Several New Jersey polling sites have been closed and the voting locations moved on Election Day following bomb threats in at least seven counties — including heavily Republican areas, officials said.
Law enforcement agencies were tipped off about threats made to polling locations across Bergen, Essex, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Passaic counties Tuesday morning, according to the state Office of the Attorney General.
“Law enforcement officers have responded at each affected polling place, and they have worked swiftly to secure these polling locations and ensure the safety of every voter,” the AG’s Office said in a statement.
“Some of these polling locations have already reopened to the public. At others, voters will be directed to a nearby polling location to cast their ballot,” the office added.
Officials noted that the threats made against the polling site were not credible.
The bomb threats come in the middle of a knife-edge governor’s race, with US Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) in a dead heat with Republican businessman and former state legislator Jack Ciattarelli.
As of Tuesday morning, many of the impacted voting locations have been reopened, including all in Bergen — the state’s most populous county.
Bergen police had investigated the threats and found all of them to be a hoax, county spokesperson Derek Sands said in a statement, slamming the threats as “malicious, intimidation-driven acts intended to disrupt the democratic process.”
Sherrill also condemned the threats as an attack on voters in a critical election, calling on residents to stay strong and head to the polls safely.
“Obviously this is an attempt to suppress the vote here,” Sherrill told reporters. “I don’t think New Jerseyans take very kindly to that kind of tampering in our election system.”
In areas where the polling places have yet to reopen, workers are in place to direct voters to nearby locations to cast their ballots, Attorney General Matt Platkin said.
Platkin’s office did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for additional comment on the impacted polling sites.
In Passaic County — a key swing county — heavy police presence was seen outside School 10, in Paterson, where voters are set to cast their ballots, NJ.com reported.
“We are taking the threats very seriously and we immediately evacuated the polling sites,” Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh said in a statement.
“Thanks to the Paterson police department’s patrol operation working in concert with our state and county partners, all polling sites are safe and open for voters,” the mayor added.
Similar disruptions were reported at schools in Woodbridge and North Brunswick, according to local media.
Newark police said they had investigated the threats following the submission of multiple phishing emails regarding the fake bomb threats in Essex county.
New Jersey Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, who serves as the state’s top election official, said voting is being carried on safely as police take top precautions despite the non-credible threats.
“We are doing everything in our power to protect voters and poll workers and coordinate closely with state, local and federal partners to ensure a smooth and safe election,” Way said in a statement.
The post NJ Election Day bomb threats shut down polling sites in 7 key counties — with gov’s race in dead heat appeared first on New York Post.
