Anxiety, Confusion As Middlesex Voters Report Ballot Issues

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ – Sixty-five-year-old Hope Tarnowski was glad when Gov. Phil Murphy signed Executive Order 177, ensuring all registered voters in New Jersey received their mail-in ballot.

“I was looking forward to mailing in my ballot. I can’t stand in line due to health concerns. This news was welcome,” she told Patch.

But the South Brunswick resident did not receive her ballot. The senior told Patch that the local post office has been losing her mail or delivering it to the wrong address for the past few months now.

“But my husband received his mail-in ballot. He’s 70 and he voted for the first time. I have always been an active voter, yet I didn’t receive my ballot. I called the local election office twice, and they told me they sent it. But I didn’t receive it,” she said.

As a last resort, Tarnowski visited the Voter Information Center at the Monroe Public Library but returned disappointed after finding the center closed.

“Now I have no option but to go to the polling station tomorrow. I’m not sure if I can stand that long. But I’m taking my masks, carrying my sanitizer and I’m going,” she said.

Like Tarnowski, Edison resident Jaime Luongo too did not receive her ballot. Luongo also describes herself as an “active voter” who “votes in the primaries.” While all her family members received their ballots, Luongo was the only one who didn’t.

“And I am the most active voter in my household,” she told Patch. When she called the local election office to inquire about the ballot, Luongo discovered that her address on file was incorrect.

“The address was incorrect, registered in a different town. It surprised me because I voted in the primaries,” she said.

After many calls, Luongo decided to visit her local office to get her ballot.

“I went to the Highland Park office personally last Saturday and picked up my ballot. It said it was a ‘duplicate’ ballot. Well, I did not receive the original,” she said. Luongo was finally able to mail in her ballot.

It’s not clear how many people in Middlesex County haven’t received their ballots. The New Jersey Division of Elections has not yet responded to Patch’s requests for comment.

In response to a query from Patch, a Middlesex County representative said that voters who haven't received their ballots "can visit one of the County’s Voter Information Centers, the Middlesex County Clerk’s Office, or cast a ballot in person on Election day via provisional ballot."

Meanwhile, those in Middlesex County who sent in their ballots early are unable to verify if it’s been "accepted" or "rejected."

Yolanda Yablonkai from Milltown, NJ dropped her mail-in ballot on Oct. 4, at the secure drop box in North Brunswick. Yablonkai has been tracking her ballot on “Voter Search” tool since that day.

“A week went by and nothing showed up on the tracker,” said Yablonkai, who then called the Office of the County Clerk in New Brunswick. “I was told it will take time to show up on the tracker.” On Oct. 13 she got to know that her ballot was “received”. But as of Monday morning, Yablonkai isn’t sure if her ballot has been accepted or denied.

“If my signatures don’t match, my ballot could be denied. If information is incomplete, it could be denied,” she said.

Voters with incomplete information and mismatched signatures will be given time in New Jersey to rectify the mistakes. According the New Jersey Division of Election website, “The County Boards of Elections shall meet at least four (4) days per week starting October 13, 2020 to begin verifying the signatures on the vote by mail ballots. Voters whose ballots are rejected for a missing or a mismatching signature, will be contacted and given the opportunity to cure the signature defect.”

But in Yablonkai’s case, a day before election and she has no information on the status of her ballot. “I sent in the ballot as soon as possible to avoid any delays and allow time for changes in case of an error,” she said.

Luongo too hasn’t been able to confirm if her ballot is accepted or needs rectification.

According to the state Division of Election website, the Boards of Elections “may start counting ballots 10 days before the election.” Ballot counting will continue until after the deadline “for receipt of timely mailed postmarked mail-in ballots, on November 10 at 8 p.m.”

Middlesex Count representative told Patch that "a voter's ballot status won’t be changed to ‘Accepted’ or ‘Rejected’ until after the certification of the Election, on Nov. 20." They've asked voters to check back periodically for updates on their ballot status.

Read More Here: What Is The Difference Between Received, Accepted Ballots In NJ?

“This whole episode is discouraging. What happens to people who don’t want to wait in lines or can’t wait due to health concerns?” asked Luongo. “Every vote is important. No matter which party,” she said.

Tarnowski isn't sure how long she will have to stand in line at the polling station on Tuesday. "If the line's long, I'm not sure I can stay," she said.

This story was produced with the help of tips reported through ProPublica's Electionland project. If you experience or witness a problem voting, please let us know.

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