County Clerk: confusing voter mailer corrected; commissioners seek written follow-up

Residents told the Hudson County Board of County Commissioners on May 22 that a county mailing incorrectly informed many voters they were scheduled to be removed from the vote-by-mail list, prompting confusion among Jersey City recipients and a demand for a public explanation.

Courtney Walker, a Jersey City resident, told the Board the original mailing went to roughly 90,000 people and that a later correction was mailed to about 25,000 households — only about 11,000 of which were Jersey City residents. "This statement is incorrect. I have voted in every election year since moving to New Jersey in 2018, and I've voted by mail several times since registering in 2020," Walker said, urging the Board to follow up.

County Clerk Junior Maldonado explained the mechanics at the meeting: the clerk's office supplied a statewide voter list to the contracting mail house, and some language in the mailed notice created confusion for vote-by-mail voters. "We did a mailing that went out to Jersey City active voters from the statewide voter registration system... Unfortunately, the language in the letter was confusing," Maldonado said. He added that the clerk's office halted the problematic mailing, issued a targeted correction to vote-by-mail voters and answered calls and emails while the issue unfolded.

Why it matters: Local government mailings are a high-impact way to reach voters, and incorrect official communications risk voter confusion and reduced confidence. Commissioners noted that Hudson County has had lower turnout in some statewide contests and asked whether additional outreach or budget adjustments could increase voter engagement.

Clerk's immediate fixes and next steps: Maldonado said the office would implement additional internal checks and bring county communications staff into the review process to reduce the risk of repeat errors. He also committed to provide a written follow-up summarizing who received the mailings, the content differences and the steps the clerk's office will take to improve review protocols.

Commissioner response: Several Commissioners asked for written documentation and broader ideas to boost participation. "County mailings are the most impactful in voter turnout," one Commissioner said, and asked the clerk to return with a plan and to coordinate with the County Executive's communications team.

Ending: The Board asked the County Clerk to provide a written report of what happened, how many people were affected and the steps the office will take to ensure accurate election communications going forward.