The Somerset County woman who was turned away from the polls on Saturday will get to vote in this year’s general election after a judge was offered new information and reconsidered.
In a hearing this morning, the woman testified that she went on the U.S. Postal Service website to change her address from Mercer to Somerset and was prompted to check a box to “begin updating my voter registration.”
The menu is complicated, requires a credit card, and uses a private company, MyMove.com, to process the registration. There are additional steps the voter must take – ultimately printing and mailing their own change of address form. But the directions are confusing, and it’s easy for voters to become confused.
The woman was not given the opportunity to explain her extenuating circumstances in Saturday’s hearing
“I am satisfied the applicant is testifying truthfully. I am grateful she has made this application because I get to fix my mistake,” said Superior Court Judge Robert G. Wilson. “She made a good faith effort to register as a Somerset County voter.”
Scott Salmon, a top election lawyer and voting rights advocate, represented the Somerset woman. He had filed a motion for reconsideration.
The New Jersey Globe withholds the names of voters who appear before judges to protect their privacy.
Voters who feel they are being wrongfully disenfranchised have the right to make their case to a judge. This can be done remotely and arranged through the county Board of Elections.
