The New Jersey Democratic State Committee condemned a lawsuit filed by the Trump campaign against Governor Phil Murphy and the state as “a blatant attempt at voter disenfranchisement and another case of Republican leaders spreading lies about vote by mail.”

Last week, Murphy signed Executive Order 177 “to create a modified vote-by-mail (VBM) election for the November 3rd General Election. The order suspends the sending of sample ballots and requires that each county’s elections officials send VBM ballots with pre-paid postage to all active registered voters for the General Election. Additionally, every voter will have the option to either return their ballot through a secure drop box or turn in their ballot at a polling location on Election Day. The Administration is working with the Department of State to implement a new online voter registration system where New Jersey residents will have the opportunity to register to vote. The online system will launch on September 4, 2020.”

On Tuesday, the NJGOP joined Trump for President, Inc. and the Republican National Committee in

filing suit to invalidate Murphy’s executive order 177.

“Phil Murphy has ravaged our constitutional rights, upended our economy and sacrificed the health of our veterans and senior citizens,” said NJGOP Chairman Doug Steinhardt. “The NJGOP will not let him hijack our right to send his party a message this November, too. We will always fight for free, fair and open elections where every person who is legally entitled to vote can do so.

“…We have joined forces with Donald J. Trump for President Inc. and the Republican National Committee, and are once again being represented locally by attorney and State Senator Michael Testa, Jr., opposing Governor Phil Murphy’s all vote by mail scheme in its entirety on the grounds that Executive Order 177 is beyond the scope of powers granted to the Governor under the Elections and Electors Clauses of the U.S. Constitution, and because we reject any system that makes universal vote by mail standard and in person voting provisional.

 “We said every option was on the table. We picked one. Governor Murphy, we’ll see you in court, again.”

The Democratic State Committee said it would take any necessary action to fight back against the Trump lawsuit and ensure that New Jersey voters have the opportunity to which they are constitutionally guaranteed to cast their vote without putting their lives in danger.

“Governor Murphy has consistently put people ahead of politics and protected the health and safety of New Jersey residents throughout the pandemic, and his decision to allow universal mail in voting in the November election is no different,” said NJDSC Chairman John Currie. “President Trump’s lawsuit is another clear attack on our democracy and on our voting rights, just like his efforts to destroy the Post Office and delegitimize the electoral process. New Jersey’s record of expanding vote by mail has been a clear success and our party will not allow Trump’s cynical and desperate attempt to threaten both our health and our sacred voting rights to succeed.”