Legislation to move the date of this year’s primary election is expected to pass both houses of government later this week after two weeks of lobbying and a hearing by the New Jersey State Senate on Monday morning.
This year’s primary election was to be held on June 3, which this year coincides with the second day of Shavuot. Late last week, State Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic), introduced Bill A5149 which calls for the primary date to be changed to June 10 and would allow for primary dates to be adjusted in the future as well if the scheduled date “coincides with a period of religious observance.” The bill was cosponsored by Majority Leader Louis Greenwald and Yvonne Lopez.
Among those leading the fight to move the date was the group Teach NJ, a division of the Teach Coalition, which is affiliated with the Orthodox Union.
Speaking to The Jewish Link, Teach Coalition founder and CEO Maury Litwack said that over the last decade his group has worked to raise awareness about the importance of voting among the Jewish community and creating infrastructure to run get out the vote campaigns, and lobbying to move the date was an extension of those efforts.
“When we learned that this election, which will help decide the most important statewide position in New Jersey, governor, we sprung into action,” he said, with Jewish New Jerseyans from across the religious spectrum sending emails, making phone calls and lobbying their leaders for action. “The community was unbelievable in making their voices heard and staying on top of that action. I think there was incredible unity on this,” he said. “It wasn’t like this is an Orthodox thing.”
Litwack praised the state’s current governor, Phil Murphy, for being at the forefront of the issue. “He was the first elected official to learn about this, and he was very impactful in making his voice heard on this and being a leader on this.”
Kiran Sheth, a press aide for the governor, told The Jewish Link last week that Murphy “recogniz[es] that many Orthodox Jewish voters are not able to work, travel, write or use electronics that day. The governor is committed to ensuring that our democratic process remains inclusive and accessible to all New Jersey voters.”
Also critical to getting the date moved was Schaer.
“I would like to give special thanks to Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, Senate President Nick Scutari and Gov. Murphy for their unwavering commitment to move my bill, A5149, forward through the legislature,” he told The Jewish Link. “The Assembly bill I introduced on Dec. 12, supported by my legislative colleagues, Majority Leader Greenwald and Assemblywoman Lopez, gives New Jersey the ability to change primary election dates when they conflict with a significant religious observance. The Jewish community has been absolutely clear in advocating for this change,” he continued, “and I am gratified that other religious bodies have pledged their support as well. I will continue to advocate for all voters to exercise their constitutional right in our electoral process.”
New Jersey is home to the fourth largest Jewish population in the United States, a significant percentage of whom are shomer Shabbat and would not be able to go to the polls on primary day.
The vote is of particular importance this year as it will determine who the candidates are for governor. Among those running for the governorship on the Democratic ticket are Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherill. Republican candidates include State Sen. Jon Bramnick and Jack Ciattarelli.
Gottheimer, Ciattarelli and others issued statements on the need for accommodation for Jewish voters, and Fulop told The Jewish Link last week that to not move the date would be a “huge slight” to the community.
Among those who testified during Monday’s state senate hearing were Teach NJ Executive Director Katie Katz, Rabbi James Proops of Synagogue of the Suburban Torah Center in Livingston, and Linda Scherzer, head of the Jewish Community Relations Council for the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest.
Rabbi Proops told the state legislators that Shavuot, which commemorates the day when Moses descended Mount Sinai with the Ten Commandments, is one of “our most holy days” and under Jewish law, observant Jews are prohibited from engaging in activities such as using electronics, driving, writing or traveling on Shavuot, “making it impossible for them to vote” on June 3.
Failure to move the primary, he said, would “impact thousands of Jewish New Jerseyans across the state, removing the key and the most popular voting opportunity for them. We urge you to vote in favor of moving the date in the hope of increasing voter turnout rather than decrease.”
According to Litwack, “To make [change] happen, you need champions in Trenton, like Gov. Murphy and Assemblyman Schaer, who go to bat for the community, but at the same time they need voices behind them. They need the community to raise its voices, which is what happened here.
“The unanimous vote to move the primary demonstrates the state’s commitment to the inclusivity of all faiths and demographics. The warm reception we received from all the senators, who apologized for the original scheduling, was a clear indication of the support that the Jewish community has in New Jersey. We are extremely grateful to all those in government who are supporting this important bill, to ensure that the Jewish community can vote in the primary elections in person,” said Rabbi Proops.
“If not for the community’s voice on this, and the multitude of community voices, I don’t think this would have moved nearly as fast,” he said, “and I’m not sure it would have moved at all.”
By Faygie Holt
