PATERSON, NJ – New Jersey Republican Bill Prempeh released an audio recording on Monday alleging an improper ballot-handling operation in Passaic County as lawmakers called for federal election monitors.
The recording captures a phone call with a man identified as Jacob Durham, son of the late Lauren Murphy, a Democrat city councilwoman in Clifton.
New audio: the son of late Councilwoman Lauren Murphy details how he discovered a possible ballot harvesting setup in Clifton involving top Passaic Democrats and access to a secure election site.
— Billy Prempeh (@BillyPrempeh) October 20, 2025
Share this with everyone you know in NJ.@NJGOP @NJGlobe @ShoreNewsNJ @KenRosatoTV… pic. /rKTIwzcFTh
The conversation between the two men describes boxes of ballots at a county building in Paterson and other locations that leave both Prempeh and Durham confused about what exactly was going on with those boxes of ballots.
Key Points
- Bill Prempeh published audio alleging unsecured ballots and irregular handling in Passaic County.
- A speaker identified as Jacob Durham cites boxes at 401 Grand Street and mentions ballot totes moved into a non-government site.
- Some lawmakers are seeking federal election monitors; election officials have not publicly responded in the material provided.
In the call, the Durham says he photographed “a box of ballots in Paterson” and describes seeing containers he believed resembled ballot totes at a county facility. He also recounts observing a man unloading white tote boxes into an eyeglass storefront in another town and characterizes ballot storage as disorganized.
Prempeh frames the discussion around concerns raised by Republicans about ballot security, including camera access and sign-in procedures at storage locations. Asked why the observations were not reported, the speaker says he was unsure of New Jersey’s specific rules and suggests contacting the county board of elections.
In a post on Instagram, Durham says the Passaic County Administration Building at 401 Grand Street, saying ballots were “on the floor” and “on shelves,” and that he “took a picture because I thought it was interesting.”
In the nearly 20-minute audio, a man identified as Durham tells Prempeh he took a photograph of “a box of ballots in Paterson” after noticing large stacks of voting materials in plain view. He said the ballots were “on the floor, on shelves,” and that “it seemed very odd” given their importance.
Durham also claimed he saw a man unloading white government tote boxes — similar to those used for mail ballots — into an “empty building” he described as an eyeglass store. He did not identify the individual or the building by name, and no evidence has been publicly produced to verify the claim.
The conversation includes references to prior political ties in Passaic County, with Durham identifying himself as the son of the late Councilwoman Laura Murphy, who was once in a relationship with Democratic Party chairman and county election board official John Currie.
Political response and context
Prempeh, who recently ran for office in northern New Jersey, said the recording highlights the growing concerns among Republican officials about transparency in the county’s vote-counting process. He pointed to recent disputes over ballot security procedures, including the placement of cameras and sign-in logs at storage facilities.
In the days before the release of the audio, GOP officials urged the U.S. Department of Justice and the New Jersey Division of Elections to assign federal monitors to Passaic County for the remainder of the election cycle. The requests cite what they describe as a “pattern of irregularities” in a jurisdiction previously scrutinized for mail-in ballot fraud.
Officials yet to respond
As of Monday evening, neither the Passaic County Board of Elections nor Democratic leaders named in the conversation had issued public statements in response to the recording.
New Jersey state election rules require all mail-in and provisional ballots to be stored in sealed, monitored facilities with restricted access. Any confirmed breach of that chain of custody would trigger a state-level investigation.
Prempeh said he released the recording to “bring transparency” to the process, while calling on the public to demand accountability in local elections. The matter is expected to draw further scrutiny as lawmakers press for oversight in the weeks ahead.
