NJ Progressive Dems Call to Put Public Safety First, End Unsafe Campaigning

In light of the ongoing CoVid-19 pandemic and the increased risks to peoples’ health and safety during this primary election season, New Jersey Progressive Democrats of Union County (NJPD-UC) is calling for the suspension of all campaign activities that might further endanger the public. This includes the use of all political mailers, literature drops, and door-to-door canvassing.

After Governor Murphy’s Executive Order mandating a statewide stay at home order and numerous calls for everyone to help flatten the curve, we must ensure we are doing our part. Even one candidate or campaign volunteer going door-to-door to interact with people violates the state mandated call for social distancing and exposes both them and the voter they are interacting with to an increased chance of infection. Some studies have shown the virus can survive on surfaces between one and three days. This includes paper, cardboard, and plastics. Delivering campaign literature and sending glossy mailers to residences can potentially expose our friends, family, and neighbors to contaminated stationary that is being sent directly into their homes. These are not risks any candidate, politician, or community leader should be willing to take. These are not risks we are willing to take.

In the absence of traditional campaigning, we have an opportunity not only to ensure the public health, but to be more transparent with voters than ever before. Through online forums and virtual town halls, our candidates will commit to an even higher level of communication that is done in the safest way possible.

NJPD-UC is calling on the Regular Democratic Organization of Union County, the Union County Democratic Committee, all municipal Democratic Committee Chairs, all coordinated and uncoordinated PACs and CPCs, and all candidates running in the 2020 Democratic Primary in Union County to take this pledge. This is not the time for politics as usual. This is the time to stand together and serve the people. We must choose to put public health above personal ambition and the prospect of being elected.

NJPD-UC has begun circulating a petition calling on all candidates in the Union County Democratic Primary to put public safety first and suspend the use of mailers, literature drops, and in person canvasing. Over 100 signatures have been obtained, and signatures are coming in by the minute. The public knows what we should do and we should represent their wishes and respect their safety; that’s called leadership.

Jason Krychiw
NJPD-UC Interim Chairperson