ELEC honors the life of President Jimmy Carter

On behalf of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, Chairman Thomas H. Prol issued the following statement:

“The New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) honors the profound legacy of President Jimmy Carter and joins in this National Day of Mourning today, January 9, 2025. It is fitting that we pause to reflect on the values President Carter exhibited – humanitarianism, compassion and empathy – which defined his post-presidency legacy, the longest in American history. With First Lady Rosalynn Carter by his side, President Carter was unwavering in dedication to promoting democracy, the rule of law, and free & fair elections around the world.

“In addition to saving millions of lives by efforts to eliminate and eradicate six of the most pernicious diseases on the globe, since 1989, President Carter’s leadership has seen The Carter Center bring justice and peace to the most troubled corners of the world. Especially meaningful to ELEC’s mission, the Carter Center has observed 125 full and limited observation missions in 40 countries and three Native American nations related to elections and conflict resolution. In addition, The Carter Center has undertaken 18 expert missions in 16 countries to export the promise of democracy’s freedoms, often to people who have only known authoritarianism and dictatorships since birth.

“It was my honor to intern in The Carter Center Conflict Resolution Program when I was an undergraduate student at Emory University where President Carter served as a “Distinguished Professor.” I was assigned the portfolio analyzing the civil war in Somalia, on the horn of Africa, and then had the opportunity to brief President Carter on my research. In reality, it was he who taught me. My memories of my interactions with him are filled with both awe and gratitude, not just for his personal attention to instilling wisdom and knowledge in me, my fellow Emory students, and my colleagues at The Carter Center, but for his relentless dedication to a more just and fairer world. Indeed, President Carter “served the people and left the world better than he found it.”

“When Jimmy Carter accepted the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, he closed his remarks with this statement, a poignant reflection of his legacy: “War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other’s children. The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices. God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes – and we must.”

“On behalf of my fellow Commissioners and the staff of ELEC, we thank and honor President James “Jimmy” Earl Carter and join the nation today in mourning this profound loss of our 39^th President. May his memory be a blessing that lives on in each of us through renewal of our mutual respect for each other and our commitment to justice, peace, democratic elections, and the rule of law.”