Gottheimer announces new, federal bipartisan actions to protect ballot boxes

NEW JERSEY — U.S. Congressman Gottheimer (NJ-5) Friday announced the new bipartisan Ballot Box Protection Act to explicitly make destroying a ballot drop box a federal crime which is currently not the case.

Additionally, Gottheimer is urging New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New Jersey Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State Tahesha Way, and FBI Director Wray and DHS Secretary Mayorkas, to immediately implement FBI and DHS’ Joint Intelligence Bulletin recommendations to protect election workers from harm.

This work further expands on Gottheimer’s “Election Integrity Strategy,” which includes his bipartisan “Unity Commitment,” which commits Members to respect the results of the upcoming 2024 presidential election, attend the Presidential Inauguration, and serve as a voice for calm, regardless of who wins.

Poll Workers Continue to face threats of harassment, intimidation, and violence:

• The FBI and DHS’ Joint Intelligence Bulletin (Bulletin) recently identified serious threats of violence from extremists motivated by election- related conspiracy theories.

o    This report identified potential targets which included election, poll workers, and election infrastructure.

• According to a Brennan Center study in May, 38% of all local election officials report experiencing threats, harassment, or abuse.
• More than a quarter are concerned about the threats and harassment impacting their family and loved ones.
• While there were more than 100 threats of death or violence made to U.S. election workers and officials during the 2020 election, there have only been thirteen federal prosecutions.
• More than one-third of local election officials know at least one person who resigned at least in part because of safety concerns. This is up from 22% in 2023.
• Earlier this week, the Justice Department unsealed a complaint against a man in Philadelphia who vowed to skin alive and kill a party official recruiting volunteer poll watchers.
• Last week, a Texas man punched an elderly poll worker after the official asked him to remove his campaign hat while voting to comply with electioneering laws.
• In New Jersey, a woman physically and verbally assaulted a poll worker who asked her to remove her campaign merchandise while voting, as required by law.

Gottheimer’s New Election Integrity Strategy Actions:

• First, Gottheimer is introducing the bipartisan Ballot Box Protection Act, which will explicitly make it a federal crime to destroy a ballot drop box.

o    This will ensure there is legal ground to quickly prosecute, in federal court, those who commit these anti-American, anti-democratic acts across our country. If you burn a ballot drop box, punishments will be set to a $20,000 fine for each ballot you burn and 20 years in prison.

• Second, Gottheimer is sending a letter urging Governor Murphy and New Jersey Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State Tahesha Way to immediately adopt the FBI and DHS Bulletin recommendations to safeguard election workers from threats.

o    These recommendations include issuing badges or other identification for poll workers to display while working, ensuring polling places have a security plan that takes full accountability of visitors, and conducting periodic checks of these security procedures to make sure they are working.

• Third, following their FBI/DHS Bulletin and recommendations, Gottheimer is asking FBI Director Wray and DHS Secretary Mayorkas to increase their cooperation with New Jersey state election and law enforcement officials to immediately deploy additional resources to protect election workers and polling sites.
• Finally, these new steps build on Gottheimer’s previously announced Election Integrity Strategy, which includes:

o    The bipartisan Election Worker and Polling Place Protection Act in the House. Senator Ossoff is also leading this bill in the United States Senate. It will help expand protections for election workers and polling locations against threats of violence and harassment.

o    Gottheimer is working to pass the bipartisan Protect Our Local Workers Act — or POL Workers Act —to ensure that the already-funded Help America Vote Act or HAVA grants can be utilized for physical security for election workers and polling places.

o    Gottheimer is supporting State Senator Brian Stack’s bill in the New Jersey Legislature, which makes it a crime to intimidate, threaten, or coerce any election official or election worker in the discharge of their duties.

“With the legislation I’m announcing today, we’re taking a stand to protect our democracy, so that every voter can cast their ballot without fear, and every election worker can serve without threats. Because the right to vote is sacred — and it is our duty to defend it. There should be nothing partisan about this. So, to the lawless thugs who are considering interfering with our democracy, don’t even think about it,” Gottheimer said.