NJ Republicans Demand Ballot Security Measures For This County’s Elections

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — The New Jersey Republican Party has requested that stricter security measures be put in place at Passaic County polls this election season in an effort to prevent voter fraud.

With just two weeks until Election Day, the NJ GOP has called on the U.S. Department of Justice and the Division of Civil Rights to oversee the Passaic County Board of Elections’ voter-by-mail (VBM) processing system.

“Passaic County has a long and sordid history of VBM fraud with multiple indictments for ballot stuffing and falsifying VBM ballots in recent elections,” an NJ GOP letter read. “Despite these indictments, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has proven incapable of prosecuting these matters; indicted politicians remain in office for years after their initial indictment. It is clear that the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office is incapable of enforcing the law and protecting the integrity of elections in Passaic County.”

The NJ GOP cites several indictments by the state’s attorney general regarding voter-by-mail fraud in the county. One instance in 2020 charged four Passaic County men, including Paterson councilmen Michael Jackson and Alex Mendez, with voter fraud.

The GOP also cites an instance in 2014, when Paterson Councilman Rigo Rodriguez and his wife were charged with election fraud. The pair was banned from serving in public office as a result.

The NJ GOP also puts blame on John Currie, who serves as the Passaic Board of Elections’ Chairman, as well as the Passaic County Democratic Party Chairman.

At a recent Passaic County Board of Elections meeting, Republican members asked that 24-hour surveillance cameras be installed and a logbook be used to monitor the county’s VBM processes, but the idea was snuffed after a tie deadlocked the vote, according to the GOP.

“Given the history of VBM fraud in Passaic County, including under Chairman Currie’s watch, it is concerning that he would oppose reasonable, non-intrusive measures to ensure the integrity of the VBM ballots,” the letter continues.

NJ GOP Chairman Glenn Paulson has released a separate statement regarding election fraud in Passaic County, saying, “This doesn’t smell right, folks.”

Finally, the NJ GOP claims to have information on recent voter fraud in the county that it is prepared to share with the Division of Civil Rights, including at least one audio clip that “bears directly on these issues.”

The NJ GOP's full letter to the U.S. Department of Justice can be seen here.

Patch has reached out to the Passaic County Board of Elections, as well as the Passaic County Democratic Committee, for comment.