Steve Kornacki and Myrna Perez to Speak at the League of Women Voters of New Jersey 60th Biennial Convention

The League of Women Voters of New Jersey will hold their 60th Biennial Convention on May 4, 2013 at the Conference Center at Mercer in West Windsor. Myrna Perez, Senior Counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice, and Steve Kornacki, political journalist will speak during the lunch banquet.

Myrna Perez works on a variety of voting rights related issues, including redistricting, voter registration list maintenance, and access to the ballot box. Most recently, Ms. Perez was present when the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments from Shelby County, Alabama that a key provision of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional and should be struck down. Ms. Perez represented the Brennan Center, which has filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to keep preclearance. She believes that the Voting Rights Act “remains a vital piece of our national moral commitment to never permit racial discrimination in elections again” and will discuss the Voting Rights Act and the case at Convention.

Convention will also feature Steve Kornacki, new host on MSNBC’s “UP” and senior political writer at Salon.com. His work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, New York Daily News, New York Post, Boston Globe, Daily Beast, and at Capital New York. Mr. Kornacki spent three years in New Jersey, chronicling the state’s political world and co-hosting a weekly show on News 12 New Jersey.

Perez and Kornacki will speak during the lunch banquet at 11:30 am. The lunch is open to the public. The cost is $35 and registration is required. To register please visit the League of Women Voters of New Jersey’s website or call 609-394-3303 for more information.

Join the League as we honor Hurricane Heroes

The League of Women Voters of New Jersey will hold a cocktail reception and awards ceremony honoring Hurricane Heroes on May 3 at the Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village. These individuals and organizations worked tirelessly to ensure that New Jersey voters could participate in the 2012 General Election during the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

“The destruction cause by Hurricane Sandy could have been devastating to our general election process,” said Toni Zimmer, President of the League. “There were 800 polling places initially without power, and thousands of voters were displaced. Our state is made up of 565 individual municipalities, with just as many local municipal clerks, yet somehow they all managed to work together with county and state officials to assist many of the 5,4 million registered voters of New Jersey whose opportunity to vote was jeopardized by the storm.”

Honorees include:

• Robert Giles, NJ Division of Elections
• Alexander Shalom, American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey
• Mary Ciccone, Disability Rights New Jersey
• Catherine Weiss, Lowenstein Center for the Public Interest
• NJ County Election Officials and County and Municipal Clerks
• Volunteers and members of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey

“These individuals and organizations took extraordinary measures to ensure New Jersey’s citizens could exercise their right to vote, in ways we thought would never be possible,” said Zimmer. “They deserve our gratitude and I hope the public will join the League in thanking them for their service and commitment to democracy.”

The reception will begin at 6:00 pm and is open to the public, with a $125 registration fee. You can find more information and register here or call the League of Women Voters of New Jersey at 609-394-3303.

Hurricane Sandy and the Election

The election will be held Tuesday, November 6, as planned. Polls are open from 6 am – 8 pm.

Displaced voters and first responders have multiple options to make voting easier.

1. Vote early at your County Clerk’s Office:

All County Clerk’s offices are mandated to remain open, at a minimum, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm today, Sunday November 4. They will also be open tomorrow, Monday, November 5. Voters are encouraged to take advantage of the extended hours offered at their County Clerk’s office.

Voters may go in person to their County Clerk and vote using a “Vote by Mail” ballot. You will be handed that ballot right there at the office and be able to fill it out in person. The deadline to vote in person using a “vote by mail” ballot at your county clerk office is Monday, November 5, 3 pm.

FIND YOUR COUNTY CLERK (Please Note: The Ocean County Clerk information listed on that link is incorrect. Because of the storm they are located in the Ocean County Administration Building, Rm 116, 101 Hooper Ave, Toms River, NJ. They also have a second location at 179 S. Main Street, Stafford, NJ.)

2. NEW – Apply for and receive a “Vote by Mail” ballot electronically:

Read the full release from the Governor.

To vote electronically, displaced voters may submit a mail-in ballot application either by e-mail or fax to their county clerk. Once an application is approved, the clerk will electronically send a ballot to the voter by either fax or e-mail in accordance to the voter’s preference. Voters must return their electronic ballot – by fax or email – no later than November 6, 2012, at 8 p.m.

Voters can download a mail-in ballot application for their county here. 

A list of county clerk websites, phone numbers and fax numbers is available here. 

The deadline for county clerks to receive mail-in ballots has been extended to November 19, 2012, for any ballot postmarked on or before November 5, 2012. Mail-in ballots postmarked later than November 5 will not be accepted.

3. NEW – Vote on Tuesday in a different polling place using a provisional ballot:

Directives issued by the state today enable displaced voters and first responders to vote by provisional ballot at any polling place in the state.

Read Directive.

This means if you are a registered voter in the state of NJ and you are staying in a different part of the state because of the storm you may go to a near by polling place on Tuesday and vote there using a provisional ballot.

Polling Places

Some polling places will be relocated.  A directive issued yesterday requires that all polling place changes are posted on county websites and the League of Women Voters of New Jersey is notified. We will know every polling place change and post them by county on our homepage. You may also call us at 1-800-792-VOTE(8683) with questions about your polling place. 

Mobile Polling Place Locator: To find your polling place text WHERE to 877877.

According to state officials, it will be updated every two hours. It may not reflect changes yet, so keep checking back.

Additionally, if your polling place has been relocated, there will be notification posted at your original polling place directing you to the relocated polling place. State officials have announced that they will deploy military vehicles to serve as polling places in some areas.

If you have any questions call the League of Women Voters of New Jersey’s toll-free voter assistance hotline, 1-800-792-VOTE(8683). We have extended our hours to help more voters and we are in the office today, Sunday, from 9 am – 4 pm. Our hours on Monday are 8:30 am – 4:30 pm. On election day, Tuesday, November 6, we staff the hotline all day while the polls are open (6 am – 8 pm).

You may also reach us through Facebook  at any time.

The League of Women Voters of New Jersey is doing everything possible to make sure NJ  voters are able to cast a ballot.

Thank you and stay safe.

Get Informed! Voter Guides and Ballot Questions

The League of Women Voters of New Jersey Education Fund is dedicated to encouraging informed and active participation in government. As part of this mission, we have published a voters guide and ballot question analyses. We hope that these nonpartisan voters tools help you make an informed decision when you head out to the polls on November 6^th.

Voter Guides

The League of Women Voters of New Jersey Education Fund asked all N.J. candidates running for U.S. Senate and House of Representatives twelve policy questions. These questions cover an array of important issues including unemployment, clean energy, education, immigration and health care.

U.S. Senate candidate answers are available here.

U.S. House of Representatives answers are available here.       

Ballot Question Analyses

This year, there will be two statewide public questions on the ballot. One will ask if voters approve the “Building Our Future Bond Act” and the second will ask if voters approve an amendment to the NJ Constitution to allow contributions set by law to be taken from the salaries of Supreme Court Justices and Superior Court judges for their employee benefits.

To help voters understand these questions we have published an analysis of each question. This information includes the ballot question and the interpretive statement as they appear on the ballot, as well as helpful background on the issue, and balanced reasons a voter may vote yes and reasons a voter may vote no. The League of Women Voters of New Jersey does not have a position on either question.

Ballot question analyses are available here.

We hope that you find this information useful. If you have any questions, please contact the League of Women Voters of New Jersey at 1-800-792-VOTE (8683) and be sure to check out our website  for other important voting information.

Why I vote.

This is a guest post written by LWVNJ intern, Emily Garland.

When I was younger and had off from school on Election Day, my aunt would watch my sister and me. Part of that day off meant going to the polls. My sister and I would gather behind the curtain with my aunt and she would tell us which button to press. When it was time to cast her vote, there would be a slight skirmish between my sister and me over who got to press the red button. After all, an 8 year old’s memory of who pressed the red button last year is not very reliable.  I am very grateful that the right to vote and the act of voting was instilled in me at a very young age. I learned voting is more than just a right, it is also a duty.

 My senior year of high school was a highly formative time for my civic consciousness. I was fortunate enough to take 2 great classes with 2 great teachers. One was Government and Law Related Experiences (GALRE) and the other was A.P. Government. In GALRE, we would have various guest speakers come into our class and talk to us about their jobs and duties. These speakers were an assortment of people that played a role in politics, like councilmen, journalists, lawyers, state senators, and congressmen. Most of our grade was based on the quality of the questions we asked our guest speakers. This really encouraged me to learn about the political arena around me; it made it all the more tangible. I think this is a problem with voter turnout today, the disconnect between voter and those who serve the voter. Many people don’t see how their vote can make a difference, but it can. I vote because I believe it makes a difference.

In GALRE, we were required to work the polls on Election Day, which I still do to this day. Working the polls is another experience that has made the voting process more tangible and more consequential. It has also encouraged me to be informed about each and every election.

More importantly, working the polls has really illustrated to me who votes. These people who vote are the ones being heard and represented. I wish I would see more people like me, young and female, voting. Seeing a young person at the polls is so rare. I vote because I want more people like me to vote and be represented.

In AP Government, my teacher had a way of explaining things to our class in a way we had never thought of before. She told us that those we elect’s jobs are reliant upon those who vote. If you don’t vote, what should someone care about you since you have no say in whether or not they keep their job?

In a perfect democracy, everyone would come together and discuss their wants and needs, and no decision would be made final until everyone was satisfied. In a country that roughly 312 million call home, this isn’t very practical. So instead we have a republic where we choose people to represent our wants, needs, and priorities. I vote because as a young woman who is about to graduate college, I have specific needs and priorities that I want my government to hear and represent.  These include women’s rights, environmental protection and affordable higher education.  Since our country is so large and diverse, not everyone has these same priorities, but voting is the great equalizer that allows all these voices to come together and be heard. I vote because we live in a republic and I want my wants and needs represented.

I want a truly functioning and healthy republic. I believe the best way to accomplish this is to have complete voter participation. Although I am not everybody, I am still part of it. This is why I vote. To do your part, visit the League of Women Voters of New Jersey’s website for more information on voting and how you can register to vote.  Tuesday, October 16^th is the last day to register to vote so don’t hesitate a moment longer to play your democratic part!

Why I Vote

The following is a guest post written by former LWVNJ intern, Jasmine Teague.

It was 2008 and I was so excited about the opportunity to vote for the first time in a presidential election. I was a little unsure about the procedures and what the experience would be like, as I walked onto the line to cast my vote. I knew for sure that this was an important part of history that I was partaking in and that I was proud to be a part of it. As I walked up to the line, I reflected on the fact that I am an African America female, both characteristics making it impossible to vote in previous years. I felt a sense of pride representing those who came before me to cast my ballot.

On this hot day, the line was very long and people were sweating but still determined to vote, anyway. As people stood waiting, they eventually began to talk casually. I made small talk with man standing next to me, who had American buttons and pins all over his shirt. He was so excited to tell me that he was a new citizen of the U.S.A. and this will be his first time voting. It was so nice to see such a melting pot of people. Suddenly in the back of me I heard an argument break out, discussing civil unions. The arguing eventually died down, but it added an element of excitement to the experience.

After walking out of the polls, I realized how strongly those people felt about their issue. More people should have a passionate stance on an issue. If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything. I was proud to be among the many voting and taking a stand for what I believe in.

Voting for me is something that should be a top priority. Visit the League of Women Voters of New Jersey’s website for more information on voting and how you can register to vote.

Why I Vote.

This is a guest post written by former LWVNJ intern, Christine Kaufman.

Why I Vote.

Voting is an untouchable privilege to millions of people around the world.  Just this year Egyptians finally got to vote in a presidential election that did not already have a clear cut winner.  70 year old Nadia Fahmy lined up with fellow Egyptian citizens, some who waited four hours, so she could vote for the first time in her life. Although some debate the fairness of our elections in the U.S., we are quite blessed to have the right to vote.  Americans spend so much time dwelling on what we do not have and forget to utilize the rights we were born with.

This is the first year I will be old enough to vote in a presidential election.  Unfortunately, I was born a few months late and was only 17 during the 2008 election.  In 2010, only 55.6% of eligible NJ citizens were registered to vote. Could it be that almost half of our population does not see the importance in voting?  Some of my friends would see that number and agree, everyone only has one vote and that one vote will not make much of a difference.  But what if everyone took their vote seriously?  If all of those non-believers came together and voted, they could easily change the outcome of any election.

I vote because I believe you cannot just sit back and complain about the government if you do not attempt to influence it.  I vote because this is the first year my younger brother is old enough to vote and I want to set a good example.  I vote because my father spends hours upon hours educating himself on current events since he takes his vote seriously.  I vote because my mother votes and because her mother had to earn the right to vote.  So let us all start taking our votes seriously.  Visit our website for more information on voting and how you can register to vote.