Newark’s Prudential Center to become ‘super polling site’ for upcoming election

Sports arenas across the country are being transformed into “super polling sites” for the upcoming November election, including the Prudential Center in Newark.

News 12 Staff

Sep 14, 2020, 9:11 PM

Updated 1,551 days ago

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Sports arenas across the country are being transformed into “super polling sites” for the upcoming November election, including the Prudential Center in Newark.
The arena – best known as the home of the New Jersey Devils – will be a place to register to vote, drop off or even cast a ballot.
“I think this endeavor makes it easier to get people access for those who may want to come in and have a secure pace to drop off their vote,” says Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.
The decision to make the Prudential Center a polling location was made in cooperation with the Devils, the NBA Players Association and the Essex County Board of Elections. The Devils will be providing a place to register and fill out a census starting on Sept. 22.
“To be able to serve as a one-stop shop for the upcoming election is something we are incredibly proud of and we view as an incredible responsibility for us,” says New Jersey Devils president Jake Reynolds.
The Prudential Center will also have a ballot drop box, like the one that is currently standing outside Newark City Hall. The boxes will be open until 8 p.m. on Election Night.
Voters will be able to cast their ballots several ways: They can put the ballot in the box, mail it or go to the Prudential Center and fill out a provisional ballot and drop it off. There will not be any voting booths unless the voter is handicapped. This is because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Devils are not the only team involved in the effort. There are 17 NBA arenas that have already decided to open for voting on Election Day.
New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesha Way applauded the move while wanting to remind everyone in New Jersey that they have until Oct. 13 to register to vote.
“We want to give voters a choice because we want to make it easier and accessible to every voter. The Prudential Center will allow for that,” Way says.
Way says that between now and Oct. 5, everyone registered to vote should be getting a ballot in the mail ahead of Election Day.