Mail-in ballots stolen in 2 NJ counties as Trump sends election monitors

🔴 Mail-in ballots were stolen in Middlesex and Union counties.

🔴 DOJ sending federal monitors to Passaic County amid claims of vote-by-mail fraud.

🔴 Attorney General Matt Platkin calls the federal intervention “highly inappropriate.”

WOODBRIDGE — Residents in at least two New Jersey counties should double-check to make sure their vote is counted in the upcoming elections after mail-in ballots were stolen.

Mail-in ballots were stolen in Metuchen on Sept. 24, according to the United States Postal Inspection Service in Newark. The ballots were taken as part of an isolated mail theft incident, USPIS spokesperson Gregory Kliemisch said in a statement.

Investigators notified the Middlesex County clerk, who then sent out notices to affected customers. Officials said that mail-in ballots have been reissued to the voters who were impacted.

Then, earlier this month, the USPIS and Woodbridge police investigated another mail theft incident.

They found and recovered stolen mail-in ballots from Middlesex County and Union County residents, Kliemisch said. The ballots were returned to their respective county clerk offices.

Kliemisch said the thieves were targeting "financial instruments and statements," and the mail-in ballots were taken inadvertently.

"The USPIS ensures that every mail-in ballot that is recovered and/or reported lost is reported to our electoral partners timely to guarantee proper measures can be taken to rectify the unfortunate situation," Kliemisch said.

Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi said to New Jersey 101.5 that five Union County ballots were found in a home in Middlesex County. Her office contacted the voters and sent them new, duplicate ballots since the chain of custody for the original ballots had been broken.

In a statement to NJ.com, a Middlesex County spokesperson said that they ensure every eligible vote is counted.

"This includes promptly issuing replacement ballots to affected voters. The Board of Elections then isolates and verifies ballots returned by those voters, confirming that replacements were properly issued and returned, and performing additional signature reviews to ensure authenticity.”

Federal election monitors to oversee Passaic County counting

Meantime, the U.S. Department of Justice is sending federal monitors to polling sites in Passaic County ahead of the Nov. 4 elections.

“Transparency at the polls translates into faith in the electoral process, and this Department of Justice is committed to upholding the highest standards of election integrity,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.

Federal monitoring of vote-by-mail counting in Passaic County was part of a request that the New Jersey GOP made in a letter to Assistant U.S. Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon.

"Passaic County has a long and sordid history of VBM fraud with multiple indictments for ballot stuffing and falsifying VBM ballots in recent elections," the letter said.

History of election fraud allegations in Passaic County

In April, new charges were filed against Paterson City Council President Alex Mendez, his wife, two campaign workers, and another city resident.

They're accused of stealing and forging mail-in ballots for Paterson's May 2020 special election, according to the state Attorney General's Office. The election was done entirely by vote-by-mail due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mendez was first indicted in 2021 and has denied any wrongdoing.

In 2014, former Paterson City Councilman Rigo Rodriguez and his wife were indicted on charges of mail-in ballot fraud during the May 2010 election. A campaign worker was also indicted.

Rodriguez won his seat by a mere 41 votes after Passaic County Board of Election officials found mail-in ballots that heavily favored him.

Attorney General pushes back on federal monitoring

However, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin is pushing back against Bondi's decision to send election monitors to Passaic County.

"The Trump Department of Justice’s announcement that it is sending federal 'election monitors' to Passaic County is highly inappropriate, and DOJ has not even attempted to identify a legitimate basis for its actions. The Constitution gives states, not the federal government, the primary responsibility for running elections," Platkin said in a statement.

Platkin said the state is committed to ensuring a free, fair, and secure election.

He also said the OAG is considering all options to prevent voter intimidation and election interference.

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