NJ clerk exposes ‘election corruption’ and ballot fraud in Atlantic City

🔴 Atlantic County officials warn of rampant messenger ballot abuse.

🔴 Mayor Marty Small, Sr. accuses his opponent of illegal ballot-buying scheme.

🔴 The scandal follows prior Atlantic City voter fraud convictions.

ATLANTIC CITY — America's Playground has a history of ballot fraud and election corruption that requires immediate reforms, according to local officials.

Joe Giralo, the Atlantic County clerk, made the bold statement on Monday.

“I’m tired of the misuse and abuse of messenger ballots that threaten the integrity of our election process. Atlantic County has an unfortunate history of election corruption involving messenger ballots which should not be tolerated," said Giralo.

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Any voter is allowed to apply for and obtain a messenger ballot using an authorized person to deliver it. Each authorized messenger can legally deliver ballots to up to 10 voters per election.

Before 2009, messenger ballots were limited to sick or confined voters. However, that year the state passed legislation to expand mail-in voting.

Homeless voters targeted with money and food

Giralo said that these messenger ballots are being abused; the homeless in Atlantic City and Pleasantville have been approached with money and food to cast fraudulent ballots.

With support from Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson, Giralo is demanding that state lawmakers re-strengthen election laws to stop the abuse.

It comes days before the Nov. 4 elections, which include the high-profile governor's race, along with local races such as the mayoral race in Atlantic City.

Mayor accuses rival of paying the homeless for ballots

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr., a Democrat, says his opponent Naeem Khan is offering the homeless $10 and a meal to cast a messenger ballot.

"These outrageous, illegal campaign activities have no place in the great City of Atlantic City," Small said.

ALSO SEE: Mail-in ballots stolen in 2 New Jersey counties

The New Jersey Globe reported that it reviewed video of a Khan supporter offering to compensate a voter for filling out a messenger ballot.

Atlantic City’s political corruption is a recurring scandal

While illegal and corrupt, it's not a new hustle in Atlantic City politics.

Craig Callaway, a well-known politico and former city councilman, was sentenced to two years in prison in July. The 65-year-old Callaway pleaded guilty earlier this year to New Jersey voter fraud.

Federal prosecutors said that Callaway and his team offered people on the streets between $30 and $50 to pretend to be messengers for voters in the Nov. 8, 2022, election.

Anyone who agreed was taken to the Atlantic County Clerk's Office to get vote-by-mail ballot applications. However, Callaway's team filled out the applications and got the ballots instead of the actual voters.

In March 2024, another former Democratic Atlantic City councilman, MD Hossain Morshed, pleaded guilty to fraudulent procurement and submission of voter registration applications.

Morshed had offered a Galloway Township resident a job in city government to lie on his vote-by-mail application, federal prosecutors said.

The resident later said to investigators that he never submitted a mail-in ballot in the June 2019 primary election — even though one was filled out in his name, cast in the election, and counted.

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