| Written and distributed since 2003 by Donald Katz, Esq., Republican State Committeeman for Middlesex County and Counsel, Middlesex County Republican Organization VOTE BY MAIL BALLOTS WILL START TO GO OUT TO VOTERS IN A FEW SHORT WEEKS, ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21st. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW RECEIVES A BALLOT, MAKE SURE YOU, OR THEY, FILL IT OUT CORRECTLY AND RETURN IT TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. SET FORTH BELOW ARE SOME OF THE MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE WHEN FILLING OUT THE BALLOT AND THUS LOSING THEIR VOTE Under the law, the vote by mail (“VBM”) ballots must start to be mailed to voters by Saturday, September 21st. Based on past practice, they will likely go out in waves over a period of perhaps a week or more. If you get a VBM ballot, or you know other Republicans who will be getting VBM ballots, properly complete them, urge other Republicans to complete them, and return them to the Board of Elections office as soon as possible. You can mail the VBM ballots back if you wish, but I feel the best way to get them back to the Board of Elections is to put them in one of the approximately 30 drop boxes located around the county. There is at least one drop box in each of our municipalities, usually in the area of the municipal building or municipal complex. Here are some common mistakes you should avoid when filling out a VBM ballot so that your ballot is counted: * Failure to complete and sign the inner ballot envelope certification flap * Printing rather than signing the certification flap * Marking the ballot incorrectly. The only marks the voter should put on the ballot are filling in the oval next to the names of the candidates they wish to vote for. Voters should not write anything on the ballot and should not circle a candidate’s name or make any other mark on the ballot * Someone else signing the ballot for the voter – powers of attorney signatures are not permitted * Someone assisting the voter without the assistor section of the ballot being completed and signed * Sending back the vote by mail envelope without enclosing the ballot * Failure to put the ballot in the inner envelope and complete and sign the certification on the inner envelope flap GOOD REPUBLICAN IS WANTED BY THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS FOR A FULL-TIME POSITION IN THE ELECTION MACHINE WAREHOUSE NOW AND WE WILL ALSO BE LOOKING FOR ONE IN THE OFFICE BY THE END OF THE YEAR The Middlesex County Board of Elections has a Republican vacancy in our Election Machine Warehouse. The Republican Commissioners are interested in making sure that the person hired is a good Republican in Middlesex County and not someone who just registered as a Republican to get the job. We will also have a Republican vacancy in our office by the end of the year, as well. The starting salary for both positions is $34,000 per year, but there are also guaranteed overtime hours and weekends required near elections. The position includes health insurance as well as pension benefits. Once past the initial probationary period, this is a stable job and we have had many people ultimately retire from the Board of Elections after long successful careers. Both the Board of Elections Office and Election Machine Warehouse are located at 26 Kennedy Boulevard in East Brunswick, (not far from the NJ Turnpike entrance). If you or someone else you know may be interested in the open position, they should contact Sylvia Engel as soon as possible. Please e-mail her a resume at spengel@msn.com. If you have any questions, you may also call her at 732-208-0474. A job description is available. All applications will be reviewed by the three Republican Commissioners and, after consultation with our Republican County Chair, the preferred applicant for the job will be submitted to the Board of Elections management for an interview and potential hiring. AS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED, ELECTION DAY CHALLENGER’S TRAINING SESSIONS TO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24TH IN SAYREVILLE AND ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29TH IN SOUTH BRUNSWICK: IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE A CHALLENGER, BE THERE As previously reported, if you will be working as a challenger on Election Day for our GOP candidates and party, be sure to come to one of the challenger’s training sessions I will be running. The first one will be held on Tuesday, September 24th starting at 7:00 pm at the Sayreville American Legion Post, 240 McArthur Avenue, Sayreville, which is across the street from the St. Stanislaus Kostka Church (St. Stan’s Catholic Church) parking lot, hosted by the Sayreville Republican Municipal Committee. The second one will be held on Tuesday, October 29th at 7:00 pm at the South Brunswick American Legion Post, 148 Major Road, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick. You don’t need to register in advance for these free training sessions – just show up. These training sessions are open to all interested Middlesex County Republicans and congressional campaign volunteers from out of Middlesex County who are from either of the congressional districts that include part of Middlesex County, (the 6th and the 12 CDs). Come and learn what can and cannot be done in the polling places on Election Day. I would note that I have been giving these sessions for over 40 years and they are so good that I have often been requested to give them to Republicans in other counties and, when it is possible, I have tried to accommodate. I have also given sessions in the past few years in Union County, Mercer County, and Somerset County. POLITICAL TRIVIA: Here are some political trivia questions. I hope you enjoy them. The answers are below, immediately above the calendar: 1. Which First Lady worked professionally as a modern dancer? 2. Which first child made headlines for attending public school in the 1970s? 3. Who was the first incumbent U.S. President to decline to run for re-election? 4. What did George Washington warn against in his farewell address as President? 5. William Howard Taft got stuck in a bathtub in the White House. True or False? 6. James Garfield was the last U.S. President to be born in a log cabin. True or False? 7. What was the only state Ronald Reagan lost in the 1984 election? LOOKING FOR ATTORNEYS TO VOLUNTEER ON ELECTION DAY We would like to place attorneys at various critical locations on election day, so that there will be someone available at the other end of the phone line at all times to answer your election day questions, monitor polling locations in potential problem areas, etc. Although election law experience is a plus, it is not necessary – we will train them, either by their attendance at a challenger training session which will be held before the November election, or otherwise. If you know any attorneys who would be willing to volunteer, please have them personally contact me via e-mail at dkatzlaw@aol.com. You, or they, will then be put in contact with our lead attorney who will run the attorney operation on election day, while I am handling my duties at the Board of Elections. Anyone who offers to be a volunteer attorney on election day should be sure to include both his or her e-mail address and his or her cell phone number and he or she should also let me know his or her time availability on election day. (Although all-day availability would be preferable, if the attorney can volunteer a block of time of 4 hours or more, it would be acceptable.) DO YOU WANT TO HELP MAKE PHONE CALLS ON BEHALF OF DONALD TRUMP TO VOTERS IN BATTLEGROUND STATES? HERE IS THE INFORMATION We want you to work hard to elect our Republican candidates here in Middlesex County and in New Jersey, but if you are also looking to help the Trump campaign by making phone calls to voters in battleground states, my understanding is that the following is the link which will get you started: https://talk.donaldjtrump.com. ANSWERS TO POLITICAL TRIVIA: 1. Betty Ford. Her love of dance began with childhood ballet lessons and was transformed when she saw a performance by modern dance pioneer Martha Graham as a teen. After high school, Ford studied under several teachers and performed professionally, even joining Graham’s company for a performance at New York City’s famed Carnegie Hall. 2. Amy Carter was just nine years old when her parents moved to the White House. When she enrolled at the predominantly Black Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School, she became one of just a handful of first children to attend public school, including the youngest sons of Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. No Presidents since Carter have enrolled their children in a public school in Washington, D.C. 3. James K. Polk 4. Political Parties. In 1796, George Washington stepped down from the presidency after two terms. In announcing his departure, Washington gave a farewell address to “friends and citizens,” which was actually not a speech, but a letter published in newspapers nationwide. In the remarks, Washington cautioned the country against political parties and partisan factionalism — a warning which politicians promptly ignored. 5. False. While it’s true that he was large in stature, weighing in at 350 pounds, Taft never had to be rescued from a tub. That said, there is a reason he’s associated with baths. During his presidency, a super-sized porcelain tub that was 7 feet long, 41 inches wide, and a ton in weight was installed in the White House. It was so massive that four grown men could fit inside. In another bath incident after his presidency, he filled a tub at a hotel in Cape May, New Jersey, a little too high and when he stepped into it, it overflowed to the point that the guests in the dining room below got a bit of a shower. 6. True. James Garfield was the last U.S. President to begin life in a log cabin. He was born in Ohio in 1831 inside a cabin near Orange Township (now called Moreland Hills), which he called home until 1859. Other Presidents born in log cabins include Andrew Jackson, James Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, Abraham Lincoln, and Ulysses S. Grant. 7. Minnesota (the home state of the Democratic candidate for President, Walter Mondale). Reagan won every other state Reagan also lost Washington, D.C., but still won the electoral vote 525 to 13. UPDATED CALENDAR What follows is an updated calendar. If you have any municipal or countywide fundraisers or functions you would like me to include in my e-mail calendar from time to time, please contact me at dkatzlaw@aol.com. Please note that organizations and campaigns sometimes provide added information, change dates, or cancel events, which information I include in this calendar if I receive the information in time. Therefore, if you plan to attend an event, please make sure you review the calendar listing in my latest e-mail and, to the extent you may not have pre-registered for the particular event so the sponsoring group will be able to contact you about any changes, you may want to check with eh sponsoring group before you go, to make sure the information has not changed. Also, please be aware that these e-mails are not official MCRO notices or mailings, they are just something I do, voluntarily, to help our Republican Party. September 4 (Wednesday 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm) – Middlesex Borough GOP “Cigar Night” Fundraiser. Ellery’s Grill, 701 Lincoln Boulevard, Middlesex. $50 per person. Includes cigars, food, and beer or wine. Cash bar for liquor. You can either pay at the door or mail a check payable to the Borough of Middlesex Republican Organization, PO Box 324, Middlesex, NJ 08846. Any questions contact Mike Hompesch at 732-735-5603 or mikehompesch@hotmail.com. September 10 (Tuesday 8:00 pm – ) – Presidential Debate Watching Party hosted by the South Brunswick Republican Organization, American Legion Post 401, 148 Major Road, Monmouth Junction. $10.00 to enter. Cash Bar, Light Refreshments. September 12 (Thursday 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm) – Old Bridge GOP County Committee Cocktail Reception in support of Councilman Darin Accettulli’s Ward 2 Council Election Campaign. Palms Plaza, 343 Route 34, Matawan.$300.00 per person. To RSVP or for additional information, contact Old Bridge Municipal Chair Anita Greenberg-Belli at 732-754-0051. September 15 (Sunday) – South Brunswick GOP Baseball Fundraiser, Somerset Patriots vs. New Hampshire. TD Bank Ballpark, 1 Patriots Park, Bridgewater. Game time 1:05 pm. Ticket only $15.00. RSVP to southbrunswcikrepublicanorg@gmaill.com. September 17 (Tuesday 7:00 pm – ) – Middlesex County Republican Women’s Club Meeting. East Brunswick Library, 2 Civic Center Drive, (off Ryder’s Lane), East Brunswick. September 21 (Saturday) – Statutory date by which the County Clerk is supposed to mail out the first vote by mail ballots. September 24 (Tuesday 7:00 pm-) – Election Day Challengers Training presented by Donald Katz, Esq, Counsel, Middlesex County Board of Elections. American Legion Post, 240 MacArthur Avenue, Sayreville. Hosted by the Sayreville Republican Organization. Open to all potential Republican challengers in Middlesex County and the non-Middlesex County portions of Congressional Districts 6 and 12. September 26 (Thursday 7:00 pm – ) – NJ Conservative GOP Meeting. Keller Williams Elite Realty, 481 Memorial Parkway, Metuchen. You are highly encouraged to bring conservative friends with you to the meeting. Questions, contact Paul Danielczyk at 848-248-0172 or njcgop@aol.com September 27 (Friday 6:00 pm – ) – Darius Mayfield for Congress (12th CD) Paint and Sip Fundraiser. South River VFW Post 1451, 31 Reid Street, South River. $45.00 per person. Ticket includes step-by-step instructions and wine. Questions? E-mail antoinetteyaymaker@yahoo.com. October 15 (Tuesday) – Last day to register to vote in the General Election. October 15 (Tuesday 7:00 pm – ) – Middlesex County Republican Women’s Club Meeting. East Brunswick Library, 2 Civic Center Drive, (off Ryder’s Lane), East Brunswick. October 22 (Tuesday) – Deadline for filing your list of Election Day challengers for the General Election, with the Board of Elections. (Middlesex County Board of Elections, 26-B Kennedy Boulevard, East Brunswick, New Jersey 08816) October 26 (Saturday 10:00 am -2:00 pm) – Board of Elections Open House at the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey Professional Conference Center, 1690 Stelton Road, Piscataway. Poll clerks, party chairs, and elected officials are invited to visit and work with the election equipment, review processes, and ask questions to Board of Elections clerks and technicians. (Note: this is not official poll clerk training and will not count as mandatory training.) October 26 (Saturday) – November 3 (Sunday) – Early Voting Period (Any voter registered in Middlesex County can vote at any of the 10 Early Voting Sites in Middlesex County.) October 29 (Tuesday) – Last day for vote-by-mail ballot applications to be received by the County Clerk by mail in order to vote in the General Election. (Middlesex County Clerk, P.O. Box 1110, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901-1110). October 29 (Tuesday 7:00 pm – ) – Election Day Challengers Training presented by Donald Katz, Esq, Counsel, Middlesex County Board of Elections. at the South Brunswick American Legion Post, 148 Major Road, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick. Hosted by the South Brunswick Republican Organization. Open to all potential Republican challengers in Middlesex County and the non-Middlesex County portions of Congressional Districts 6 and 12. November 4 (Monday 3:00 pm) – Last day to apply for a mail-in ballot in person (or by authorized messenger) at the County Clerk’s office, (26-C Kennedy Boulevard, East Brunswick, New Jersey), in order to vote in the General Election. November 5 (Tuesday 6:00 am – 8:00 pm) – General Election November 19 (Tuesday 7:00 pm – ) – Middlesex County Republican Women’s Club Meeting. East Brunswick Library, 2 Civic Center Drive, (off Ryder’s Lane), East Brunswick. December 4 (Wednesday) – NJGOP Toys for Tots Holiday Party. Stress Factory Comedy Club, New Brunswick. December 17 (Tuesday 7:00 pm – ) – Middlesex County Republican Women’s Club Meeting. East Brunswick Library, 2 Civic Center Drive, (off Ryder’s Lane), East Brunswick. Please forward this information to any Middlesex County Republican, or other individuals, who you think might be interested in seeing it. Further, if you know of any Middlesex County Republicans who would like to receive periodic reports about Republican-related information I believe might be interesting or useful, please have them send me, Donald Katz, an e-mail to dkatzlaw@aol.com, and I will add them to my e-mail list. By the same token, if you ever wish to be removed from my e-mail list, click “unsubscribe” at the foot of this e-mail. Donald Katz, Esq. Republican State Committeeman – Middlesex County and Counsel, Middlesex County Republican Organization dkatzlaw@aol.com 119 Leeds Lane Monroe Township, NJ 08831 (C) 908-227-9239 Copyright © 2024 Donald Katz, All rights reserved, except forwarding of entire newsletter to Republicans is permitted and encouraged and excerpts may be used for non-commercial purposes provided the excerpts are attributed to Donald Katz |
MIDDLESEX COUNTY GOP UPDATE
