New Jersey Moves 2021 Special Elections To April

NEW JERSEY - Governor Phil Murphy is moving the upcoming 2021 special elections in the Garden State back to April, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

"Today, I’m signing an Executive Order moving the upcoming February fire district elections, March special school elections, and all other special elections to April 20," Murphy said in his Monday COVID-19 briefing.

“We will continue to hold elections to ensure that every citizen is able to have their voice heard in a safe matter during this unprecedented time,” said Murphy. “Today’s executive order will allow our local election officials to conserve time and resources, while also providing sufficient time to properly prepare for the upcoming elections.”

A decision on how these elections will be held, whether all vote-by-mail, in-person, or through a hybrid of VBM and in-person, will be determined in the coming months.

The news came the day Murphy extended the coronavirus outbreak's public health emergency for another 30 days, saying that New Jersey is still feeling the brunt of the second wave of the coronavirus and dealing with a sharp rise in cases and fatalities that have been reported over the past few weeks.

"While vaccines are beginning to arrive in New Jersey, the COVID-19 pandemic is still enveloping our state," said Murphy. "As we continue to fight this public health crisis, we require the ability to utilize all resources necessary to keep New Jerseyans safe."

The declaration means the state will continue to have the authority to order new shutdowns and take similar extraordinary acts if the virus resurges, as it has done in other states.

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