Citizens for NJ Election Integrity Warns of Potential Lame Duck Push for John R. Lewis Bill

METUCHEN, N.J. - Oct. 14, 2025 - PRLog -- Citizens for NJ Election Integrity (C4NJEI) issued a strong warning to New Jersey voters and legislators that the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act could quickly advance during the lame duck legislative session.

According to C4NJEI sources, there are signs that legislative leaders may attempt to move the bill swiftly before the end of the year despite widespread concern from election officials, county boards, and members of the public that the measure could fundamentally alter how elections are administered in New Jersey.

A Solution in Search of a Problem
In recent testimony before the Assembly Oversight Committee, county election administrators emphasized that New Jersey's election system is already among the most accessible in the country.  Linda Hughes, Administrator of the Burlington County Board of Elections, testified that the state provides 45 days of mail-in voting, multiple early voting opportunities, and a clear ballot-curing process — ensuring that every legitimate vote is counted.

Hughes cautioned that the proposed legislation "takes the authority of conducting elections away from the legislature and the county boards of elections, and instead vests it with the court system," warning that such a shift could create inconsistent election rules across counties.

Judicial Overreach and Costly Mandates
Under the bill, courts could unilaterally impose ranked-choice voting, redraw districts, or alter term lengths — bypassing the Legislature and local Boards of Elections.  The bill also includes vague and subjective standards that would allow lawsuits based merely on a voter's perception that their rights were impaired, potentially leading to constant litigation and political gamesmanship.

Additionally, the measure contains costly new requirements, including mandating translations of all election materials into any language spoken by just 2% of local voters, far stricter than federal 10% laws in place today. It would also delay essential voter-roll maintenance by requiring "preclearance" for even routine updates — hampering county operations and sowing confusion among voters.

C4NJEI Calls for Legislative Restraint

"This bill would destabilize a system that already works," said Mark Demo, Director for Citizens for NJ Election Integrity. "It hands election oversight to the courts, creates vague standards for lawsuits, and imposes burdensome costs on counties — all without any evidence that New Jersey voters are being disenfranchised. The Legislature must reject it."
The organization stressed that any changes to state election law should be data-driven, transparent, and deliberated during the regular legislative session.

Call to Action
C4NJEI is calling on all New Jersey residents to take action by contacting their State Senator and Assembly representatives to urge them to vote NO on A4083/S3009.