Offering New Jersey residents an alternative to the Democrats’ status quo in Trenton, Assembly Republicans are advancing their agenda through a newly created policy task force, which is focusing on election integrity first. 

The five-member task force, chaired by Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger, prioritized developing policies to protect the integrity of New Jersey’s elections following the registration of at least 6,600 noncitizen voters at the state’s Motor Vehicle Commission.

“New Jersey residents’ confidence in our elections has been damaged with the revelation that Democrat-led state agencies failed by not only registering noncitizens to vote but then inviting them to participate. That is why this task force is presenting policies to ensure something like this never happens again as well as to clean up the voter rolls, prevent voter fraud, and make sure every legal vote counts,” Scharfenberger (R-Monmouth) said. 

Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia (R-Sussex) is vice chair of the task force and a sponsor of three of the seven bills in its election integrity package. 

“New Jersey voters want stronger safeguards and accountability for the blatant failures in our voter registration system. The majority has yet to acknowledge or meet those demands. We will lead the fight for reforms that restore faith in our elections,” Fantasia said. 

Assemblymen John Azzariti (R-Bergen), Paul Kanitra (R-Ocean) and Alex Sauickie (R-Ocean) are the other members of the task force that was formed in the months following Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s election to develop a policy agenda that speaks to the needs of New Jersey residents and contrasts with the left’s priorities.   

After losing the Assembly majority in the 1989 election, Republicans developed a similar vehicle for pushing policies. The Assembly Republican Policy Committee in 1990 created task forces to address issues ranging from adult day care to government efficiency. The party won back the Assembly majority in the 1991 election and held it through 2001. 

“Public confidence won’t be restored by asking voters to accept a system that has already failed them. This package puts concrete solutions on the table to clean up voter rolls, verify eligibility, and secure our elections. Our Democrat colleagues have an opportunity to help deliver those protections, and we’re asking them to take it,” Fantasia said. 

The following bills are in the Assembly Republicans’ election integrity package:

• Voting Integrity Task Force — A187 (Fantasia/Inganamort/Auth)

Creates a task force within the Attorney General’s Office composed of state, county and local law enforcement to investigate and prosecute alleged voter fraud. 

•  Voter Roll Cross Checking and Post-Election Reporting — A5627 (Flynn/Auth/Fantasia)

Requires the secretary of state to maintain a voter registration list maintenance and cross-checking program to identify duplicate, nonresident and otherwise ineligible registrations. It also requires a report within 90 days following each general election and provides for cross checking voter registration information with jury records to identify individuals who report that they are noncitizens when seeking to be excused from jury service.

• Voter ID and Distinct Licenses for Noncitizens — A5628 (Scharfenberger/Flynn/McGuckin)

Requires voters to present qualifying government-issued or photo identification at the polls and requires licenses issued to noncitizens to be visually distinct.

• Opt-In Voter Registration and Proof of Citizenship — A5489 (Azzariti/Fantasia)

Eliminates automatic voter registration and restores an opt-in registration process. It also requires proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote through the MVC.

• Election Day Deadline for Mail-In Ballots — A5590 (Sauickie)

Requires mail-in ballots to be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be canvassed. 

• Securing Mail-In Ballot Drop Boxes — A5565 (Sauickie)

Requires video surveillance and recording of mail-in ballot drop boxes and the counting of mail-in ballots. 

• Special Legislative Committee on Election Integrity — AR156 (DiMaio/DePhillips)

Creates a 12-member special Assembly committee, with six members appointed by the speaker and six by the minority leader and a co-chair selected by each. The committee would have subpoena power and authority to compel testimony and obtain documents, electronic records and other evidence as part of its investigation.

“The bills are commonsense reforms that will safeguard elections,” Scharfenberger said.  “Requiring voter ID is something the majority of Americans and even Gov. Sherrill supports, so we believe that this package warrants real consideration by legislative leaders. These bills deserve to be heard in committee, and the residents of New Jersey deserve to have confidence in our elections.”