New Jersey Moves Primary Election to July 7
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order Wednesday that will move the state’s primary from June 2 to July 7.
As he signed the order, Murphy said he was doing so to avoid scenes like those that played out Tuesday, when Wisconsin voters were forced to go out and cast their ballots despite the ongoing coronavirus outbreak.
“I don’t want a Wisconsin, where folks have to pick between exercising their right to vote on the one hand and protecting their own personal health,” Murphy said.
The governor said the later date would allow time for the public health emergency to subside and allow for safe, in-person voting.
Should that not happen, Murphy said, the extra five weeks would give the state time to put systems in place to hold an all vote-by-mail election.
The state gained the ability to move its primary date after the Democratic National Committee moved its nominating convention from July to August. The Republican National Convention was already scheduled for late August.