By David Cruz
NJ Today
In a country and a state where 60 percent voter turnout is considered a reason to celebrate, Democrats say lawmakers should do as much as possible to encourage voters to get to the polls. But the governor’s veto of the bill to allow in-person voting up to two weeks before election day drew sharp criticism from one of the bill’s Senate sponsors.
“This is a bill that has both civil rights and civil justice implications for all voters,” said Sen. Nia Gill, “and as we know and election can turn on one vote, 100 votes, and every vote should be counted.”
In his veto statement, Christie said “…this bill risks the integrity and orderly administration of our elections by introducing a new voting method and process.”
The governor said the bill was redundant and increased the potential for fraud. Sen. Anthony Bucco, who voted against the bill, said fraud was certainly an issue for him but — at $20 million to start up — so was the cost of implementing the plan.
“Especially in light of the problems we have had with budgets over the last few years,” said Bucco. “We are starting to see a little clearer picture and getting in more revenues but in the meantime we were strapped for cash and I don’t think burdening the budget with another $20 million to do this early balloting was necessary.”
Gill says the state’s election system showed some vulnerability in the wake of last year’s hurricane, warranting a bill to guarantee in-person voting before another Sandy disrupts the process and voters are forced to use what she called an “ad-hoc, hastily put together, ineffective procedure that the governor put into effect.”
Bucco disagreed, saying the election effort post-Sandy was a success.
“The governor with Sandy opened up polls so that people could get there before because of the storm at different locations, so it wasn’t because of not being able to go vote,” he contends. “People could vote; we had a high turnout. I think it was over 60 percent if I recall, statewide.”
New Jersey does allow voting by mail, starting 45 days before election day. But supporters of this bill say that’s not the same as voting in person, a process that guarantees anonymity. Gill says she’ll continue to fight for the bill, acknowledging that an override is unlikely.