Voter Kiosk At NJ Hospital Praised By Gov., Slammed By Senator – Newark, NJ Patch

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Depending on who you ask, New Jersey’s first voter registration kiosk located at a hospital’s emergency room is either part of a healthy democracy, or the definition of “insanity.”

Last month, University Hospital in Newark launched its new voter registration kiosk in the waiting area of its emergency department. Visitors and patients at the hospital can register to vote in New Jersey using an electronic portal that walks patients through the voter registration process and prints out their application.

The kiosk is being run in partnership with the VotER initiative.

The effort at University Hospital got a heaping dose of praise from Gov. Phil Murphy in a recent tweet.

“There’s a direct connection between civic engagement and public health, and this kiosk is another step to ensuring a healthy democracy,” Murphy wrote.

Shereef Elnahal, the president/CEO of University Hospital, thanked Murphy for his support.

“We’re making it easier for our patients to choose who represents them in government, during a time as vulnerable as visiting the [emergency room],” Elnahal said, retweeting Murphy’s post.

“This will only lead to better changes in health care policy, and beyond,” Elnahal added. “So proud to offer our community this voice.”

But on Tuesday, Sen. Joe Pennacchio, a Republican from the 26th District, fired off his own tweet, bashing the kiosk and calling the idea “insanity.”

“In emergency rooms full of sick patients, the governor somehow thinks it’s a good idea to urge people to take the time to register to vote – yet he is preventing New Jersey citizens from exercising their constitutional right to vote in a booth in a municipal building,” Pennacchio said.

“[Emergency room] waiting rooms are breeding grounds for pathogens and the spread of infection,” Pennacchio said. “The insanity of this is shocking.”

“Even following meticulous social distancing and healthy guidelines, it takes mere moments to vote,” Pennacchio continued. “Registering to vote is considerably more time-intensive, and applying science and common sense the risk of being infected with COVID or anything else is significantly greater in emergency room environments.”

“You can’t make this stuff up,” the senator added.

Pennacchio represents towns in Essex, Morris, Passaic counties, including North Caldwell, West Caldwell, Verona and Fairfield.

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