Progressive Democrats Call on Middlesex County Clerk to Livestream Ballot Opening, Urge Transparency

“The 2020 election is one of the most prominent elections of our time. A highly contested presidential race, a global pandemic and New Jersey’s move to vote by mail have voters anxious about the processing of individual ballots. Hunterdon, Union and Bergen county already have systems in place to live stream the ballot counting process. Middlesex County needs to join our forward thinking neighbors and get on board with this essential act of transparency and voter engagement,” said Laura Leibowitz, a Middlesex County Democratic Organization member.

Other MCDO members agreed. “The Piscataway Progressive Democratic Organization (PPDO) formally requests that our process also be streamed live to confirm and allay the concerns of our voters,” said PPDO president Staci Berger, another progressive MCDO member elected with Leibowitz in Piscataway. Berger noted that there were numerous concerns raised by voters in the diverse township last year, including the improper denial of provisional ballots by a polling place judge and candidates improperly handling voting materials. “Voters want to see ballots counted, and the county should make that process as open as possible.”

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About PPDO: Formed on November 9, 2016, the Piscataway Progressive Democratic Organization believes in social, political and economic justice and wants our elected officials at every level to fight for the rights of everyday residents. PPDO engages in electoral activity on behalf of candidates for elected office who share these values and work to advance social, economic and political justice for all. The organization is affiliated with the Central Jersey Progressive Democrats, which has run progressive candidates for county committee and other offices in Middlesex and Somerset since 2017.