DOJ Settles Voting Rights Lawsuit with New Jersey

Advocacy accountability for the disabled community is underway through the Department of Justice. Last week the DOJ settled a proxy suit with New Jersey state and state officials. That deal came in time for the upcoming election, and more than 31% of Gen Z and Millennials were eligible to vote.

The Department’s lawsuit came when New Jersey Transit and other municipal transportation programs failed to issue voter registration forms for people with disabilities.

Generation Z is the future of voting. 30% of Millennials have a disability and based on trends, this will increase with Gen Z.

“Part of our ongoing efforts to ensure ballot access is to ensure that social services and disability agencies offer registration facilities under federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

Approximately 10.3% of the population of New Jersey are marked as disabled. That is around 8,860,000 people who can register for handicapped transport programs and receive an election application.

The state of New Jersey and NJ Transit are committed to implementing programs that ensure that everyone they serve has the opportunity to register to vote. This deal was reached with the Justice Department instead of going to court.

NJ Transit will install tracking methods to ensure their department is complying with the National Voter Registration Act and provide training on how to do this.

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