Report: Newark planning for voting machines and to distribute duplicate mail-in ballots

The City of Newark and the Essex County Board of Elections are planning a Super Polling Site at the Prudential Center where voters can cast their ballot “the regular way” on November 3. On September 22, the City and the Board of Elections will hold a voter registration drive at the PruCenter “where voters can pick up mail-in ballots if they have not received theirs in the mail,” according to a report at TapIntoNewark. 

These voting procedures, which seem to be contrary to Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 177,were announced at a virtual press conference on Tuesday during which Mayor Ras Baraka, New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesha Way and Linda Von Nessi, Clerk of the Essex County Board of Elections spoke.

Governor Murphy’s Executive Order provides that all voters will receive a mail-in ballot by October 5. Those who choose to vote at a polling place on November 3 are to fill out a paper provisional ballot which will be added to the total vote count after the Board of Elections in the County where the vote is cast verifies that the voter has not already cast a mail-in ballot.

Giving replacement ballots to voters who claim that they did not receive a ballot in the mail by September 22 is not provided for in Murphy’s Order.

Von Nessi has not yet returned a phone call asking for clarification. This article will be updated if she does call back.

The TapIntoNewark reporter, Mary Ellen Cagnassolo, told MMM that she has a recording of the press conference and that she regurgitated the comments of the speakers.

The plan has not yet been approved by the Essex County Board of Elections, “but it is expected to move forward,” according to the report.