DOJ to send election monitors to Passaic County

The U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday that it would monitor polling sites in Passaic County after the New Jersey GOP alleged the county’s Board of Elections rejected enhanced security procedures to protect ballots. 

In a letter to a DOJ official, Jason Sena, an attorney for the state GOP, asked for monitors ahead of next month’s gubernatorial election between Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) and Republican Jack Ciattarelli. Sena said Democrats on the Passaic County Board of Elections rejected Republicans’ requests to install cameras and logbooks to ensure security in vote-by-mail storage and counting rooms.

“Transparency at the polls translates into faith in the electoral process, and this Department of Justice is committed to upholding the highest standards of election integrity,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in the announcement. “We will commit the resources necessary to ensure the American people get the fair, free, and transparent elections they deserve.”

Sena also said Passaic County has rejected a proposal to begin processing mail-in ballots five days before Election Day, a step many of the state’s counties take to get ahead of counting delays.

The Passaic County Board of Elections said it will cooperate with the DOJ’s monitors. John Currie, chair of the Passaic County Democrats, also serves as chair of the Passaic County Board of Elections.

“The Board is committed to ensuring that the Election is administered fairly, securely, and smoothly and will cooperate with the USDOJ to achieve those objectives while ensuring that eligible voters are able to cast their vote,” the Board said in a statement. “As a part of that commitment, the Board is cooperating with USDOJ’s separate request to observe the bipartisan Board’s transfer of vote-by-mail ballots from the secure storage area, and to observe counting such ballots along with authorized challengers for respective political parties and candidates under state law.”

The DOJ is tasked with ensuring election security through its Civil Rights Division.

“Election protection means making sure every eligible voter can participate freely and every lawful vote is counted,” said acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba. “Our office is committed to working alongside our federal, state, and local partners to ensure transparency, security, and public confidence in the election process.”

Senator Andy Kim, however, said that he believes the true purpose of the announcement is voter intimidation.

“There is no credibility to the Department of Justice’s announcement made just hours before Donald Trump holds a campaign event with Jack Ciattarelli,” Kim said. “This is clearly a political act led by election denier Pam Bondi. This isn’t about election integrity, it’s about the Trump Administration trying to intimidate voters and cast doubt on our legitimate and secure democratic process.”

Passaic County was once solidly blue, but President Donald Trump shocked the Jersey political world when he won the county in last year’s presidential election.

Rep. Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon), whose district includes parts of Passaic County, criticized the use of the monitors.

“Too often we have seen this Justice Department be used as a weapon of this administration to target the President’s critics,” Pou said. “Early voting starts tomorrow. This move is designed to intimidate our county’s voters. We must not let them cast doubt on the integrity of a fair and secured election.”

The DOJ also announced it would send monitors to five California counties: Kern, Riverside, Fresno, Orange, and Los Angeles. Californians will vote on a referendum to determine whether California will change its congressional map in the gerrymandering arms race between Democrats and Republicans.

This article was updated with comments from the Passaic County Board of Elections, Kim, and Pou.