The U.S. Department of Justice says it will send federal monitors to polling sites in Passaic County to “ensure transparency, ballot security and compliance with federal law,” as New Jersey holds its closely watched election. Monitors will head to California as well following requests from state Republican parties in both locations.
The New Jersey Republican State Committee cited past voter fraud incidents in Paterson and said federal intervention was needed. The county is had been reliably Democratic but President Donald Trump during the presidential race.
Election monitoring is a routine function of the department but the focus on New Jersey and California comes as each state holds closely watched races with national consequences.
Early in-person voting begins this weekend and will be available at locations in all 21 counties in the Garden State. Those sites will be staffed into the evenings for nine days up until Sunday, Nov. 2, offering residents plenty of opportunities to get their vote in.
Top issues for voters
As New Jersey’s election season intensifies, a new Rutgers-Eagleton poll finds that taxes are the top concern among likely voters — cited by 36% of respondents — followed by the cost of living at 21%. Other issues like housing costs and utility bills trail far behind suggesting the race will hinge on kitchen table economic issues rather than broader social ones.
Also notable, 55% of voters think the state is on the wrong track and Gov. Phil Murphy has a 47% unfavorable rating.
