Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, and New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) Director Laurie Doran today announced that the State of New Jersey will be taking a multi-pronged approach to help ensure that the 2024 General Election is fair, transparent, secure, and runs smoothly. Among the efforts highlighted are the Division of Elections Voter Information project and the Department of Law and Public Safety’s (LPS) Voter Protection Initiative.
Presidential general elections see the highest voter participation numbers, and it is important for voters to know what to expect. New Jersey law contains many checks and balances to protect the right to vote, and the State has implemented measures that prioritize voting integrity and safety.
“As chief election official, I am proud to work with my state and federal law enforcement and security colleagues to support our county election officials as they administer free and fair elections for all New Jersey voters,” said Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, who leads the New Jersey Division of Elections in her capacity as Secretary of State. “Together, we ensure that our elections are safe, secure, and free from interference. Every New Jersey voter can prepare to participate in this election by visiting vote.nj.gov and making their plan to vote.”
“New Jersey is fully prepared to quickly and decisively identify and resolve any issues related to voting,” said Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. “Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and a fundamental right. We will do everything in our power to ensure every eligible voter can exercise their right to participate in the democratic process without interference.”
“Year round, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness collaborates with local, state, and federal partners through the Election Security Task Force to protect our elections and uphold our democratic processes,” said NJOHSP Director Laurie Doran. “As we prepare for the 2024 presidential election, NJOHSP and the Task Force are focused on ensuring New Jersey’s public safety and election officials are equipped to handle all threats and hazards, whether physical or cyber, foreign or domestic.”
New Jersey’s early voting period for the 2024 General Election is from Saturday, October 26 until Sunday, November 3, and Election Day is Tuesday, November 5. The State will play a key role in protecting New Jerseyans’ right to vote, as well as in assisting voters, election officials, and law enforcement in resolving voting-related legal matters.
Accurate, up-to-date information about voting deadlines, voter registration status, polling locations, drop box locations, and more, along with the newly added “Safe and Secure Elections” section, can be found at the Division of Elections website, VOTE.NJ.GOV. This section informs voters about New Jersey’s Trusted Sources and encourages them to seek out these sources for accurate election information. It also provides fact-checking resources for any information they may come across online and offers a Political Deepfake Guidance infographic, created in partnership with Attorney General Platkin, to help navigate potential deepfakes and generative AI content. Additionally, a dedicated email, info@sos.nj.gov, is available for voters to report any suspicious or misleading information, so proper action can be taken if it is confirmed to be false. For more details, visit VOTE.NJ.GOV.
Ahead of the 2024 General Election, Attorney General Platkin is once again activating the Voter Protection Initiative in collaboration with the Division on Civil Rights. This Initiative focuses on identifying and addressing voting rights or civil rights violations, including under the New Jersey Civil Rights Act and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, that may arise during early voting and on Election Day. The Initiative continues to collaborate with community stakeholders to identify and quickly address voting access issues and other violations. The Voter Protection Initiative will operate independently of the attorneys in the Division of Law who represent county elections officials and the Secretary of State.
The LPS Voting Rights Resources webpage provides New Jersey residents with answers to frequently asked questions regarding the right to vote. The webpage explains how voters can report any problems they encounter during early voting or on Election Day.
In addition, the Division of Law, as it has in previous elections, will make available a team of dedicated attorneys to advise county elections officials around the clock. This aims to facilitate free, fair, and secure elections and swift, unhindered, and equitable access to voting for all eligible individuals, in accordance with New Jersey’s election laws.
The Department of Law and Public Safety’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability will monitor claims of voter intimidation, improper electioneering, election fraud, and other criminal violations, and will direct reports of election interference to local and federal law enforcement as needed. Also, the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell will be working with federal, state, and local partners to monitor for election security threats – both cyber and physical.
Earlier this month, Lieutenant Governor Way partnered with Attorney General Platkin to issue Political Deepfake Guidance to help New Jersey residents identify and avoid spreading deepfake photos, videos, and audio that use generative AI technologies to spread misinformation aimed at manipulating and misleading voters.
Additionally, Attorney General Platkin issued an updated Attorney General’s Guidance on the Role of Law Enforcement in Election Activities to local law enforcement officials across the State. The Guidance ensures that law enforcement officers are fully informed about the role of law enforcement in elections and laws protecting voters from intimidation and coercion as they exercise their right to vote.
It is a criminal offense to solicit or electioneer voters within a “protective zone” as they enter or exit a polling location. Electioneering includes carrying signs and wearing clothing bearing slogans or insignia associated with any political party or candidate. The “protective zone” extends 100 feet from the outside entrance of any polling site. Attempts to interfere with voters within this zone are usually handled by poll site officials, with law enforcement officers from the appropriate agency appearing only when appropriate.
The New Jersey Division of Elections webpage provides a list of county-level election office contacts, as well as other useful elections-related information. Members of the public can direct election-related questions to their County Superintendent of Elections and County Board of Elections.
Any person who believes his or her right to vote has been interfered with, or who wishes to report other voting-related problems or concerns, can also call the State’s Voter Information and Assistance line toll-free at 1-877-NJVOTER (1-877-658-6837).
Any member of the public who has been subject to discrimination or harassment in connection with voting may also report the issue to the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights through the NJ BIAS online portal, available at https://bias.njcivilrights.gov, or by calling 1-800-277-BIAS (1-800-277-2427). Depending on their urgency, complaints regarding possible discrimination or harassment filed with the Division on Civil Rights may be addressed during the election or after the election.
The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness encourages the public to remain vigilant and report potential threat-related suspicious activity to local law enforcement or to its Counter-Threat Watch Unit by calling 866-4-SAFE-NJ or emailing tips@njohsp.gov.
Original source can be found here.