TRENTON, NJ – A bill sponsored by Senator Vin Gopal, aimed at bolstering the reliability of voting machines, has cleared the State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee. This legislation focuses on adding a critical layer of security against voting machine errors by mandating annual examinations and recertifications of these machines, especially after any software modifications.
The need for such measures became evident following a voting mishap in a November 2022 school board election in Monmouth County. In this incident, a software installation error led to the wrong candidate being declared the winner and subsequently sworn in. It was only after an audit and a hand recount, prompted by a court order, that the mistake was identified, revealing that the initially declared winner had actually lost by four votes.
Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth) emphasized the significance of the voting process, stating that the public’s confidence in the accuracy and integrity of their votes is paramount. This bill, therefore, aims to ensure that each voting machine is thoroughly tested and verified to accurately record and tabulate every vote in each election.
The proposed legislation will require the Secretary of State to develop a comprehensive test and checklist to confirm the proper functioning of all voting machines.