ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 185
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
219th LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED JULY 2, 2020
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ANTWAN L. MCCLELLAN
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
Assemblyman ERIK K. SIMONSEN
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Urges US Attorney for NJ to monitor July 7 primary to prevent fraud.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Concurrent Resolutionurging the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey to monitor the July 7 primary election to prevent fraud.
Whereas, Voting is a fundamental process in a democratic system as it gives citizens a chance for their voices to be heard; and
Whereas, COVID-19, a novel coronavirus that has caused a global pandemic, has led to State of Emergency in New Jersey which has necessitated social distancing and other preventative health measures; and
Whereas, Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and in accordance with Executive Order No. 144 of 2020, New Jersey's July 7 primary election will be conducted primarily via mail-in ballots, with ballots sent to registered voters who have declared a party affiliation; and
Whereas, Voter fraud, particularly with respect to mail-in ballots, is a grave concern since it affects the integrity of the democratic process and results in voter disenfranchisement; and
Whereas, The New Jersey vote-by-mail process has experienced difficulties in the past including several Morris Township United States Postal Services trucks which were carrying up to 100 vote-by-mail ballots catching fire, as well as the rejection and failure to count nearly 10 percent of all ballots for the May 12 special election, a figure that is significantly higher than the 3 percent rejection rate in the 2018 General Election of all ballots for the May 12 special election; and
Whereas, Additionally, a "human error" resulted in about 500 misprinted primary election ballots being sent out in Bernardsville which then required re-mailing every ballot to Republican voters; and
Whereas, Due to past concerns with the mail-in ballot process and concern for future elections, the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey should take steps to monitor the July 7 primary to prevent voter fraud; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):
1. The New Jersey Legislature urges the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey to monitor the July 7 primary to prevent fraud and voter disenfranchisement in an effort to maintain the integrity of the democratic process.
2. Copies of this
resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the
Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the Office of
the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey.
STATEMENT
This resolution urges the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey to monitor the July 7 primary election to prevent fraud.
Voting is a fundamental process in a democratic system as it gives citizens a chance for their voices to be heard; and
COVID-19, a novel coronavirus that has caused a global pandemic, has led to State of Emergency in New Jersey which has necessitated social distancing and other preventative health measures. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and in accordance with Executive Order No. 144 of 2020, New Jersey's July 7 primary election will be conducted primarily via mail-in ballots, with ballots sent to registered voters who have declared a party affiliation.
Voter fraud, particularly with respect to mail-in ballots, is a grave concern since it affects the integrity of the democratic process and results in voter disenfranchisement. The New Jersey vote-by-mail process has experienced difficulties in the past including: several Morris Township United States Postal Services trucks which were carrying up to 100 vote-by-mail ballots catching fire; the rejection and failure to count nearly 10 percent of all ballots for the May 12 special election, a figure that is significantly higher than the 3 percent rejection rate in the 2018 General Election of all ballots for the May 12 special election; and a "human error" resulted in about 500 misprinted primary election ballots being sent out in Bernardsville that required re-mailing every ballot to Republican voters.
Due to past concerns with the mail-in ballot process and concern for future elections, the United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey should take steps to monitor the July 7 primary to prevent voter fraud.