Democrat,

VBMs will start to be mailed out TOMORROW.

Mail-in ballots are officially hitting mailboxes across New Jersey starting this week. This marks the beginning of voting for the 2025 Primary Election.

Important Dates to Know:

• May 20: Deadline to register to vote in the Primary Election
• June 3: Last day to apply for a mail-in ballot by mail

Whether you're voting early by mail or in person, or planning to head to the polls on Primary Election Day, make sure you make a voting plan.. For mail in ballots, use the NJ Ballot Tracker to keep tabs on your mail-in ballot—making sure it was received, accepted, or rejected. 

Need to register, check your status, or find out more? The Secretary of State’s Voter Information Portal has you covered.

This is more than just another election—it’s our chance to stop the dangerous, extreme Republican agenda. Republicans have shown that they are not just OUT of touch— but that they are actively working AGAINST our rights, our safety, and our future. And not just in DC, but HERE IN NEW JERSEY.

Are you tired of watching Republican politicians gut social services, attack healthcare, and spread chaos? Then don’t just be mad—get mobilized. Vote, and make sure your friends, family, and neighbors know it’s time to act, too.

Let’s be clear: Every country has the right to enforce immigration laws. But there is a process for deporting people. When our government skips the basics like due process, oversight, or even basic fact-checking, we don’t get justice—we get chaos. That’s exactly what happened to Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a father of three and sheet metal worker who was wrongfully deported to one of the most dangerous prisons in the world. Despite three court rulings, including one from the Supreme Court, demanding action, Trump and El Salvador President Bukele are passing the buck, each refusing to lift a finger to bring him home. That wasn’t a diplomatic failure, it was a deliberate choice. Because when two strongmen sit side by side and shrug at a Supreme Court order, it’s not about law or justice. It’s about power. And Trump is showing us, once again, that he doesn’t want to lead a democracy — he wants to rule like an authoritarian who answers to no one.

But this isn’t just an immigration story anymore. Now, Trump is floating the idea of sending in his words “homegrown criminals”—actual American citizens—to foreign prisons like El Salvador’s CECOT, a supermax facility notorious for human rights abuses. That’s not tough on crime. That’s unconstitutional. No due process, no trial protections, no appeals. This is the same man whose party constantly complains about being “censored” or “targeted” by Democrats, yet Trump is the one trying to ship off citizens he doesn’t like. If you’re not worried yet, you should be—because this isn’t just about immigrants anymore. It’s about all of us.
 

Claim:
Elon Musk, now head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has long promised to trim $1 trillion from the federal budget by the end of this fiscal year. Last week, he admitted that goal was out of reach, instead, he now claims the group will save $150 billion. That number might sound impressive, but even that smaller figure is built on shaky ground. 

The Truth:
That $150 billion number? It’s more smoke and mirrors than savings. A New York Times analysis found that Musk’s team is inflating its numbers with made-up math, cancelling  contracts that never existed, and making big guesses about money the government wasn’t planning to spend anyway.

Here’s what’s really happening:

• One of their largest “savings” comes from a contract that never existed. They claimed to cancel it — and then gave themselves credit for saving exactly $318,310,328.30.
   
• Another supposed savings came from canceling a shelter contract in Texas. Musk’s team claimed $2.9 billion saved. The actual savings? About 1% of that.
   
• Some “cuts” come from programs that already ended under Biden. Others are counted three times. One even confused millions with billions.
   
• And more than 60% of the claimed savings have zero details attached — no programs, no contracts, no proof.

Impact on New Jersey:
Here’s what it means for us: Musk and his team have targeted programs like Social Security, Medicare, and federal housing assistance in their so-called savings — programs that over 1.7 million New Jerseyans depend on. If these cuts move forward, older adults, disabled residents, and low-income families across the state will pay the price. When Musk brags about “saving money,” what he’s really doing is shifting the burden onto New Jersey’s most vulnerable communities.

Click HERE to learn the facts on Musk’s false claims. 

New Jersey Democrats aren’t standing by while MAGA Republicans gut our democracy and our government. Every single Democratic member of Congress from New Jersey voted against the “SAVE Act,” a bill that would make it harder for millions of Americans to vote, including nearly 2 million New Jersey women and countless service members overseas. Meanwhile, every Republican in New Jersey’s congressional delegation voted FOR it. The bill would require voters to show a passport or birth certificate plus photo ID just to register, disenfranchising countless voters, despite the fact that voter fraud is already a crime and is incredibly rare. Congresswoman Nellie Pou called it what it is: a solution in search of a problem designed to sow distrust and suppress votes.

But they’re not stopping there. In response to growing concerns about Elon Musk’s unchecked influence as a “special government employee,” Democrats in Congress are now introducing a new ethics bill aimed squarely at curbing that power. The SGE Ethics Enforcement & Reform (SEER) Act, led by Senator Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Melanie Stansbury, would bar billionaires like Musk from using government roles to directly influence agencies that oversee their businesses.

That means no more backroom deals, no more regulatory favoritism, and no more letting Musk’s companies who’ve taken over $24 billion in government contracts, benefit from his cozy ties to Trump. 

Next week we will be launching our Phone & Text Bank campaign to mobilize voters for the primary election. We invite you to join the NJ Democrats as we connect with voters across the state and fight back against Republican attacks on our rights. Folks, these are tangible steps you can take to fight back. Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or brand new to political organizing, this is your chance to take action, have real conversations, and help protect our democracy.

We’ll get you plugged into statewide efforts to help protect voting rights, defend democracy, and energize our base ahead of the June primary. Sign up, log on, and let’s get to work.

SIGN UP BY CLICKING HERE!

Additionally, we are also offering expert-led virtual trainings with the National Democratic Training Committee to help you grow as a grassroots organizer. From messaging to fundraising, these sessions are a great next step after hitting the phones and sending texts.

Upcoming Sessions:

• Fundraising in Action – April 26th, 10AM (virtual)
• Fundraising Emails – April 27th, 10AM (virtual)
• Messaging on Trump 2.0 – May 1st, 6:30PM (virtual)

Register now by clicking HERE.

This week marked the start of Black Maternal Health Week, a time to shine a light on the deep, persistent disparities that Black mothers face in our health care system. In the United States, Black women are 3.5 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women. That is not just a statistic but it is also a crisis rooted in systemic racism and neglect.

Instead of addressing this crisis, Donald Trump is making things worse. His policies have:

• Sabotaged Medicaid, which covers nearly two-thirds of all births for Black mothers;
   
• Threatened the Affordable Care Act, stripping families of affordable coverage;
   
• Ripped away access to reproductive health care by overturning Roe v. Wade.

Black maternal health should be a priority and not a casualty of political games. As we recognize this week, let’s recommit to fighting for equity, access, and justice in health care for every Black woman, mother, and family.
 
— Chairman LeRoy J. Jones, Jr.     

P.S. Calling all new leaders,no matter your age! The Emerging Leaders Caucus is hosting their kickoff meeting, and you’re invited. Meet the Chair and Vice Chair, hear about upcoming opportunities, and find out how you can get involved in shaping the future of our party. Don’t miss it next Wednesday, April 23rd - sign up here!

P.P.S. Wishing everyone a joyful Easter filled with peace, renewal, and time spent with loved ones.