NEW
BRUNSWICK – Attorney General Peter
C. Harvey announced today that approximately
600 Deputy Attorneys General will be on
duty throughout the State tomorrow, Election
Day, to help ensure a fair and smooth-running
election, and to assist county election
officials in resolving any voting-related
legal issues as they emerge.
At a press conference this afternoon held
on the campus of Rutgers University-New
Brunswick, Attorney General Harvey explained
that Deputy Attorneys General from the
Division of Law will be on duty from 6
a.m. until the close of the polls at 8
p.m. to handle any court applications,
and to provide timely legal advice to
New Jersey’s county Superintendents
of Election and Boards of Election on
emergent, voting-related legal matters.
In addition, Harvey noted, a total of
54 Deputy Attorneys General have been
assigned to act as polling place observers
in Edison, Middlesex County, where concerns
have been aired by members of the Indian
and Asian communities about potential
communication problems that might be experienced
when interacting with those staffing the
election.
“Our unwavering commitment is to
do everything we can to ensure that every
eligible New Jerseyan who seeks to vote
on Election Day has the opportunity, and
that every voter’s voice is counted,”
said Harvey, who serves as New Jersey’s
Chief Election Official. “Although
the most common problems tend to involve
voter eligibility, and the validity of
absentee ballots, our deputies are prepared
to handle legal disputes of any kind.
It is vital that any and all voting-related
legal problems be dealt with fairly and
expeditiously, and that the right of all
New Jersey voters to a free and fair election
be protected.”
AG Issues
Reminder on Provisional Ballot Option
Attorney General Harvey issued a reminder
to any eligible New Jerseyan who has registered
to vote, but who has not received either
a sample ballot or voter registration
card by Election Day, that he or she is
entitled to vote by provisional ballot
at the polling place.
The same instruction applies to any registered
voter who is advised, upon arriving at
the polling place, that he or she is designated
in the polling book as an absentee ballot
recipient, and disputes that information.
The ability to request and receive a provisional
ballot also applies to any registered
voter who is told, upon arrival at the
polling place, that his or her name is
not in the polling book.
Harvey said that provisional ballots will,
as is routinely the case, be made available
at polling places to voters who have recently
had a change of address within a county,
but failed to notify their county Commissioner
of Registration. He added that all provisional
ballots cast will be subjected to registration
verification by the counties before being
counted, a process that, depending on
the volume of provisional ballots, could
take days.
Electioneering
Attorney General Harvey explained that
it is a criminal offense to solicit or
electioneer voters as they enter or exit
a polling establishment. He said a “protective
zone” extends to 100 feet from the
outside entrance of the polling place.
Any attempts to unlawfully interfere with
voters within this zone are usually handled
by appropriate law enforcement officers.
Harvey added that persons who believe
they have been the victim of any kind
of attempt to interfere with their right
to vote should contact the State at either
1-877-NJVoter or (609)
292-9302. Members of the public
can also address election-related queries
to their county Superintendent of Election
and county Board of Election. A list of
county-level election office contacts
can be found on the Division of Elections
Web site, www.NJElections.org
. The Web site offers useful information
about the voting process and voting rights,
and those who wish to provide information
concerning the disabled accessibility
of specific polling sites can do so by
filling out an on-line feedback form.
Harvey also noted that the Attorney General’s
Office has worked with State Police and
New Jersey Transit to ensure that vehicles
equipped as mobile polling places are
available for deployment throughout the
State in the event of an emergency
As of the close of voter registration
for this year’s General Election,
there were a total of approximately 4.8
million registered voters across New Jersey.
This year, for the first time, eligible
New Jersey voters who preferred to do
so were able to obtain an absentee ballot
without meeting specific absentee criteria.
All absentee ballots must be submitted
to the county board of elections in the
voter’s home county by the 8 p.m.
close of the polls on Tuesday.
“In
the last gubernatorial election, 49 percent
of the registered voters in New Jersey
came out to vote. That’s fewer than
half. As a state, we can do better than
that,” said Attorney General Harvey.
“Over time, many people in our nation
have fought for the cause of equal voting
rights for all citizens. That tells us
something about the power of the vote.
It is a power we should not treat lightly.
I urge all eligible New Jerseyans to get
out and vote on Election Day.”
_ag-ph_update.gif)
