Published May 15, 2023
It's the June Primary campaign season if you haven't seen signs and ads popping up yet!
Here is a list of candidates running throughout Sussex County if you are interested in a preview.
Candidate Rules
Don and I have been a part of two campaigns in Fredon now, so our understanding of how they work - and the laws in place to ensure transparency to voters - is helping to make us more experienced each time.
In fact, there is an entire rule book already written on campaigns for every type of candidate in New Jersey!
This past election was the third election in a row where we've seen some red flags locally. They weren't necessarily noticed by many others or reported (at least by us).
With the June 6th Primary coming up, I wanted to help summarize the main issues we see and their related campaign rules a bit, so you can also be active and informed citizens in the election process to help keep it free and fair.
Look for “Paid for by…” Language
Look for the “Paid for by” language at the bottom of campaign materials (signs, mailers, etc.). If it is something that is election-related and costs money, the funds to pay for it must be reported as a campaign contribution with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).
I did call ELEC for more clarification on these rules as they relate to free social media posts when I was writing this.
I was advised that not having this language on political communications is the most common complaint the commission receives from the public.
Free Social Media Promotion
As I understood the rules, ELEC said Don and other write-in candidates should have something such as “Paid for by Don Ciccolella” on the bottom of campaign messages on free social media posts or other free political communications.
All Other Campaign Costs
If Don - even as a write-in candidate - had spent money to campaign (signs, mailings, newspaper ads, stickers, etc.), I was told he would have had to also go through the process to file as a candidate and report any contributions to ELEC.
I found it interesting that regular candidates that fill out the petition and file their paperwork with local clerks need to file forms with ELEC if they choose to campaign - even if they don't spend money on social media posts or emails.
Something else that is interesting is the process that candidates go through to run paid social media ads for political campaigns. From my personal experience, it is a lengthy process that requires a notary and many reviews, but it does add to transparency and benefit voters in my opinion.
Look Up Campaign Contributions
Something else you can do to research candidates is to look up a candidate or Committee (Committee to elect...) on the ELEC website. If filed correctly, you should be able to find who financed the campaign (Democrats, Republicans, a business in Fredon, themselves, etc.). These forms are in place to ensure that campaign funds did not come from public entities (such as some utilities) and voters can see who might be swaying an elected leader’s vote through donations to their campaign.
At the national level, you may have heard people call a candidate “a George Soros-funded candidate” or “they are in the union's pocket.” This is because you can track who is donating to different campaigns and which individuals or special interest groups are pushing for them to win.
Fredon Example
On the local level, when I ran for Township Committee in 2022, a mailer with lies and misleading information about me went out to voters in Fredon. It had the “paid for by” language on it, but the campaign committee's treasurer did not seem to file forms regarding contributions, so it is still unclear who paid for that mailer or some of the signs that went up.
The New Jersey Herald (now owned by USA Today) currently has a similar story about top N.J. Democratic legislators (Senate Speaker Scutari and Assembly Speaker Coughlin) not filing reports correctly too.
Who discovered it and held them accountable? News reporters.
Again, without local news to cover Fredon and serve as a watchdog for us, we only have ourselves as voters to watch and hold elected officials accountable.
What can you do if you see a red flag?
Here are the places to go if you see something out of place in an election or a conflict of interest at a public meeting (such as an elected official lobbying for a family member's interest):
The Board of Education is governed by New Jersey’s School Ethics Commission.
Elections (Township and School Board) are governed by ELEC.
The Township Committee is governed by the State Ethics Commission if they are blatantly taking money “under the table” or not abstaining on votes where they (or their family members) would benefit financially from their votes.
Otherwise, the Township Committee's integrity, honesty, and effectiveness are governed by nothing else but the voting public in elections.
So, please, run for office or encourage others to run to give voters more choices and less uncontested elections in Fredon.
Research candidates and those funding them.
And, most importantly, vote and vote often.
All of Fredon pays for it if we lose our rights to free and fair elections that provide us with choices.
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