Voting is the foundation of our democracy and a fundamental right of every American. For generations, Americans have fought – sometimes in the face of incredible adversity – to secure and protect this right. It therefore should be of great concern to all citizens when any group or individual is denied his or her voting rights.

The Public Advocate's Voting Rights Project seeks to protect the basic and fundamental right to vote belonging to every U.S. citizen. Our project has three components ensuring: first, that every eligible person is registered to vote; second, that every registered voter can cast a ballot; and third, that all ballots cast are fully and fairly counted.  

• Increasing and Expanding Voter Registration
  
  • Compliance with the Motor-Voter Law
  • Registration for students and youths
  • Registration for social services clients
  • Restoring an individual's right to vote 

• Ensuring Registered Voters Can Cast Ballots 
  
  
  • Poll Access for All
  • Courthouse assistance on Election Day
  • Other election protection work
    
    
• Monitoring Voting Machines: Ensuring All Ballots Are Fully And Fairly Counted
  

New Jersey’s voter participation rates show the acute need for this project: in the 2006 congressional elections, only 43 percent of adult citizens in New Jersey cast ballots (compared to 48 percent nationally).  In the 2004 presidential elections, New Jersey exceeded national participation averages, but more than a third of the 5.6 million eligible voters in New Jersey still did not cast a ballot.  There are many reasons for voter nonparticipation, but government can and should do more to make the voting process – from registering to vote to the counting of ballots – simple and seamless for all eligible citizens.  Voter participation rates increase when government agencies take affirmative steps and adopt practices that make voting simple and hassle-free.  Our Voting Rights Project strives to promote these people-friendly policies.