Do you trust NJ on Election Day? Work to protect your vote is underway
⚫ Attorneys are already working around the clock to answer emerging questions
⚫ Officials are warning against voter intimidation/harassment
⚫ It could take days for results to be finalized
Work is underway to ensure this year's election process is a safe and transparent one.
Early in-person voting started on Saturday in the Garden State, and mail-in ballots have been rolling in ahead of Election Day.
"Get out there and vote, and trust that when you do so, your vote will be counted, and it will be safe and secure," said New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin.
RELATED: How to cast an early vote in New Jersey
During a press conference with other New Jersey officials, Platkin said the work to secure fair elections is happening on several fronts.
With the launch of early voting, attorneys in state government began "working shifts" "around the clock" to answer any emerging questions from county election boards and superintendents of elections, Platkin said. They'll continue to do so until "well after polls close" on Nov. 5.
“New Jersey is fully prepared to quickly and decisively identify and resolve any issues related to voting,” Platkin said. “Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy and a fundamental right."
Protecting voters
Law enforcement agencies, meanwhile, are tasked this election cycle with protecting voters from intimidation or harassment.
"Every voter, regardless of who you're voting for, should be able to enter and leave their polling place freely, and every voters should be able to similarly approach and access ballot drop boxes without interference," Platkin said.
Anyone who interferes with the process — and that includes harassing poll workers — should be prepared to face harsh consequences, he said. It is a criminal offense to solicit or electioneer voters within a "protective zone" near one's polling place.
Presidential elections tend to see more voters hit the polls, compared to races that do not include a presidential ticket.
SEE ALSO: NJ wants to block use of rent-setting algorithms
The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, confirmed with New Jersey 101.5 on Monday that there are no known threats to election facilities or election officials.
The effort to protect New Jersey's elections is a year-round one, said NJOHSP Director Laurie Doran.
"Please know that as things evolve, especially in the cybersecurity arena, we are very much on top of keeping up with those new trends, and with that we adjust accordingly," Doran said.
Counting votes
Early voting in New Jersey runs through 6 p.m. on Nov. 3. Vote-by-mail ballots can be counted up to a week after Election Day, depending on when the ballot was postmarked.
When an election comes to down to a small number of votes, New Jersey may not fully know results on Election night or in the days that follow, said Lt. Gov Tahesha Way.
"The primary job for our county officials is to carefully and methodically process, count and report the results of the elections," Way said. "And they will do so in a manner that comports with the law."
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