Homeless People Asked To Cast Messenger Ballots In Atlantic County, Clerk Says

ATLANTIC COUNTY, NJ — Atlantic County officials are warning of fraudulent messenger ballot activities ahead of this year's election.

“I’m tired of the misuse and abuse of messenger ballots that threaten the integrity of our election process,” Atlantic County Clerk Joe Giralo said in a statement. “Atlantic County has an unfortunate history of election corruption involving messenger ballots which should not be tolerated. We also need the support of law enforcement.”

In 2022, political organizer Craig Callaway paid people to act as purported authorized messengers for voters who supposedly wished to vote by mail. Those ballots were cast by Callaway and his team, instead of being returned to the voter as they were supposed to. They were cast in the names of voters who told investigators they did not vote in that election. For this scheme, Callaway was sentenced to 24 months in prison. Read more: NJ Political Organizer Admits Mail-In Ballot Voter Fraud Scheme

Giralo asked for state legislators to adopt stronger resolution regarding the use of messenger ballots. Messenger ballots are intended to help voters who have not signed up for mail-in ballots or have chosen not to go to the polls. It allows a voter to designate a person to pick up and deliver a mail-in ballot to the voter.

He said that homeless individuals in Atlantic City and Pleasantville have been asked to participate in fraudulent messenger ballot activities.

Giralo said the system has obvious flaws that need immediate attention.

“As the system currently operates, I’m not sure the benefits of messenger ballots outweigh the risks of corruption,” he said. “I believe it is something we need to review and improve for the protection of our electoral process.”

Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson fully supports Giralo on this issue.

“Atlantic County taxpayers and voters are extremely fortunate to have a county clerk the caliber of Joe Giralo,” he said. “I know the Board of County Commissioners and the Mayors Association also agree that the integrity of our elections is a high priority. We stand with County Clerk Joe Giralo in seeking this much-needed reform.”