The new law requires polling places to be open at 6 a.m. and remain open until the regular time of 8 p.m.
By: Mae Rhine
"Stupid." "Ridiculous."
That’s how local municipal clerks are describing the new election law requiring all polling places to be open an hour earlier.
"This whole thing snuck through so fast," said Elaine Vanselous, borough clerk for Stockton. "We got this notice they were voting on it tomorrow. We said, ‘Where did this come from?’ "
The new law requires polling places in New Jersey to be open at 6 a.m. and remain open until the regular time of 8 p.m.
"It’s stupid," Ms. Vanselous said. "Most of these (election workers) are seniors."
She rattled off a bunch of names, saying "This one’s 80. This one’s over 60."
And these same election workers probably would have to be up at 4:30 a.m. in order to make it to the polling places by 5:15 a.m., added Betty Jane Hunt, West Amwell’s municipal clerk.
"I was thinking of moving a cot in here," she said with a laugh. "I’m afraid I’ll oversleep" Election Day.
"I’m not happy about it," Ms. Hunt said, about the extended hours. "It’s tough enough, a long enough day for these people."
And the election workers only get an hour dinner break for a day that could begin at 4:30 to make it to the polls by 5:15 a.m. and last until 9:30 p.m. by the time election results are taken to the Hunterdon County Board of Elections office in Flemington, pointed out Lambertville City Clerk Mary Sheppard.
Ms. Hunt did note election workers’ pay recently had been raised to $200 for the day. Each voting district one in Stockton, four in Lambertville, and two in West Amwell must have four election workers: two Democrats and two Republicans. So in the three municipalities alone, there are 24 elections workers, most of them seniors citizens, Ms. Sheppard added.
"It’s stupid," Ms. Sheppard said. "We may have four or five people who take the 6:15 bus to New York; not that many more."
The county has asked all municipalities in Hunterdon to count the number of people voting for that extra hour because the state League of Municipalities is working to repeal the law, Ms. Vanselous said.
Ms. Vanselous joked she was going to ask her election workers, all of whom usually vote right away "to get it out of the way" not to vote until after 7 a.m.
All three pointed out those who have to leave to work early and may not get home in time to vote can get an absentee ballot.
"This is ridiculous," Ms. Vanselous said. "I see no rationale behind it. It’s not like we don’t bend over backwards for these people (voters). They can get an absentee ballot."
"Of course they can," Ms. Sheppard said. "I think we’re to the point of too much hand-holding. Maybe they’d like us to go door to door to get the votes."

