This news story came to me in email from a known to me conservative NJ political insider I am trying to get into blogging. With the pending gubernatorial race NJ will need all the help it can get to go from Blue to Red as regards the Governor's column. And Corazine is sure to draw even more national attention. The questionable tactics similar to ones we witnessed in last year's presidential election have apparently begun in New Jersey.
The real significance of this is how early it is in the election cycle. If it proves to be a contested race, can we afford to think for a minute that the minions of the left won't be looking to get absentee ballots into the jails in NJ, just as they did in PA last year. If Washington State taught us anything, it could be - what's a little election law in the face of losing a Governorship for a democrat? And one doesn't have to imagine how determined Corazine will be given what must be larger aspirations.
TRENTON -- A bill aimed at increasing voting rights for some low-level criminals advanced in the Senate Thursday, but not until after Republicans forced the sponsor, Sen. Wayne R. Bryant, D-Camden, to scale back his plan.
Bryant, saying some people, and minorities in particular, lose their voting rights for minor offenses, urged lawmakers to ease voting restrictions for anyone on parole or probation for fourth-degree crimes. But after Republicans objected, a compromise bill that only affects future laws unanimously passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
"Most legislators don't even know they've voted to take a person's right to vote away," Bryant said. "For very minor crimes we're telling people they lose their right" to vote.
But Sens. Joseph M. Kyrillos Jr., R-Monmouth, and Gerald Cardinale, R-Bergen, said some serious offenses, such as stalking and criminal abortion, are also fourth-degree crimes.
"This is the wrong thing to do with a full broad brush," Kyrillos said.
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