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More than 163,000 ballots were cast in-person during the first weekend of N.J.’s early voting period, Oct. 25-26, according to the state division of elections. That number represents less than 3% of the state’s 6.6 million registered voters and is a higher turnout than 2021’s early in-person voting period when 207,000 ballots were cast in total. Early voting was signed into state law in 2021. Early in-person voting is available through Nov. 2 at select polling locations. Mail-in ballots are accepted through Nov. 4, Election Day.
New Jersey Monitor
New Jersey residents can provide feedback during the state department of health’s listening session for the 2027 budget on Nov. 5. The session is held virtually from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration required by Oct. 31. Add to 📅.
New Jersey Department of Health
Essex County Superior Court issued a stay, or a pause on construction, in a lawsuit filed against Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission for building a fourth power plant in Newark’s Ironbound, according to a press release from Ironbound Community Corporation The stay blocks construction and allows the court to consider the legal challenge filed by Earthjustice on behalf of ICC. The judge also consolidated a separate lawsuit against PVSC filed by Newark with ICC’s case. The $180 million backup power project is the first to be approved since N.J.’s 2023 environmental justice law that intends to block similar construction in communities burdened by polluting infrastructure. In May, Earthjustice filed an appeal to challenge the PVSC’s decision, claiming it violates the state’s environmental justice law.
Ironbound Community Corporation
New Jersey filed a lawsuit against Amazon claiming that the company violated the state’s Law Against Discrimination by retaliating against pregnant and disabled warehouse employees who sought accommodations. According to the lawsuit, those employees were fired, denied requests and placed unpaid leave, and unable to meet the Amazon’s productivity requirements. In another lawsuit, N.J. claims that Amazon has misclassified some of its delivery drivers as independent contractors and denied those workers benefits and overtime pay. Amazon is the largest private employer in N.J. and employees about 50,000 warehouse workers in the state, according to N.J. attorneys.
New Jersey Monitor
