RELEASE: Ahead of Early Voting, Gottheimer Announces Actions to Protect Election Integrity

Resources / Press Share on RELEASE: Ahead of Early Voting, Gottheimer Announces Actions to Protect Election Integrity Bipartisan Legislation Will Protect Poll Workers, Ballot Boxes, and the Peaceful Transfer of Power Warns Against Foreign Interference Undermining American Elections Pushes to Increase Help America Vote Act Funding for New Jersey Oct 23, 2026 Press Above: Gottheimer announces his Election Integrity Strategy. FORT LEE, NJ – Today, Friday, October 23, 2026, Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) announced the next steps in his Election Integrity Strategy: bipartisan federal actions to protect poll workers, ballot drop boxes, and the peaceful transfer of power, with early voting set to begin in New Jersey tomorrow, October 24. “The most sacred right our Constitution affords us is the right to vote. Early voting starts in New Jersey tomorrow. We cannot allow anyone or anything — at home or from abroad — to interfere with our elections. I’m announcing new federal actions to protect our poll workers, our ballot boxes, and our elections,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). Watch Gottheimer’s full remarks here . Gottheimer’s Election Integrity Strategy includes three actions: Introducing the bipartisan Election Worker and Polling Place Protection Act , with Congressman Don Bacon (NE-2), to expand federal protections for volunteers, the people who supply and maintain election equipment, and the family members of election officials. Introducing the bipartisan Ballot Box Protection Act , with Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), which makes explicit that damaging or destroying a ballot drop box is a federal crime, giving prosecutors clear legal ground to quickly bring cases in federal court. Leading a bipartisan letter with Congressman Bacon to ensure the continued peaceful transition of power. Seventeen Republicans and Democrats have signed so far, pledging to safeguard the integrity of the House, defend the state certification process, recognize the winners each state certifies under its own law, support adding every state’s certified winners to the House Clerk’s roll on the first day of the new Congress, and oppose any attempt to refuse or delay the seating of a Member-elect. Supports early voting and extending the window to vote, voting by mail, and secure mobile voting. Supports multilingual voting information at polling locations. Pushing to increase Help America Vote Act funding to New Jersey so every county has the polling locations and machines it needs. Opposes new barriers to voting , such as requiring a passport to register Warns that foreign adversaries are using AI and social media to undermine American elections , including Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran. Gottheimer, a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and Co-Chairman of the 9/11 Commission Review Task Force, witnessed the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol from the House Chamber. In 2022, working with Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, he led the House effort to pass the bipartisan, bicameral Electoral Count Reform Act, which is now law and closed the loopholes extremists tried to use to subvert the 2020 election. “Protecting the integrity of our elections is essential to maintaining the public’s trust in our democratic process. Every American deserves to know that their vote will be counted and protected from interference. Those who intentionally destroy ballots or damage ballot boxes must be held accountable. I’m proud to once again join Congressman Gottheimer in introducing this bipartisan legislation to safeguard our elections and ensure every lawful vote is counted,” said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis. Nationally, 38 percent of local election officials report experiencing threats, harassment, or abuse for doing their jobs, and about one in six said they had faced threats of violence. The Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force reviewed more than 2,000 reports of threats and, by fall 2024, had charged just 20 people. In 2024, ballot drop boxes in Oregon and Washington State were set on fire, and the ballots inside were burned. Last November, bomb threats forced polling places in Paterson, Ewing, and Bergen County to close temporarily, with additional threats at locations in Ocean, Monmouth, Essex, and Middlesex counties. Voters were redirected, officials later determined there was no credible threat, and a juvenile was arrested. Gottheimer was joined by Senator Gordon Johnson, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco, Bergen County Clerk John Hogan, Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, Fort Lee Councilwoman Ila Kasofsky, and Fort Lee Councilmen Peter J. Suh and Harvey Sohmer. Below: Gottheimer announces his Election Integrity Strategy. Gottheimer’s remarks as prepared for delivery: Good afternoon. Thank you for welcoming us here to the Fort Lee Community Center. I want to thank you all for your important work protecting our election workers, ball