By Allison Perrine
NEW JERSEY – It will be a historic general election this year in New Jersey after Gov. Phil Murphy mandated that all active registered voters in each county receive mail-in ballots amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The news came Aug. 14, suspending sample ballot deliveries and instead mandating that each county’s elections officials send vote-by-mail ballots with pre-paid postage to all active registered voters. At least one polling location will still be open in each municipality, with at least 50 percent of polling locations open in each county.
“COVID-19 has impacted nearly every aspect of our lives, from our health and safety to how we participate in our democracy,” said Murphy. “This virus continues to threaten public health, and with today’s announcement, we are ensuring that New Jersey voters do not have to make a decision between exercising their right to vote and protecting their well-being.”
According to Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon, if this were a normal election, the clerk’s office would send out between 40,000 and 60,000 mail-in ballots. This year, however, the office will send out approximately 440,000 ballots. The office has been working both internally and with its vendors to prepare for this influx. Per the governor’s order, all ballots will be mailed out on or before Oct. 5.
“It takes a lot of time to stuff these envelopes and get them out the door and get the voter information on the ballot,” said Hanlon. “It’s a gigantic undertaking, so it will be likely over the course of a week and a half to actually produce and get these ballots out the door. It’s a huge process.”
Murphy’s executive order also notes that in New Jersey, recent reports indicate that mail is taking “longer for delivery than is typical.” However, Hanlon said there have not been many issues in Monmouth County specifically with regard to voting by mail.
“We have not had any problems here in Monmouth County with having the mail delivered. I have no reason to say that there will be a problem putting it in the mail. I would just say to mail it back as early as you possibly can,” said Hanlon.
The integrity and reliability of the United States Postal Service (USPS) has been challenged recently by President Donald Trump, who claims mail-in balloting will lead to voter fraud. The Trump campaign Tuesday sued the state of New Jersey to stop Murphy’s directive.
Before Murphy’s executive order was announced Aug. 14, the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders unanimously approved a resolution July 23 urging the governor to allow both in-person and mail-in voting options. The board condemned a mandate to vote-by-mail exclusively in this election or any future election.
“My fellow Freeholders and I are gravely concerned as the exclusive mail-in ballot ‘experiment’ has been difficult at best and should not be conducted when selecting individuals to lead Boards of Educations, political parties and bodies of government,” said Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone in a press release. “As we have seen repeatedly in the past, using mail-in ballots increases the risk of voter fraud and causes delays in counting ballots.”
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, a nonpartisan law and policy institute, “There is no evidence that voting by mail results in significant fraud. As with in-person voting, the threat is infinitesimally small.” Multiple studies over the years have found there is little or no voter fraud in this country.
Ballots can be returned several ways. If they are mailed through the USPS, ballots must be postmarked on or before Nov. 3 and received by 8 p.m. Nov. 10 to be valid. Additionally, ballots can be dropped in drop box sites across the county; the Monmouth County Board of Elections will install at least 10 drop boxes in the coming weeks. They can also be hand-delivered to the board of elections office in Freehold, or even on Election Day at the voter’s polling location.
According to the governor’s office, a new online voter registration system is slated to be up and running Sept. 4. It will give state residents the chance to register to vote online. To learn more about voter registration in Monmouth County, visit the Monmouth County Clerk’s Election Division website at monmouthcountyvotes.com.
Those who vote in-person Nov. 3 must follow proper public health standards per Murphy’s orders. Individuals must remain at least 6 feet apart. Poll workers will wear face coverings and gloves, and will frequently sanitize high-touch areas. Sanitization materials will be provided for all individuals to use.
“Every voter deserves to participate in free, fair, and safe elections,” said Secretary of State Tahesha Way in a press release. “By sending every New Jersey voter their ballot in the mail, we are protecting the health of voters, elections workers, and our democracy.”
The article originally appeared in the August 20 – 26, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
