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NJHMFA Board meeting delivers key housing policy advancements in tax credits and multifamily programs

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) approved two new programs, the Urban Preservation Program (UPP) and Workforce Housing Program (WHP), while committing funding to 15 new Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) developments at its Oct. 19 Board meeting.

“The HMFA Board advanced resolutions committing funds to a broad variety of new developments, each of which will bring safe, high-quality, long-lasting, and affordable housing to communities across our State,” said Executive Director Melanie R. Walter.

“Governor Murphy and the Legislature have made record investments in affordable housing production during the past two State budget cycles. This unprecedented support has enabled NJHMFA to leverage federal funds to expand our successful Affordable Housing Production Fund and create two new specialized programs that will help preserve affordable housing in dozens of communities and create many new high-quality housing opportunities for New Jersey residents.”

Urban Preservation Program (A-5596/S-3991)

The Urban Preservation Program (UPP) is an $80 million program established within the Affordable Housing Production Fund by Governor Murphy’s FY2024 budget. Dedicated to preserving, renovating, and rebuilding LIHTC projects in 81 designated cities across the state at risk of losing affordability controls, the UPP is a critical tool in maximizing the benefit of affordable housing. With 1,510 LIHTC apartments in these municipalities at risk of losing their affordability within the next five years alone, the UPP will guarantee enduring and high-quality affordable housing, providing significant relief to residents.

Workforce Housing Program

Also created by Governor Murphy’s FY2024 budget, the Workforce Housing Program (WHP) is a $50 million program established within the Affordable Housing Production Fund. For the first time, there will be a dedicated state program to incentivize the creation of deed-restricted apartments for middle-income residents earning between 80% and 120% of Area Median Income. Further, this program will ensure that these units are being developed within municipalities with more jobs than housing units or are near public transit options, which will protect middle-income New Jerseyans from surging rents while connecting them with reliable transportation and increased job opportunities.

New LIHTC Projects

The Board also committed funding for 15 new multifamily LIHTC developments, of which 11 received 4% LIHTC and 4 received 9% LIHTC. These funding commitments will create or rehabilitate 1,378 housing units, generating $448 million in total development costs. Many of these projects were made financially viable thanks to the Affordable Housing Production Fund (AHPF) and associated programs, demonstrating the critical importance of the types of programs that NJHMFA approved today in making affordable housing opportunities available for all New Jerseyans.

Some highlights include:

Tavistock Townhomes at Woolwich

A new family development in Woolwich Township will turn a currently vacant lot into 72 affordable apartments spread across six three-story buildings. The project will reserve ten units for homeless individuals and families, while providing social services to tenants through the Center for Family Services. Rents range from $340 to $2,000 depending on unit size and tenant income. Tenants will have many nearby amenities, including mass transit, houses of worship, clinics, shops, and schools. Tavistock Townhomes at Woolwich is possible thanks in part to $1.2 million in financing from the Affordable Housing Production Fund Set-Aside and $10 million generated through the sale of 9% LIHTC.

Waterford Family Housing Phase II

A new townhouse-style development will provide 57 affordable apartments in Waterford, including eight apartments set aside for veterans experiencing homelessness. With rents ranging from $330 to $1,532, the project will provide affordable and spacious apartments for low- and moderate-income tenants. The People for People Foundation of Gloucester County will provide social services to tenants to promote independent living. Additionally, all first-floor units will be either handicap accessible or adaptable for residents with disabilities. Waterford Family Housing Phase II will receive $8.1 million from the AHPF and generate $7.7 million through the sale of 4% LIHTC.

Heritage Village at Moorestown

A new senior housing complex in Moorestown will provide 82 affordable apartments for seniors, including five set aside for disabled and homeless veterans, alongside common space amenities such as a club room, fitness room, lounge, and laundry facilities. A key component of the municipality’s court-approved settlement with the Fair Share Housing Center, this development will receive $8 million in funding from the AHPF and generate $7 million in equity through the sale of 4% LIHTC.

About Us: The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) advances the quality of life for residents of and communities throughout New Jersey by investing in, financing, and facilitating access to affordable rental housing and homeownership opportunities for low and moderate-income families, older adults, and individuals with specialized housing needs. To learn more about NJHMFA, visit: https://NJHousing.gov/

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NJHMFA named 2023 Leader in Real Estate, Construction, and Design by NJBIZ

TRENTON, N.J. —  New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) has been named a 2023 Leader in Real Estate, Construction and Design by NJBIZ for its contributions to multifamily development in New Jersey.

This award particularly recognizes NJHMFA for its recent leadership in developing key affordable housing projects in Paterson and Hamilton.

“We are honored to receive this recognition from NJBIZ,” said Executive Director Melanie R. Walter.

“This award recognizes our commitment to ensuring affordable housing in Paterson and Hamilton. Our work here reflects our dedication to providing safe, affordable housing for all New Jersey residents.”

Three projects opening this year proved pivotal in earning this recognition from NJBIZ.

This July, Barclay Place, which provided 56 affordable apartments in downtown Paterson a block from Saint Joseph University Medical Center, opened its doors to the public. This project received financing through the NJHMFA’s innovative Hospital Partnership Subsidy Program (HPSP), a national model for leveraging hospitals’ status as anchor institutions to improve community health outcomes through the creation of nearby affordable and supportive housing.

Two miles away, Hinchliffe Residences served as the financing key to Paterson’s long-awaited redevelopment and revitalization of Hinchliffe Stadium, one of the country’s last remaining pre-integration baseball stadiums. By leveraging the stadium’s historic nature with modern planning elements, including affordable senior housing and a new parking deck, the state’s largest-ever historic preservation project has become a stepping stone to Paterson’s future.

Freedom Village at Hamilton Woods exemplified how NJHMFA spearheads the development of supportive housing in Hamilton for residents with special needs. This barrier-free apartment provides residents with ample access to community resources and ensures that all residents can live independent, fulfilled lives, regardless of income or disability status.

The award winners will be formally recognized at a virtual ceremony on November 29. To learn more about the awards, visit https://njbiz.com/event/njbiz-leaders-in-real-estate-construction-and-design-2023/.

About Us: The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) advances the quality of life for residents of and communities throughout New Jersey by investing in, financing, and facilitating access to affordable rental housing and homeownership opportunities for low and moderate-income families, older adults, and individuals with specialized housing needs. To learn more about NJHMFA, visit: https://NJHousing.gov/

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Mary O. Griffin, IOM, appointed to Northeast Board of Regents of Institute for Organization Management

A Leadership Training Program Produced by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Institute for Organization Management, the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has appointed Mary O. Griffin, IOM, Vice President of Membership Retention and Relations of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey to the Northeast Board of Regents.

 

As a member of this Board, Griffin will implement the policies created by Institute’s National Board of Trustees.

 

“A strong Board of Regents is essential to Institute’s success,” said Raymond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, vice president of Institute for Organization Management at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “These volunteers drive site attendance, provide recommendations for program improvement, and serve as an on-site resource for Institute participants.”

 

Since its commencement in 1921, the Institute program has been educating tens of thousands of associations, chambers, and other nonprofit leaders on how to build stronger organizations, better serve their members and become strong business advocates.

 

Institute’s four Boards of Regents serve on behalf of the National Board of Trustees. Each Board of Regents is responsible for recruitment, retention, and marketing of the program nationwide. Each regent is an Institute graduate nominated by their peers.

 

Institute for Organization Management is the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It is the premier nonprofit professional development program for association and chamber professionals, fostering individual growth through interactive learning and networking opportunities.

 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business organization representing companies of all sizes across every sector of the economy. Our members range from the small businesses and local chambers of commerce that line the Main Streets of America to leading industry associations and large corporations.

institute.uschamber.com           @IOMeducates

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Most Mercer government offices to be closed for Election Day

Most Mercer County government offices and facilities will be closed Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, in observance of Election Day.

The Mercer County Clerk’s Office, 209 South Broad St., will be closed for regular business on Election Day but will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. to perform election duties. Completed mail-in ballots can be delivered to the Mercer County Board of Elections, 930 Spruce St. in Lawrence (next to Trenton Farmers Market), until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

The following County facilities will remain open on Election Day: Trenton-Mercer Airport (except administrative offices), Correction Center, Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Services Communications Center. Also open for business will be four branches of the Mercer County Library system: Ewing, Hickory Corner, Lawrence Headquarters and West Windsor, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; all other branches will be closed.

The following Mercer County Park Commission facilities will be open on Election Day: Ice Skating Center, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for public skating; Tennis Center, 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; all five County golf courses, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Mercer County Stables, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Wildlife Center, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for patient drop-off, by appointment only. The Tulpehaking Nature Center, Howell Living History Farm and Park Commission administrative offices will be closed. For more information on Park Commission facilities, visit www.mercercountyparks.org

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On Instagram, journalists and creators inside Gaza see a surge in followers as they document the Israel-Hamas war

—  One journalist has added more than 12 million followers.  The work highlights some of the challenges and dangers of covering the conflict.

 

 

NBC News:

 

Before early October, Motaz Azaiza’s Instagram account documented life in Gaza to about 25,000 followers with a mix of daily life and the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

 

That began to change in the days after Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel and the retaliation on Gaza. Since then, more than 12.5 million people have begun following Azaiza’s feed, which has become a daily chronicle of Israeli strikes.

Many other journalists, digital creators and people active on social media based in the region have seen a similar uptick in followers. Plestia Alaqad, a journalist whose work has been featured by NBC News, has gained more than 2.1 million, according to the social media analytics company Social Blade. Mohammed Aborjela, a digital creator, gained 230,000. Journalist Hind Khoudary drew 273,000 in the last five days of October. Photographer and videographer Ali Jadallah added more than 1.1 million.

 

Those surges have made Instagram, an app generally associated with lighthearted social media posts and lifestyle influencers, a suddenly crucial view into Gaza. The app has previously been embraced by some journalists, most notably photojournalists, but the sudden increase in followers appears to have no precedent.

 

The posts can at times be difficult to absorb. Most if not all appear to be firsthand videos rather than recycled content: People pulled from rubble, children crying over the bodies of their parents, and to-camera accounts of what the journalists are seeing and feeling.

 

The unfiltered coverage, as seen in the Instagram post below, adds a unique element to the broader journalistic efforts to capture what’s happening in Gaza.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzBI6aigIqX/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

 

It’s a role that Instagram may not fully embrace (parent company Meta has broadly moved away from the news), but it appears the company is doing little to discourage the growth of the accounts. The app has rules against graphic content but does make exceptions for posts that are “newsworthy and in the public interest.” Some posts are initially covered by a “sensitive content” warning.

 

Instagram and other social media apps have come under some scrutiny over concerns that pro-Palestinian voices have been censored or suppressed. Meta confirmed in October that the company had accidentally limited the reach of some posts but said the problem was a bug that did not apply to one specific type of content and denied any censorship.

 

Meta also worked with the people behind the account Eye on Palestine after the company said it had detected a possible hacking attempt. That account had already been among the most-followed accounts focused on Palestinians before the war, with about 3.5 million followers. The account is back online after a multiday outage and now has more than 7 million.

 

The emergence of Instagram also comes as the social media platform X, once the go-to destination for journalists and witnesses to breaking news, has come under fire for its shortcomings around misinformation related to the conflict. Telegram is also a popular app for unfiltered updates but has a relatively small user base in the U.S.

 

A Meta spokesperson declined to make anyone from Instagram available for an interview.

 

Foreign journalists covering the Israel-Hamas war are facing enormous challenges obtaining firsthand information, and that dynamic is having a deep effect on the world’s understanding of what’s happening especially in Gaza, according to organizations that monitor press freedom.

 

The obstacles for reporters are wide-ranging even for a war zone. These include physical danger to journalists, lack of access to Gaza itself and the logistical challenges of operating within Gaza such as electricity and internet blackouts.

 

Many major media operations including NBC News have sent reporters to Israel to cover Hamas’ attack and the ongoing conflict, during which more than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed and more than 200 have been taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. More than 9,000 people have been killed in Gaza from the Israeli counteroffensive, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

 

Few foreign reporters are believed to be in Gaza, according to journalists outside the territory. Israel and Egypt control entry to Gaza and have not allowed in foreign journalists, according to a petition this week signed by nearly 100 French journalists demanding access to the strip, France 24 reported Tuesday.

 

Marc Owen Jones, an associate professor of Middle East studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar who closely follows social media, said the accounts are important “precisely because of the chaotic and toxic information environment that is so heavily mediated and sanitised.”

 

“It is so hard for anyone to get into Gaza that these journalists using Instagram are one of the only windows into bearing witness,” he said in a text message.

 

Those challenges were most apparent last Friday when a near-total communications blackout and Israeli bombing made it almost impossible to tell what was happening in Gaza. Also Friday, Reuters reported that Israel’s military had told international news organizations that it could not guarantee the safety of their journalists operating in Gaza.

 

As communication systems were gradually restored, voices from Gaza began to cut through the silence on social media.

 

A video of Khoudary and Azaiza uploaded on Saturday served as a sort of public service announcement confirming they were alive. Many commenters expressed their concern, worried that their lack of posts meant they had been hurt or killed. Neither responded to interview requests.

 

They both said they were struggling to get in touch with family members in other parts of the Gaza Strip.

 

“We don’t know where our families are and we don’t know if they’re ok and we really need to know what they’re going through because yesterday was a very bad night,” Khoudary said. “It was one of the deadliest nights on the Gaza strip.”

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cy8gT7PtfwX/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

 

More than 30 journalists and media workers have been killed in the conflict as of Tuesday, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a press freedom organization based in New York. Another nine journalists were reported missing or detained, it said.

 

Sherif Mansour, the Middle East and North Africa program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, said any journalist working in Gaza is in danger.

 

“In a way, the people who are needed the most are the ones who are most vulnerable right now,” Mansour, who is based in the U.S., said in a phone interview.

 

He said that Hamas has contributed to the censorship of journalists within Gaza including through harassment.

 

“It’s basically hard to get by or be able to do work, but there has always been enough people trying to tell the story,” he said.

 

A regular stream of videos and images has made it out of Gaza, but the spread of misinformation and unverified claims — often in the form of legitimate content that is old or inaccurately described — has added to the challenge of verifying information from the region. On Instagram, many of the Palestinian journalists are verified, which means Instagram confirmed the identity of the person behind the account.

 

Jones noted that declining trust in the media has pushed some people to seek information directly from firsthand sources.

 

“They are also providing unfiltered coverage that has a raw and authentic quality, and the current distrust of the mainstream media is not helped by the more sanitised (for understandable reasons) content,” he wrote.

 

 

CORRECTION (Nov. 3, 2023, 9:30 a.m. ET): A pervious version of this article misstated Marc Owen Jones’ position at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar. He is an associate professor, not assistant.

 

— Techmeme

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Cleanup begins on lake at Miry Run’s Dam Site 21

The first phase of development of a new passive-recreation Mercer County park began Nov. 1, with the dredging of the 50-acre lake at what is known as Dam Site 21.

Located in Hamilton, Robbinsville, and West Windsor, the 279-acre property was acquired by Mercer County in the late 1970s in order to build a dam to reduce downstream flooding and to develop the land into a publicly accessible park. The dredging will rid the lake bed of weeds, debris and sediment that has built up over the years, and improve access for boating and fishing.

“One of our longstanding goals was to take this diamond in the rough and create a gem of a park, and I’m thrilled that the Mercer County Park Commission’s plan is advancing,” said Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes.

The lake improvements are part of a larger Park Master Plan for the site, which was adopted by the Mercer County Park Commission in 2020. “The goal of our Master Plan is to make the largely hidden public site more accessible to County residents,” said Mercer County Park Commission Executive Director Aaron T. Watson. “But the first step in implementing our plan is to improve the lake’s flood capacity, water quality, wildlife habitat, and accessibility.”

After four years of planning, design, and permitting, the Park Commission recently awarded a contract to Capela Construction, which will begin lowering the lake and complete the dredging over the winter. During the course of this cleanup, there will be no public access to the lake area until the project is complete.

The larger Master Plan for Dam Site 21 calls for trails, parking and other park visitor facilities, and the conversion of farm fields into new natural areas for birds and other wildlife. When complete, the site’s natural features will be augmented through the establishment of up to 34 acres of new forest, which will contain an estimated 14,000 new trees, and 64 acres of new native meadows.

The Master Plan for the site, developed with Simone Collins Landscape Architecture and Princeton Hydro, was awarded the 2021 Chapter Award from the New Jersey Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architects.

For more information on the development of Dam Site 21, go to https://www.mercercounty.org/home/showpublisheddocument/24870/638066292391570000

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Best’s Special Report: Insurer membership in Federal Home Loan Bank grows as Life/Annuity Companies capitalize on investment spreads

OLDWICK, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — #insurance — U.S. life/annuity (L/A) insurers increased their borrowing through the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) program by 22% in 2022, as they looked to capitalize on enhanced yields in the higher interest rate environment, according to a new AM Best report.

 

U.S. insurance companies now represent nearly 9% of FHLB membership, following a 4% growth uptick last year by insurers. However, the Best’s Special Report notes that the vast majority of insurance companies do not have access to secured FHLB loans made available through the program. During 2022, only 22% of U.S. life/annuity (L/A) insurers had borrowing access, compared with nearly 7% of the property/casualty (P/C) segment and slightly less than 3% of health insurers. Borrowing in the P/C segment more than doubled to $11.2 billion in 2020 as a result of COVID-19 but has steadily declined and totaled $6.0 billion in 2022. Despite the uptick in industry borrowing, capacity remains available for most insurers across all segments.

 

“Borrowing grew in 2022 for life/annuity insurers as they sought to increase investment yields by capitalizing on the higher interest-rate environment,” said Kaitlin Piasecki, industry analyst, AM Best. “As for property/casualty insurers, their FHLB borrowing declined last year after peaking in 2020, when they sought extra liquidity as a cushion against the uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

 

The FHLB is composed of 11 regional cooperatives and are privately owned by their members. To gain membership, an insurer must actively participate in mortgage financing, be financially sound, and purchase FHLB capital stock. As members of the FHLB, insurers can apply for secured loans, known as advances, at lower rates. Historically, each insurance segment has had different reasons for using the FHLB.

 

“Life insurers use it mostly for spread/yield enhancement, while property/casualty and health insurers use it more for liquidity and short-term working capital/operations,” said Jason Hopper, associate director, AM Best.

 

AM Best estimates that 2022 new money bond portfolio yields were 5.1% for L/A insurers, a noteworthy bump from 3.6% in 2021. Insurers can borrow from the FHLB at more favorable rates than from commercial lenders, and re-invest that money into higher yielding assets, resulting in additional yield and excess spread over the cost of an FHLB advance.

 

To access the full copy of the report titled, “FHLB Life/Annuity Members Capitalize on High Rates for Spread Opportunities,” please visit http://www3.ambest.com/bestweek/purchase.asp?record_code=337249.

 

To view a recent video discussion of AM Best’s report on the FHLB program, please go to http://www.ambest.com/v.asp?v=ambfhlb1023.

 

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

 

Copyright © 2023 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Contacts

Kaitlin Piasecki
Industry Analyst
+1 908 285 3764
kaitlin.piasecki@ambest.com

Christopher Sharkey
Associate Director, Public Relations
+1 908 882 2310
christopher.sharkey@ambest.com

Jason Hopper
Associate Director, Industry Research & Analytics
+1 908 882 1896
jason.hopper@ambest.com

Al Slavin
Senior Public Relations Specialist
+1 908 882 2318
al.slavin@ambest.com

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As Cruise suspends all driverless operations, a look at the lack of clear federal regulations and fragmented oversight governing self-driving cars in the US

—  The whiplash from approval to ban in just two months highlights the fragmented oversight governing the fledgling industry

 

 

Trisha Thadani / Washington Post:

 

 

SAN FRANCISCO — Two months before Cruise’s driverless cars were yanked off the streets here for rolling over a pedestrian and dragging her about 20 feet, California regulators said they were confident in self-driving technology and gave the company permission to operate its robotaxi service around the city.

 

That approval was a pivotal moment for the self-driving car industry, as it expanded one of the biggest test cases in the world for the technology. But now, following a horrendous Oct. 2 crash that critically injured a jaywalking pedestrian — and Cruise’s initial misrepresentation over what actually happened that night — officials here are rethinking whether self-driving cars are ready for the road, and experts are encouraging other states to do the same.

This Thursday, just two days after the California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended Cruise’s driverless permits, the company said it would suspend all driverless operations around the country to examine its process and earn back public trust.

“It was just a matter of time before an incident like this occurred,” San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu said of the Oct. 2 crash. “And it was incredibly unfortunate that it happened, but it is not a complete surprise.”

Immediately after California’s Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) voted in August to allow General Motors’ Cruise and Google’s Waymo to charge for rides 24/7 around San Francisco, Chiu filed a motion to halt the commercial expansion, arguing the driverless cars had serious “public safety ramifications.”

Here in California, the whiplash from approval to ban in just two months highlights the fragmented oversight governing the self-driving car industry — a system that allowed Cruise to operate on San Francisco’s roads for more than three weeks following the October collision, despite dragging a human pinned underneath the vehicle.

California Assembly member Phil Ting (D), whose district includes San Francisco, said the DMV did “the right thing” by suspending the permits when it learned the full extent of the crash. While state legislators are grappling with how to control this rapidly developing industry, he said the DMV already has a rigorous permit approval process for autonomous vehicles. Cruise, for example, said it has received seven different permits over the past few years from the DMV to operate in California.

In California alone, there are more than 40 companies — ranging from young start-ups to tech giants — that have permits to test their self-driving cars in San Francisco, according to the DMV. According to a Washington Post analysis of the data, the companies collectively report millions of miles on public roads every year, along with hundreds of mostly minor accidents.

“It’s hard being first, that’s the problem,” Ting said. “We are doing the best we can with what we know, while knowing that [autonomous vehicles] are part of our future. But how do we regulate it, not squash it?”

 

Read more here:

As Cruise suspends all driverless operations, a look at the lack of clear federal regulations and fragmented oversight governing self-driving cars in the US

 

 

— Techmeme

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Mercer County Clerk offers early voting information and other election reminders

TRENTON, N.J. — As we near the 2023 General Election, which will be held on Nov. 7, Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello reminds voters that in-person early voting locations will be open Oct. 28 – Nov. 5.

Early voting allows an individual to vote on a voting machine at any of the locations listed below during this nine-day period. Early voting hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.  Accommodations will be made for voters with disabilities.

Early Voting Locations, Mercer County

Mercer County Library, Hickory Corner Branch – 138 Hickory Corner Road, East Windsor, NJ 08520

Mercer County Office Park – 1440 Parkside Ave, Ewing, NJ 08638

Colonial Firehouse Company – 801 Kuser Road, Hamilton, NJ 08619

Mercer County Library, Lawrence Headquarters Branch – 2751 Brunswick Pike (at Darrah Lane), Lawrence, NJ 08648

Pennington Fire Company – 120 Broemel Place, Pennington, NJ 08534

Princeton Shopping Center (Around back on the left side) – 300 N Harrison Street, Princeton, NJ 08540

Trenton Firehouse Headquarters – 244 Perry Street, Trenton, NJ 08618

When seeking election information, the Mercer County election offices — the Clerk’s Office, the Board of Elections led by Chairwoman Jill Moyer, and the Superintendent of Elections Office led by Walker M. Worthy Jr. — have the most up-to-date and verifiable information. You can find all of the County Election Office websites at www.mercercounty.org.

People voting early at the Mercer County Library in East Windsor, NJ on Oct. 30, 2022.
[Daniella Heminghaus]

On Election evening, voting machine results will be available for anyone who wants to view them at https://www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk/

For additional information regarding the 2023 General Election, please visit the Mercer County Clerk’s website here or call 609-989-6494 or 609-6495. To reach the Superintendent of Elections office, please contact 609-989-6750 or visit https://www.mercercounty.org/departments/superintendent-of-elections. To reach the Board of Elections, please call 609-989-6522 or visit https://www.mercercounty.org/boards-commissions/board-of-elections. For further election information visit the New Jersey Division of Elections website at (https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/vote.shtml).

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Mercer County to use new touch screen voting machines in upcoming general election and take other security measures

TRENTON, N.J. — With the vote by mail ballots now mailed to the voters in Mercer County, Mercer County’s Election Officials, Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello, Mercer County Superintendent of Elections, Walker M. Worthy, Jr., and Mercer Board of Elections Commissioners, are now preparing voters for Election Day and announcing new processes and features being offered on Election Day, Nov. 7, 2023.

They announced on Friday that Mercer County will be using new voting machines with a verifiable paper trail in every voting district in Mercer County on Election Day.  These voting machines are similar to those already used by Mercer County during early voting, and were purchased by Mercer County from Dominion Voting Systems, a State-certified voting machine manufacturer. They allow voters to use a touch screen device to print out ballot selections which they will then scan into the voting machine.

The three Mercer County election offices, led by Worthy, Sollami Covello and Chairwoman Jill Moyer announced that the new voting machines were part of Mercer County’s plan to address and resolve and prevent problems in ballot processing and tabulation that arose during last year’s November General election.

Pictured left to right: Board of Election Commissioner Martin Jennings, Esq., Superintendent of Elections Walker M. Worthy, Jr., County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello, and Board of Elections Chairwoman Jill Moyer

Mercer County has taken four concrete steps to make voting easier and to make the voting procedures consistent whether a voter chooses to vote early or on Election Day.

The steps taken by Mercer County to avoid future election problems are as follows:

 1) The County has purchased new voting machines to avoid the transport of paper ballots to polling locations.  While paper ballots will still be transported back to the Board of Elections at the end of an election as a back-up, they will not to be pre-printed and transported to the polls by poll-workers. This will be less overwhelming to poll workers and more secure overall.

 2) The County learned that the ballots used in testing were pre-marked ballots created and generated by Dominion’s own program, instead of testing the actual ballots being used by voters on election day.  That will no longer happen. Testing is being done on the actual ballots voters will use on Election Day and they will make sure they scan properly into the voting machines.

3)  Dominion has assured the County that Mercer will have proper personnel and procedures in place to avoid any future problems. Dominion will also provide on-site assistance on Election Day.

4) The County Board of Elections is currently training poll-workers to ensure they are well-prepared to use the new voting machines and are familiar with how to secure ballots in their custody. The Board of Elections also added enhanced training classes, refresher classes, and online quizzes for poll workers to ensure that they are well prepared for any difficulty that might arise.

The Mercer County Commissioners, the County Executive and his staff, along with County election officials chose the Dominion ICX machine from among several N.J. State certified voting machines because they are easy to use, have a paper back-up, and do not read from a bar code.

They allow a voter to enlarge the voting screen font by touch, or to pull up the ballot in English or Spanish.  And, additional languages can be easily added with population changes. Voters who prefer to hand-mark their ballots can print a blank paper ballot and use a black pen or marker.

Additionally, the new machines offer privacy sides and privacy curtains to protect voter confidentiality. The new machines are also equipped with lockable steel doors on both sides of each unit, which offer additional security when not in use. On top of this, we have purchased new asset-tracking software and made other internal changes to prepare for the use of new voting machines and for the future.

County officials held several public hearings over the past year, and received feedback from voters following last year’s election stating that they did not like using markers to vote and they did not think that the paper ballots were well-secured at the polling locations among their complaints.

The elections official are pleased to be able to say Mercer County has delivered on what advocacy groups have sought in its voting machines for many years by providing a paper trail and implementing the aforementioned initiatives.

A video on how to use the new voting machines can be found here: 2023 Mercer County Has New Voting Machines

If a voter wishes to obtain further information on the upcoming election, please visit www.mercercounty.org which contains the websites for all three offices.