TRENTON, N.J. – Sen. Robert Singer and Assemblymen Sean Kean and Edward Thomson plan to introduce an amendment to the state constitution that prevents changes to future elections like those imposed this year.
The 30th District lawmakers said they wanted to head-off attempts to make permanent any changes to the voting process, such as restricting in-person voting, that were mandated for this year’s elections.
“The governor and the Democrat legislature have used this pandemic to dramatically change our elections and restrict our ability to vote in-person,” said Singer. “This legislation is the only way to ensure politicians don’t try to implement these changes for future elections or even attempt to make them permanent.”
Under executive orders by Gov. Phil Murphy and legislation approved by the legislature in August, November’s general election is being conducted primarily through mail-in ballots with limited in-person voting.
Voters can either mail back the ballots or drop them at one of several drop boxes or hand deliver them. Only a limited number of polling places will be available on Election Day, and only disabled voters may cast a ballot on a voting machine.
“This convoluted vote-by-mail scheme has left many residents concerned about the integrity of the voting process and worried their vote won’t be counted,” said Kean. “This measure will make sure that our normal voting process cannot be tossed aside at the whim of future governors.”
The lawmakers said they plan to introduce this measure in the next few weeks and are hopeful it will be enacted soon.
“We can’t allow these radical changes to become permanent,” said Thomson. “Voting by mail should remain optional, and the option of voting in a polling place should never again be restricted.”