Bhimani And Draeger Campaign: One Day After the Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage, Bucco Votes to Disenfranchise Thousands of Voters

Yesterday, Anthony Bucco voted against a landmark bill that would protect thousands of voters across the state from being stricken from the vote-by-mail rolls. That’s right, just one day after the 99th anniversary of women’s suffrage, Anthony Bucco apparently celebrated the expansion of voting rights by finding new ways to take them away.

“Anthony is happy to lend his voice to the NRA and other special interests who funnel thousands of dollars into his campaign, but when it comes to hard working, middle class families having a say he votes no every time. Maybe he thinks you should have to pay off your Assemblyman to have a voice in government, but that’s not how Democracy works,” said Bhimani and Draeger Campaign Manager, Daniel Fleiss.

“Anthony knows that if the voters have their way he’ll be out of a job, that’s why he’s doing whatever he can to disenfranchise thousands of New Jersey residents and suppress their votes. It’s self-serving politics at its worst and unfortunately just what we’ve come to expect from Anthony Bucco.”

The bill, which overwhelmingly passed the State Assembly and Senate, ensures that thousands of New Jersey voters who requested to vote by mail between 2016 and 2018 continue to receive mail-in ballots for all future elections. Without legislative action, a recent ruling by the state Board of Elections would have disqualified them from automatic renewal and required reapplication to receive future ballots in the mail. Many working families have trouble finding time to head to the polls on Election Day and the bill makes it easier for them to cast their ballots.

“Our campaign isn’t about special interests, it’s about finally giving a voice to the hard working families of our communities who have gone unheard for far too long,” said Bhimani. “That’s why making it easier for everyone to be involved in the political process is so important, and why Darcy and I are out talking to voters every single day.”

“Our Democracy only works when everyone has a voice, not just the rich or well-connected,” said Draeger. “This vote-by-mail reform is an important first step, but we must continue to tear down barriers to political engagement and implement common-sense policies, like online and same-day voter registration, to ensure everyone has a say in their government.”

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