Early voting for presidential election opens this weekend in NJ (Opinion)

The measure was approved back in 2021 and allowed for early in-person voting in New Jersey. It was born out of the unnecessary panic and overreaction from the government and large swaths of people back during the pandemic.

It marked a huge change in voting practices that stood for over 100 years. I myself am in favor of voting on Election Day and only on Election Day unless you happen to be overseas or serving in the military in another jurisdiction.

This early voting was to get more voters from one party to vote because they knew the people in that party were more afraid of going out in large crowds or large gatherings.

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That party happens to be dominant in the state Legislature, so here we are. Oh, let’s not kid ourselves. It’s the Democratic Party. So, Republicans have been urging their voters to go out and exercise their right to vote early, either through mail-in ballots or in-person early voting.

Early voting opens in New Jersey, and it begins on Saturday, Oct. 26, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 3. Polling locations open at 10 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. on Sundays.

Accommodations will be made for those with disabilities.

It seems that in every presidential election, people from both sides say this is the most consequential election in a long time or in the history of the country. This one just might be that. You have an outsider and disruptor like Donald Trump who goes against the grain of everything that is entrenched: machine, deep-state politics. 

And, of course, you have the other side that says he’s a threat to democracy, even though they subverted democracy by installing a candidate that none of their party voted for. With less than two weeks ago, frankly, everyone is weary of this political season.

Some people predict if Trump wins, there will be a mental health crisis in the country. Mostly because so many people believe that Donald Trump is evil, and folks won’t be able to handle the fact that over half of their fellow citizens voted for an evil man and feel threatened by the actual idea of it all.

People on the Trump side want a disruptor who will do things differently in Washington and hopefully bring the economy back to the level that it was when he was in office. Many people think that the economy has been just as good during this administration, if not better.

Whichever side you’re on, early voting begins this Saturday in person in New Jersey if you haven't already mailed yours in. There will be a very contentious reaction from the other side. Buckle up, buttercup, this is gonna be a bumpy ride.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy only.

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