TapInto’s Tom Wiedmann reports
NEWARK, NJ – A letter signed by a coalition of 20 local organizations on Friday was sent to Essex County Superintendent of Elections Patty Spango requesting an investigation amid issues reported at multiple polling places in Newark during the primary election.
The letter claimed multiple polling places in Newark didn’t have voting machines when polls opened, and it took hours for the machines to arrive. With voters left having to use provisional ballots, other residents returned to polls later in the day to cast their ballot.
“I went to my Newark polling place at 7:30 on Tuesday morning to cast my ballot only to find that there were no voting machines available,” said Ryan Haygood, president and CEO of the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. “I was told to return later and not offered a provisional ballot until I proactively requested one. Unfortunately, this is not the first time I have encountered voting obstacles in Newark. Running elections is a massive endeavor, but we must do better.”