taxed in this country," Middletown resident Jim Davis said.

Davis also said crime is a big issue for him in the primary election, and suggested Democrats haven't done enough to make the streets safe.

"Bail reform, when someone commits a crime, and they pay a couple hundred in cash and they're back on the street, that's a problem," Davis said.

Some senior citizens said another big problem is it is getting too expensive to live in New Jersey.

"I really don't believe that the seniors should have to pay full price for school taxes. We put all our children through school," one resident named Judy said. "Now we are paying for everybody else."

"School choice would be on my list and the voucher system …  maybe consolidation." Union Beach resident Glenn Cottrell said.

Affordability was not just a big issue with older voters, but younger ones as well.

"You pay to go to school and now you are strapped with student loans. You can't get a job and to pay back those student loans and you can never move out and you can't pay for your groceries," Hazlet resident Sheri O'Hea said.

"I would like Democrats to lean more left," Hackensack resident Alexa Zamora said.

Zamora said she's leaning toward Baraka, and is convinced he'll tackle high housing costs as well.

"My fiancé and I have like what would be considered a good job and we can't afford anything between interest rates, tax, property taxes," Zamora said. "Houses that were probably a starter home are now million dollar homes."

At the New Monmouth Diner, many Republicans told CBS News New York off camera it's a choice between Ciattarelli and Bill Spadea for them. Political experts say voters in Monmouth County and those in southern towns could be the ones who determine the winner of the Republican primary. 

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