A Somerset County man will be permitted to vote in the 2024 election after a judge found that he had made a good-faith effort to register before the October 15 deadline.
The voter, whose name is being withheld by the New Jersey Globe, said he attempted to register at the Motor Vehicles Commission on October 4 after moving from Middlesex County to Somerset County, but his name doesn’t show up on voter rolls.
He told Superior Court Judge Chris Garrenger that he never received an email or a phone call telling him his voter registration didn’t go through.
“If I knew before the 15th, I could have done something different,” the man said. “I just want to vote. It’s a little confusing. If I had known it was refused, I could have pivoted.”
In a state where judges regularly interpret election laws liberally, except on matters regarding voter registration, Garrenger has allowed several voters in his vicinage with similar issues to vote today.
Deputy Attorney General Christopher Meyer opposed the Somerset man’s bid to vote.
In Bergen County, Superior Court Judge Kelly Conlon has turned down most attempts by voters to challenge their disenfranchisement, including instances where there was a MVC issue involved.
The law and policy director at the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, Henal Patel, wants same-day voter registration to eliminate issues like this.
“Why are we turning away eligible voters? Year after year, New Jersey disenfranchises voters because of our arbitrary 21-day registration deadline,” Patel said. “It’s shameful and unnecessary. It is long past time for us to join the over 20 states that have same-day voter registration.”
If you are not allowed to vote or feel incorrectly pushed to vote on a provisional ballot when you’re entitled to vote on the machine, you can present your case to a Superior Court Judge to determine your eligibility to vote. Judges will be on call for each of the nine days of early voting; hearings are done remotely, and you can attend a hearing via Zoom from your phone at a polling location.
Voters should not readily accept being turned away. Ask to speak to the person in charge, known as the Super Poll Worker, the individual who is most fluent in ways that can help you vote.
If you intend to appear before an election judge, you may call the ACLU Voter Hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) or contact your county election officials. Click HERE for a list.