By: Najla Alexander
Middlesex County officials announced that as the 2024 General Election on November 5 approaches, they are assuring residents that stringent measures are in place to ensure the security, integrity, and accessibility of voting.
Officials stated that a coordinated effort involving the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Office of the County Clerk, and the Board of Elections is designed to ensure an accurate, smooth, and transparent election in full compliance with state and federal regulations.
“Upholding the integrity of our voting process is our top priority,” said Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone.
“In collaboration with the County Clerk, the Board of Elections, and local law enforcement, we’ve implemented thorough security measures. These include enhanced physical security at election facilities and vigilant monitoring by law enforcement to de-escalate any issues. Any concerns will be promptly investigated to ensure the safety of voters and that the integrity of every vote is protected.”
Key Security Measures for The 2024 General Election:
1. Enhanced Physical Security at Election Facilities
- Expanded perimeter security, including surveillance cameras and controlled access.
- Continuous interior monitoring and managed personnel access.
- Poll workers receive hands-on, small-group training to ensure readiness.
- Every polling site is staffed by trained officials from both major political parties, all sworn to uphold state election laws, overseen by the bipartisan Board of Elections.
- Experienced poll masters in large municipalities coordinate with Municipal Clerks and the Board of Elections to immediately troubleshoot throughout the Early Voting period and on Election Day.
2. Secure Voting Machines
- Comprehensive testing of voting machines to prevent tampering.
- Voting machines certified by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to meet stringent security standards.
- Machines utilize unique encryption keys for each election, with only authorized USB drives programmed for the 2024 General Election.
- Election Day routers operate on an independent network provided by the State of New Jersey through AT&T’s FirstNet Public Safety network.
- Voting systems use advanced cryptographic technologies, such as hash validation and digital signing, ensuring data integrity throughout the election process.
- A paper trail backs every vote, and post-election audits using statistical methods verify machine-tabulated results against a manual count.
3. Investigations into Voter Fraud
- Close collaboration between the Prosecutor’s Office and the Board of Elections to address any reports of voter fraud swiftly and thoroughly.
- Vote-by-mail is tightly secured: voters must apply using a paper form with a wet signature, and each signature is verified against the Statewide Voter Registration System. Discrepancies will be addressed promptly, and voters will have the opportunity to cure their ballot.
- Robust reconciliation procedures ensure all ballots—whether by mail, early voting, or on Election Day—are accurately counted and matched to the voter history.
- Open communication with residents for timely investigations into potential voter fraud.
How to Vote in The 2024 General Election
Middlesex County residents have several convenient and accessible ways to vote in the upcoming General Election, officials say, including:
- Vote-by-Mail: Residents can mail their ballots via the USPS or drop them in one of over 30 secure drop boxes located throughout the County. The deadline to request a Mail-In Ballot by mail is October 29, 2024, and in-person requests must be made by November 4, 2024, by 3 p.m.
- In-Person Early Voting: Vote early from Saturday, October 26, through Sunday, November 3, at any of the ten designated early voting locations. Please check the link below for locations and times.
- In-Person on Election Day: Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5. The deadline to register to vote is October 15, 2024.
Officials said for more information about how to vote, including registration deadlines and polling locations, visit middlesexcountynj.gov/vote.
If you have any questions regarding the security of your vote, please call the County Clerk’s Office at 732-745-4202.