In this age of electronic voting, the thorough and scientific testing and certification of voting machines can make the difference between a fair election and an unfair one.  The right to vote is too important to be sacrificed to machines that may malfunction, printers that may jam, or hackers who may seek to alter election results.

New Jersey is under state mandate to have a "paper trail" as a part of all its voting machines as soon as funds are available. Various technologies are available to accomplish that goal. Whichever technology the state and counties choose, the Public Advocate will push for state-level certification that includes thorough testing of the complete machine, simulating Election Day conditions, to ensure compliance with state law requiring voting machines to be reliable, accurate, and able to secure voter privacy.

These machines must be accessible to everyone, including people who are blind, visually impaired or who have limited motion or dexterity.

The department is working with the State's chief election official to create an election system in which all voters can be justifiably confident. This work has included extensive testimony before the State's Voting Machine Examination Committee in July 2007 and again in June 2008.  The department also appeared as amicus curiae in Gusciora v. Corzine, a legal challenge to the State's current complement of voting machines.

In addition, we are in the process of reviewing the contracts between the counties and voting machine vendors to ensure that these contracts adequately protect the interests of voters and taxpayers.  A report on this review is expected by the end of 2009.  A preview of our research can be found on page 8 of this document.

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  • Resources.  See additional resources to help citizens exercise their voting rights and to learn more about election administration and voting.
  • Voting News.  Read the Public Advocate's news releases about our efforts to enforce voting rights.
  • Reports and Publications.  Learn more about voting rights by studying the Public Advocate's reports.
  • In Court.  Read more about the Public Advocate's courtroom advocacy on behalf of voting rights.