New Bill Will Increase Transparency In Election Results Reporting democracy.”

From The Desk Of The Governor Phil Murphy

TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy signed A-5176, which aims to improve voter confidence in the reporting of election results by requiring periodic reporting of vote tallies beginning on the night of primary and general elections until all eligible ballots have been counted and the election is certified. The required report details will include the number and types of ballots that have been received and, to the extent possible, the number and types of ballots that have been counted and that remain to be counted. Reporting shall commence by 11:59 p.m. on the day of each primary and general election and shall be updated by 9 p.m. every day thereafter until the certification of the election. This information is particularly useful in close races where late-counted mail-in or provisional ballots could determine the outcome of an election.

“In the past few years, we have witnessed attacks on our democracy across the country, resulting in the spread of disinformation and misinformation surrounding our elections,” said Governor Murphy. “In an effort to make election results more transparent in our state...I gladly signed A-5176 requiring the periodic reporting of election results. Here in New Jersey, our voters can be certain that we are working hard to make sure our elections are conducted in a way that bolsters public confidence in our

The bill appropriates $1.5 million to the Department of State, which houses the State’s Division of Elections, for the implementation of these election requirements.

“At a time when incorrect information is undermining faith in our democracy, this legislation underscores the importance of getting timely and uniformly reported election information directly from state and county election officials,” said Secretary of State Tahesha Way. “This new law helps us improve voter trust and understanding that New Jersey elections are free, fair, and secure.”

“The New Jersey Division of Elections works closely with our county partners to administer elections throughout New Jersey,” said Assistant Secretary of State Dr. Lauren Zyriek Enriquez, Acting Director of the Division of Elections. “Standardizing the way we provide information between election day and certification in New Jersey will increase transparency and enhance voter confidence in the outcomes of our elections.”

Upon the certification of the election, election personnel from each county will be required to provide the district level results for the in-person early voting period, the election day vote, and the Vote-By-Mail vote on the county clerk’s website.

“The consistent and uniform posting of ballots received, counted and remaining following an election - along with a breakdown of vote-by-mail, early voting and Election

Day votes - will lead to greater voter trust in our democracy,” said Micauri Vargas, Associate Counsel in the Democracy & Justice Program at the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. “In recent years, we have seen how inconsistent reporting can lead to voter confusion and, unfortunately, fester conspiracy theories online. This bill will help address those issues, and we commend the legislature and the Governor for passing and signing this legislation.”

“As we continue to combat dangerous election disinformation, this law provides essential clarity and consistency to election results reporting,” said Jesse Burns, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of New Jersey. “The League applauds Governor Murphy and the legislative sponsors for their commitment to improving voter confidence in the democratic process.”

Historical:

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The State of New Jersey, founded in 1892, maintains two museum properties including Peachfield and the Old Schoolhouse in Mount Holly.

The membership enjoyed their visit and they learned a lot about New Jersey’s Quaker roots and heritage at both of these historic sites. Both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In June, Patricia Trasferini gave a presen-

Transparency:

Continued From Page 1 secrecy. This is not what is going on here.”

The township Zoning Board of Adjustment has had several resignations recently. “They need to be filled. I requested several times for the Zoning Board applications to start my due diligence. I have requested to the council in the past that we need to start the interview process to fill those positions and was told no one wants to do it.”

Kuhn said she collected all the applications that had been received since January 1 2022 to the present date. She read the names of those applicants and noted some were on other boards, had conflicts of interest or were no longer interested in serving. She said that she had asked Council President Steven Chisholm “when did the backdoor conversations start? Why isn’t the entire council privileged to these conversations. When did the Zoning Board attorney start telling the council who should be appointed to the Zoning Board? When did sitting Zone Board members start interviewing candidates on behalf of the council?”

“We have only certain council members receiving applications and the Zoning Board attorney making recommendations on applications submitted only 24 hours earlier?” tation on the charcoal industry. Mary May, a New Jersey folk artist specializing in South Jersey basket weaving, was also present.

The New Egypt Historical Society has the largest collection of baskets in Ocean County. In the late 1800s and early 1900s charcoal making was a means of livelihood and charcoal baskets were in much demand at that time. Reed said, “we have 60 members. A lot of them are out of state but half of them live here in New Egypt and the Cream Ridge area.” The township has a rich historical history. A Revolutionary War veteran Private Thomas Chafe/Chaffy is interred at the Old Zion

Kuhn said.

She was referencing the application of former Planning Board member Robert Hudak who had previously been appointed to that board by Mayor Michael Reina. The Council approves the selection of Zoning Board members.

She then made the first of three motions to fill Zoning Board vacancies. The first was for Aryeh Skorski. The motions were seconded by Councilman Scott Sargent.

Council President Chisholm asked, “do we know how many openings there are at this point?”

Township Attorney Gregory McGuckin noted that the motion had been seconded so that it would be appropriate to have a roll call of the vote and no further discussion at that point.

Councilman Martin Flemming voted no, Kuhn and Sargent voted yes and Chisholm said, “well in the interest of all the transparency that we are not seeing, hearing or feeling I did not get a copy of said resume or documents so I can’t do my due diligence.”

Chisholm added, “so based on the transparency that you are getting here tonight it will be a no until we have a chance to review that.”

“You were CC’d on my request to get all the applications. You are the president of the council,” Flemming responded.

Chisholm asked Kuhn, “who told you

Methodist Cemetery. He was a member of the New Jersey 1st Regiment from 1780-1783. A plaque was placed for Patriot Burials during Memorial Day weekend thanks to the William C. Pomeroy Foundation.

The presentation featured members of the Foundation and Sons of the American Revolution who placed the plaque in the cemetery located in the township. The actual dedication of the plaque is set to take place on November 11, Veterans Day. Reed noted there were also veterans buried at that cemetery from the Civil War era as well.

The organization has a strong social media nobody wanted to do it? Who told you that nobody wanted to review these people? That was your statement because it wasn’t me because I’m sure we haven’t had a conversation about this, correct?” presence that reflects their mission to preserve township history with records and memories of Plumsted landmarks like Magnolia Farm.

“You were not council president at the time when I asked,” she answered.

“So, I was not asked. Thank you very much. The motion still stands. I still say no,” he responded.

Kuhn made two further motions on applicants for the Zoning Board, Lois Puas and Shira Parnes. The votes were all identical to the first. Chisholm and Flemming said they voted no for the same reasons in that they needed to review the applications.

Council Vice President Nino Borrelli was absent for that meeting. The motions were deadlocked and were not approved.

Even though all members of the governing body are Republican, they come from two different teams who are at odds with each other.

Councilman Sargent apologized to Township Clerk Mary Moss for a line of questioning he made during the prior council meeting pertaining to minutes and votes cast when he was absent from meetings due to a health condition.

“I think I could have done it in a different way and I apologize if I did you any harm. I didn’t mean to do that,” Sargent said.

A recent post showcased that historic home that once operated as a boardinghouse. The sunken English gardens had boxwoods alongside the brick sidewalks and a stream running through it.

Another recent post concerned a photo featuring the New Egypt baseball team of 1928 who had been sponsored by the Patriotic Order Sons of America.

The museum hours are every Wednesday 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

He thanked Chisholm for calling him to see if he needed anything “for this upcoming council meeting. I didn’t call him back because I didn’t need anything but I thought it was going to be a way for us to start working together but after what just transpired, I don’t know what to do at this point.”

Sargent added, “we need to fill Zoning Board seats and not with just anybody but people we did the research for. Moving forward, hopefully, we’ll be able to do something with the Zoning Board because it is out of control at this point.”

A recent meeting of the Zoning Board had to be adjourned as it failed to assemble a quorum.

Chisholm added, “I’ll leave it where it stands here with the very obvious chicanery that is going on. I will remind everybody that there is a heat wave coming out.”

“We have not seen that this year so please look out for your elderly neighbors, watch out for your pets. Do the responsible thing,” he recommended.

He also noted that an ordinance on second reading that officially reinstated the position of police chaplain was on the agenda. It was approved by unanimous vote later in the meeting.

Mayor Reina thanked those who came out for the meeting. “I look forward to hearing the questions and get home safe, thank you.”

Crashes:

Continued From Page 1 deaths. Monmouth County saw 19 crashes resulting in 19 deaths. These numbers are on pace to match or exceed the last few years.

In 2022, Ocean had 48 crashes resulting in 52 deaths. Monmouth had 46 crashes with 55 deaths.

In 2021, Ocean had 43 crashes with 44 deaths. Monmouth had 32 crashes with 34 deaths.

In 2020, when there were a lot of COVID quarantines, Ocean had 30 crashes with 30 deaths. Monmouth had 33 crashes with 34 deaths.

In 2019, Ocean had 37 crashes with 39 deaths. Monmouth had 33 crashes with 36 deaths.

In 2018, Ocean had 31 crashes with 39 deaths. Monmouth had 28 crashes with 29 deaths.

In 2017, Ocean had 52 crashes with 53 deaths. Monmouth had 40 crashes with 43 deaths.

In 2016, Ocean had 39 crashes with 41 deaths. Monmouth had 47 crashes with 50 deaths.

Sgt. Philip Curry of the New Jersey State Police said that the NJSP Fatal Accident Unit comes out when injuries seem serious. Looking at this data, certain trends emerge.

“Driver inattention, pedestrian violations and unsafe speed are typically the top three contributing factors in fatal crashes,” he said.

It’s important to note that driver inattention could mean cell phone use, a distraction in the vehicle, or even falling asleep at the wheel, he said. “Driver inattention” is also marked as a contributing circumstance when a vehicle runs off the road with no other explanation as to why.

If a pedestrian violation is noted, it means that the pedestrian’s action caused the crash, such as crossing where prohibited, he said.

“Based on the top 3 Contributing Circumstances year after year, crashes could potentially be reduced if drivers avoided distractions and drove defensively. Pedestrians should cross roadways designated for pedestrian crossing and should always use due caution for their own safety,” he said.

Statewide Deaths Rise

Statewide, the fatalities follow similar trends to Ocean and Monmouth counties. On the years that Ocean and Monmouth were really bad, the rest of the state is really bad, too.

2023 to date: 295 crashes causing 310 deaths

2022: 650 crashes causing 694 deaths.

2021: 667 crashes causing 697 deaths

2020: 550 crashes causing 587 deaths

2019: 524 crashes causing 558 deaths

2018: 524 crashes (same two years in a row) causing 563 deaths

2017: 591 crashes causing 624 deaths

2016: 570 crashes causing 602 deaths

New Jersey looks at these figures much deeper in their annual Fatal Motor Vehi - cle Crash Report. The most recent report available at this time is from 2021.

In 2021, roadway fatalities increased a frightening 18.7% over the previous year in the nation’s totals. There were 697 deaths in 2021 in New Jersey alone, 110 more than 2020. It is the highest number in 13 years.

The 2021 report put some of the blame on COVID-19 regulations fading. Regardless, it was still estimated that it was the worst since 2005.

The report explained that this works out to an average of almost two deaths per day.

Of these deaths, 97 involved motorcycles, 36 involved tractor trailers, 26 involved bicycles, and 217 (almost onethird) were pedestrians.

There was alcohol involved in about 30 percent of the crashes, and in 12 percent of them, a driver was legally drunk.

Perhaps there are some trends that follow a pattern. For example, in 2016 and 2017 – locally and statewide – the numbers of deaths were very high before they dropped. Then, they rose again coming up to today. It could be that the statistics are cyclical and rise and fall regularly.

It’s not just in New Jersey. The nation saw an increase of 10.5% in fatalities from 2020 to 2021. There were 42,915 motor vehicle fatalities across the country in 2021.