Election officials may add more privacy booths for November

Some New Jersey election officials are considering an expansion of privacy booths for voters to cast paper ballots in a November 3 general election being conducted primarily through vote-by-mail ballots, the New Jersey Globe has learned.

Added privacy booths would reduce Election Day lines at polling place for those voters who choose to cast their ballot in-person.

Guidelines provided to the State Division of Elections called for eight booths – usually designed of corrugated cardboard of plastic screens that offer privacy on three sides – in each polling location for the July 7 primary.

It’s not immediately clear what protocols election officials are using to sanitize the privacy booths.

Additional privacy booths could require an expansion of the square footage required for polling locations.

For the mostly all-VBM primary, the state offered suggestions to local election board for the best way to set up a polling place to maximize social distancing and sanitization,  and provide options based on local priorities.

NJ DIVISION OF ELECTIONS MAXIMIZE SQUARE FOOTAGE 1