ATLANTIC DEMOCRATS SCORE VOTING RIGHTS WIN

Atlantic County Failed to Mail Ballots with First Class Postage, Now Must Do So

(ABSECON) Chairman Michael Suleiman and the Atlantic County Democratic Committee scored a voting rights win for Atlantic County residents by requiring the Atlantic County Clerk’s Office to comply with state law and send mail-in ballots with first class postage.

“The delay in mail-in ballots being delivered last fall was inexcusable,” said Suleiman. “We will be watching the Clerk’s Office, the ballot printer, and the mail house to make sure ballots this fall are delivered in a prompt manner. If necessary, we’ll take any and all legal action to make sure the rights of voters are protected.”

Last fall, while the rest of the state was already returning ballots, many Atlantic County residents didn’t get their mail-in ballots until October 3 or 4. As such, Atlantic County’s ballot return rate was significantly lower than other counties in South Jersey.

After a months-long investigation by ACDC, it was discovered that the mail house contracted by the printer to mail the ballots, Universal Mailings in Piscataway, didn’t deliver the ballots to the USPS until September 29. Additionally, mail-in ballots were being mailed with standard postage rather than first class postage, which is recommended by the United States Postal Service and is required under state law. 

“While this decision will help ballots arrive a little faster, it doesn’t help if it takes one week for the ballots to get from the mail house to the USPS,” said Suleiman. “We’re putting everyone on notice that a delay in ballots going out will never happen again.”

Suleiman praised ACDC election law attorney Elliott Almanza for his research on this topic as well as Atlantic County Counsel Jim Ferguson for concurring with ACDC’s legal assessment.