American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey
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The right to vote freely for the candidate of one's choice is of the essence of a democratic society, and any restrictions on that right strike at the heart of representative government.
— U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, Reynolds v. Sims (1964)
Voting is the foundation of our democracy and a fundamental right of every American. Concerned citizens like the Freedom Riders have fought — sometimes in the face of danger and adversity — to secure and protect this essential democratic right.
The ACLU seeks to protect the basic and fundamental right to vote belonging to every U.S. citizen. We aim to ensure that every adult citizen in New Jersey is able cast a ballot and that all ballots cast are fully and fairly counted.
Even during the historic 2008 presidential elections, about one-third of the 5.7 million New Jerseyans eligible to vote did not cast a ballot. There are many reasons for voter nonparticipation, but government can and should do more to make the voting process simple and seamless. Voter participation rates increase when government agencies take affirmative steps and remove barriers to voting. The ACLU-NJ strives to promote policies that increase registration and turnout and ease the voting experience for all eligible voters.
Voter Registration Form
- Voter Registration Form (603k PDF)
- Solicitud de registro electoral (1.0mb PDF)
2010 Election Protection
- November 2010 Post-Election Assessment (117k PDF)
- 2010 Voter Protection Palmcard (148k PDF)
- Tarjeta de Protección del Votante 2010 (149k PDF)
Voting Rights: Reclaiming Your Vote After a Criminal Conviction
- Get Your Vote Back Welcome Letter
- Tome Su Voto Carta de Introducion
- Voter Registration Form (603k PDF)
- Solicitud de registro electoral (1.0mb PDF)
- Registering to Vote in NJ After A Criminal Conviction
- Registrase para votar en New Jersey (457k PDF)
- State of New Jersey Voting Information (144k PDF)
- Informacion sobre la votacion en el Estado de New Jersey (146k PDF)
Legal Cases
- Rutgers University Student Assembly v. Middlesex County Board of Elections
Voters challenge obsolete voter registration requirements and seek election-day registration.
- 2010 Election for Mayor of South Amboy
Votes were not properly counted resulting in an election that was determined by one vote.
- In the Matter of the State DOE's Denial of Petition
Challenge to the Department of Education’s failure to implement regulations to enforce the High School Voter Registration Law, requiring schools to provide voting information and registration forms to eligible public and private school students.
- Gusciora v. Codey
Electronic voting machines prevent votes from being properly certified, re-examined and recounted the same way as paper ballots.
- In re: Attorney General Directive on Exit Polling
- Gause v. Borough of Hawthorne
- Galaxy Towers v. Galaxy Towers
- NAACP v. Harvey
Op-Eds
Publications
- November 2010 Post-Election Assessment (117k PDF)
- Making Every Vote Count: 2008 Elections issued May 2009 (2mb PDF)
- Voting Rights and Wrongs issued June 2008 (62k PDF)
- Making NJ's Votes Count (219k PDF) (2004)
Archives
Can't find what you are looking for? Look in our Elections & Voting Archives.
Tell Trenton to Get it Right on Marriage
Marriage is the ultimate expression of love. Let’s make New Jersey the 7th state to recognize marriage for gay and lesbian couples. More »
Laughter & Liberties
Visit our cartoon page to take a lighthearted look at the serious business of civil liberties. More »
Department of Justice: We Need Your Help
On September 9, 2010, the ACLU-NJ filed a petition asking the DOJ to provide federal oversight of the troubled Newark Police Department. The petition outlined more than 400 cases of misconduct and abuse by police. More »
Become a Face of the ACLU-NJ
All of us are faces of the ACLU of New Jersey. Each of us has a story to tell. Share yours with us today. More »
Latest @ACLUNJ Tweets
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good luck! RT: @ACLUFL Just finished oral arguments in our case challenging @FlGovScott's #drugtesting order. #staytuned #sayfie
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VIDEO: Kathleen Maxian has advanced-stage ovarian cancer that could have been prevented: http://t.co/VLYHggrR #TakingBackOurGenes
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VIDEO: Kathleen Maxian has advanced-stage ovarian cancer that could have been prevented. Learn how you or someone... http://t.co/AiCkd6Lr
