Dems pick up Council seat in Madison by 3 votes

by: Jason Springer

Sat Dec 27, 2008 at 02:14:48 PM EST

With a three vote lead over Republican Jerry Stevenson, Democrat Dan Dunham, who petitioned to reopen the recount, has won the three-year Borough Council seat. Mr. Stevenson had been the certified winner by one vote back on Nov. 25 when the first recount took place after the Tuesday, Nov. 4, election.

Almost seven weeks after the General Election, on Christmas Eve, Judge Theodore Bozonelis directed that the prior certification of the elections results be invalidated and that the results be re-certified, with Mr. Dunham declared the winner with a three vote lead. The recount took place on Monday, Dec. 22, at the Board of Elections in Morristown. Mr. Dunham's total number of votes rose four to 3,370 while Mr. Stevenson's remained at 3,367, the same number since the Nov. 25 recount.

Four previously uncounted ballots were opened and counted on Dec.22. Out of the four ballots, three votes were cast for Mr. Dunham and no votes were cast for Jerry Stevenson. Another unopened ballot was also discovered and counted, and that one also was for Mr. Dunham.

Ms. Tiritilli noted "pure clerical errors remedied the election. The correction of clerical errors was the sole factor for change in the election results. An election contest was never even reached," she said, adding that it was paramount that the votes that were properly cast be counted.

Mr. Dunham filed a petition on Friday, Dec. 5, to reopen the recount after he learned that he was only one vote behind Mr. Stevenson. Mr. Stevenson had 3,367 votes while Mr. Dunham had 3,366 votes. Both parties' attorneys met with Judge Bozonelis on Friday, Dec. 12. On Friday, Dec. 19, the judge granted the request to re-open the recount action. On Monday, Dec. 22, the recount took place.

Quote of the Day: Voting New Jersey Style

by: Jason Springer

Mon Dec 22, 2008 at 12:15:00 PM EST

"New Jersey, in New Jersey style, is one of the few states that has not decertified Sequoia machines," she said. "One of the few states in the nation. We don't only not decertify it, we're going to put an attachment on it that everybody knows doesn't work."

3.65 million NJ votes cast

by: Jason Springer

Wed Nov 05, 2008 at 06:27:21 PM EST

According to figures compiled by the Secretary of State's Office, more than 3.65 million people cast ballots in the Garden State.

That broke a record set in 2004 when 3.63 million voted in the race between John Kerry and George W. Bush.

But Tuesday's results were far short of a record in terms of percentage of eligible voters who cast ballots. About 67 percent of registered New Jersey voters cast ballots, according to preliminary calculations; when provisional and other ballots are counted, the figure could reach 70 percent.

The record was 91 percent, set in 1960, according to the Secretary of State's Office. On several other occasions, turnout percentage was in the mid- to high 80s.

Why Do Only Some People Have to Wait to Vote?

by: Jeff Gardner

Wed Nov 05, 2008 at 06:04:18 PM EST

When I arrived to work today, my friend who lives in Jersey City reported that she had to wait 3 hours to vote. I've read and heard of similar stories that happened elsewhere, invariably in urban areas, of up to 4 and 5 hour waits to vote. You don't need to be Crazy Eddie to know that's insane!!!  I'm not sure even I would wait that long.

Whenever I hear reporting or discussions about long lines at the polls, I hear talk of "enthusiasm" as the explanation. As if the 90% turnout in my suburban town isn't sufficiently enthusiastic.

No. It isn't enthusiasm that causes disproportionately long wait times for voting in urban areas - it's too few voting machines! Here's a solution: put more voting machines in places where there are 3 hour waits.

This kind of thing takes time, and sneaks up on election officials each year. So, like day after Christmas shopping for cards and decorations, I thought I'd take this moment to rant.

You may now return to your regular programming.

Find your polling place

by: Jason Springer

Mon Nov 03, 2008 at 07:26:59 PM EST

The following information is required Street Address, Street Name, City and County or Street Address, Street Name and Zip Code.

If an exact match is found in our records, you will be provided with your Polling Place, Voting Area District and the County Election Official information.

What are you doing on Election Day?

by: Tandalayo Scheisskopf

Thu Oct 23, 2008 at 12:48:26 PM EDT

I know what I am doing to GOTV, as long as possible as well, but what are you doing?

Chime in below and share, with the assembled, what you are doing, besides voting, even if for an hour or two.

And if you aren't doing anything, why not? It's not to late to volunteer.

NJ breaks record with 5.3 million registered voters

by: Jason Springer

Wed Oct 22, 2008 at 10:34:25 AM EDT

More than a half-million New Jerseyans have registered to vote this year, setting a new state record and overwhelming elections officials who are scrambling to process the surge of applicants before Election Day.

Secretary of State Nina Mitchell Wells said Tuesday that New Jersey now has a record 5.3 million registered voters. That's due in part to the 575,145 new voters who have registered since Jan. 1.

Some county clerks have been inundated with new voter requests. In Essex County, employees are working staggered shifts around the clock to get as many new voters on the books as possible. Wells said election workers in other counties are working 12- to 14-hour days, seven days a week.

Those whose names don't make the book will still be able to vote by provisional ballot, she said.

Teaching them young

by: Jason Springer

Sat Oct 11, 2008 at 04:48:47 PM EDT

Participants will have the opportunity to cast their votes for the presidential race, along with the U.S. Senate and House contests in New Jersey. Students will vote for congressional candidates in the district according to their school's location.

The New Jersey Press Foundation, which is coordinating the event in the Garden State, says more than 725 schools around New Jersey have enrolled an estimated 333,000 students. Voting will be conducted between Oct. 20 and Oct. 30, and the students can choose to vote in all or some of the categories.

Mock election officials say the event is "an excellent way to encourage young people to become interested in voting" and help them become more involved in state and national issues and candidates. It also provides parents and children with the opportunity to discuss their beliefs and concerns about matters that affect them.

Why I'm Not Voting Today

by: Thurman Hart

Tue Jun 03, 2008 at 03:30:14 PM EDT

If you want to hear more, click on through.  If not; then just move along.  Nothing here to see.

Election Day Registration and the voter fraud red herring

by: Scott Weingart

Fri May 09, 2008 at 02:04:36 PM EDT

This senator's concern about voter fraud is utterly unfounded. "Voter fraud" is largely a manufactured talking point concocted by the Bush administration and other Republicans who want to make it more difficult for low-income citizens to vote against them. A Brennan Center report found that allegations of voter fraud are often "grossly inflated", and that these claims are often used to justify further restrictions on voting.

Suggestions that EDR increase fraud are also unfounded. A study by the voting rights group Demos found that EDR laws do not facilitate voter fraud. If anything, EDR makes voter fraud more difficult, because it requires voters to be physically present when they register.

There is no evidence that Lesniak's bill would make voter fraud any less difficult or any more common than it is now. Lesniak's bill requires election-day registrants to vote by provisional ballot rather than on machines. A voter registering on election day must present identification, just as any other first time voter must, and his or her registration must be approved by the county clerk before his vote may count. On the other hand, there is also no doubt that the practice would stimulate eligible voter participation in New Jersey.

In Congress, both Democratic presidential candidates, Senator Frank Lautenberg, Congressmen Donald Payne and Steve Rothman have signed on to bill that would require EDR in every state. It's time for progressive legislators in New Jersey's to follow the Congressional delegation's lead and sign on to Lesniak's bill.

Stupid numbers - the more you know, the less you know for sure

by: Thurman Hart

Tue Feb 19, 2008 at 09:32:54 PM EST

If you guessed Jim McGreevey, give yourself a Machiavellian-sized double handful of M&Ms.  In 2001, Jim McGreevey received 1,256,853 votes.  His margin of victory was 328,679 votes - about 15% of all votes cast.

The number of votes cast in statewide elections since then has fallen, risen, and fallen again.  In 2006, 2,198,618 votes were cast - only 13K more than the 2,185,027 votes cast in 2001.  That's in the neighborhood of 1/2 of one percent growth in five years.  But the margin of victory Bob Menendez claimed over Junior Kean was only 9.2%.  That's a swing of 125K votes from a Democratic to a Republican candidate.  Of course, there are all kinds of valid reasons for that - but it still isn't a good sign.

Jump with me.

Problems with voting machines in NJ?

by: nms716

Tue Feb 05, 2008 at 04:21:16 PM EST

Please contact Penny Venetis at (973)353-5687 or pennyv@kinoy.rutgers.edu

Voting on Feb 5 - Easy As Pie

by: danpreston

Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 09:54:56 PM EST

So what will happen when you, the voter, walk into your regular polling place on February 5th? What if you're not already a Democrat or a Republican? If you are currently unaffiliated, what hoops will you have to jump through to "declare" a party affiliation? To find out, I decided to attend a poll worker training class held this evening in Hopewell Township, conducted by the Mercer County Board of Elections.

Short answer: It's pretty much like voting in any other election. You go to your usual polling location. The poll workers look in the poll book where you sign in to see if there's a "DEM" or "REP" printed above the block where you sign. If so, DEMs get to vote the Democratic ballot; REPs get to vote the Republican ballot.

If the space for your party affiliation is blank, they simply ask you: Democrat or Republican? You answer with one or the other. They fill in the blank. You vote accordingly.

That's it. No fuss. No bother. No forms to fill out. You vote. And then you leave, knowing that you've taken part in the first Presidential Primary Election ever where NJ voters had a real say in the outcome.

NJ Unaffiliated voters CAN vote in the Feb 5 primary

by: danpreston

Tue Jan 22, 2008 at 04:03:40 PM EST

I keep hearing misinformation about the eligibility of unaffiliated voters to vote in the NJ Presidential Primary on February 5. So I looked for a clear and authoritative statement on the subject.

I found this press release from the NJ Office of the Attorney General, the ultimate authority in these matters. Here's the money quote:

New Jersey?s primary election law allows unaffiliated voters ? those registered voters who never affiliated with the Republican or Democratic parties -- to choose a party on Primary Day and vote in the primary. However, voters already registered as Democrats can only vote in the Democratic primary; similarly, voters already registered as Republicans can only vote in the GOP primary. Cross-over voting is not allowed. The deadline for switching party affiliations was December 17.

There were almost 4.8 million people registered to vote before the Nov. 6, 2007 general election, including 1,164,504 Democrats, 874,457 Republicans and 2,756,759 unaffiliated voters.

The voter statistics underscore how major this is: Only about 24 percent of voters statewide are Dems, and about 18 percent are Repubs. The rest - about 58 percent - are "unaffiliated." So any news organization or other source that gets this wrong is doing a huge disservice to a vast majority of NJ voters.

So ... please pass the above info along to anyone who needs it  - especially reporters or others in a position to [mis]inform voters!

And ... I'd really like to know if you hear/see/read inaccurate stories anywhere in the media.

The Holt Bill

by: DoctorScience

Sun Jul 01, 2007 at 11:22:29 AM EDT

I went to THOMAS and searched for HR811 and got two versions -- "Introduced" and "Reported" (amended). I do not have the mad legislative skillz to figure out what effect the amendments have and whether the OpEdNews person has mis-read the whole thing. Can someone here explain?

Voting: So how'd it go?

by: John Bartlett

Tue Nov 07, 2006 at 06:20:02 AM EST

It's been a long time since I voted at West Orange High School, down the hill from my house, except in the springtime local elections.  As an attorney and election-day volunteer, I've voted absentee in most of the federal elections since I finished law school.

But I'm opening this thread as a forum for all comers to talk about your experience voting today.  Don't post how you voted, but post about the experience.  Sure, report long lines or shenanigans if that's what you saw.  But this isn't necessarily an "alert" thread.  Your post can be about something that was pleasant or unpleasant or just struck  you -- the different "ding" of the new electronic machines, some small act of kindness, a family voting together.  Whatever you saw, or heard, or felt...