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After a much closer than expected race, New Jersey Democratic Governor Phil Murphy secured a second term after defeating Republican Jack Ciattarelli. Murphy's victory ended a nearly 50 year losing streak for Democratic New Jersey Governors' reelection efforts.
Like clockwork, right wing media began claiming the New Jersey election was rigged—a consequence of former President Donald Trump's continued brazen lies about widespread voter fraud "stealing" a reelection victory in the 2020 election from him.
Project Veritas, a right-wing disinformation outlet known for creating deceptive videos, released a bizarrely edited clip claiming to show an Irish citizen voting in the New Jersey gubernatorial election.
Watch below.
ILLEGAL: New Jersey Gubernatorial Election Worker: \u2018I\u2019ll let you[Non-Citizen/Non-Registered Voter] fill out completely a ballot right now.\u2019 \n\n#ExposeNJpic.twitter.com/rjlm44TXnM— Matt Pagnozzi (@Matt Pagnozzi) 1635995157
The video, which is missing multiple sections of the exchange, shows a New Jersey poll worker offering a ballot to a man claiming to be an Irish citizen trying to vote.
The worker says she isn't sure how the man is eligible to vote before another employee says she remembers him and that they were "allowing anyone to come in" and submit a ballot.
The worker ultimately gives the man a ballot, saying:
"I'll let you fill out a ballot now. Whether or not they're going to count it, I don't know."
After the man says he has a work visa, the poll worker says, "We'll let you do it. They'll figure that out."
Though Project Veritas sensationalized the exchange, it's completely normal for poll workers to let potential voters fill out a provisional ballot, which is then sent for further review. If the person is deemed eligible to vote, the provisional ballot is counted. If the person is ineligible, it's not counted.
People didn't hesitate to point this out.
It's not up to the discretion of the poll worker to determine eligibility when someone insists they are eligible. As she said, the person could fill out the ballot but it might be disqualified, as they are checked against the voter rolls.— \ud83c\udf0aCarol\ud83c\udf0a\ud83d\udc08\u200d\u2b1b\ud83d\udc08\u200d\u2b1b\ud83d\udc08\u200d\u2b1b\ud83d\udc15\ud83c\udf69\ud83d\udc67\ud83c\udffb\ud83e\uddd2\ud83c\udffb (@\ud83c\udf0aCarol\ud83c\udf0a\ud83d\udc08\u200d\u2b1b\ud83d\udc08\u200d\u2b1b\ud83d\udc08\u200d\u2b1b\ud83d\udc15\ud83c\udf69\ud83d\udc67\ud83c\udffb\ud83e\uddd2\ud83c\udffb) 1636032562
It is not illegal to provide somebody a provisional ballot, that is the point of provisional ballots.— Edward Randolph (@Edward Randolph) 1635996354
Thanks for sharing...it's an opportunity to educate on what a > provisional ballot < is... and learn more about election law. :-)— JoAnn Corley-Schwarzkopf (@JoAnn Corley-Schwarzkopf) 1636033741
It's called a provisional ballot and this worker would have been breaking the law to NOT respond this way.— Lilly Jade Katrin (@Lilly Jade Katrin) 1636030598
pic.twitter.com/uFQ1JOkXp0— joy-sey girl (@joy-sey girl) 1636029059
provisional ballots are not illegal.— Hugh Jardon (@Hugh Jardon) 1636032199
Sadly, Project Veritas still succeeded in its effort to spread disinformation and erode public faith in American democracy.
If any one can just drop in a polling station allege to be "unregistered" and is allowed to vote after just a little pressure, I'm sorry but THERE IS NO POSSIBLE VALID result.https://twitter.com/MattPagnozzi/status/1456095344471781385\u00a0\u2026— EnriqueDaniel Austin (@EnriqueDaniel Austin) 1636036413
NON REGISTERED VOTER for "Governor" Phil Murphy in New Jersey. \n\nEnjoy those high taxes. Or do something about this.https://twitter.com/MattPagnozzi/status/1456095344471781385\u00a0\u2026— Bob Vance (@Bob Vance) 1636035965
Now we know how Phil Murphy pulled out the win, how many other non-registered voters were in on the Democrat's scheme? #AuditNewJerseyNOWhttps://twitter.com/MattPagnozzi/status/1456095344471781385\u00a0\u2026— wes Bledsoe (@wes Bledsoe) 1636035256
Curiously enough, right wing media hasn't sought any evidence of fraud in the Virginia gubernatorial election, where the GOP candidate won. The election occurred on the same day as New Jersey's, and prominent Republicans had said for weeks that the race there would be rigged.