Bill Text: NJ AR202 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Adopts articles of impeachment concerning James N. Hogan, Gloucester County Clerk.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-11-17 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee [AR202 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-AR202-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman BRIAN BERGEN
District 26 (Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Adopts articles of impeachment concerning James N. Hogan, Gloucester County Clerk.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution adopting articles of impeachment in the matter of James N. Hogan, providing for the presentation of articles to the Senate, and impeaching James N. Hogan.
Whereas, On October, 3, 2025, a judge of the Superior Court ruled that Gloucester County Clerk, James N. Hogan, illegally designed the ballot for the November 2025 general election; and
Whereas, The court's decision indicates that James N. Hogan designed the general election ballots in a manner which violates New Jersey's ballot design statutes stating that the ballots, as constructed, are inconsistent with the intent of the Legislature; and
Whereas, The court ordered James N. Hogan to pay $26,007 to the Republican party to address the harms caused by these actions, including the changing of printed materials; and
Whereas, The court's order did not require the re-printing of ballots because, in the court's opinion, doing so would create certain inconsistencies which could result in significant voter confusion; and
Whereas, The Gloucester County Clerk is vested with certain constitutional and statutory duties and obligations, including designing, preparing, and printing ballots and James N. Hogan violated these duties by designing illegal ballots to be printed and disseminated; and
Whereas, James N. Hogan committed an egregious abuse of the power vested in him through his office; and
Whereas, It further appears from the circumstances surrounding the design of the November 2025 general election ballots that James N. Hogan undertook these actions in an attempt to benefit Democratic candidates, thereby compromising the impartiality expected of a county election official and seeking to confer partisan advantage contrary to law and the public trust; and
Whereas, These actions are a direct assault on the integrity of the State's electoral process and erode public trust in the State's democratic institutions; and
Whereas, The actions of James N. Hogan are incompatible with the responsibilities and duties owed to the public by the Gloucester County Clerk; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The General Assembly, incorporating and adopting the above recitations as if stated fully herein, determines that Gloucester County Clerk James N. Hogan has taken actions which violate New Jersey law and has disregarded the responsibilities and duties owed to the public by the Gloucester County Clerk, and hereby adopts the following articles of impeachment:
I. Through his actions as Gloucester County Clerk, James N. Hogan has violated New Jersey law by illegally designing ballots for the November 2025 general election.
II. This violation of law constitutes an egregious abuse of power which negatively affects the integrity of the election and erodes public trust in our State's democratic institutions.
III. As Gloucester County Clerk, James N. Hogan has violated the public trust and failed to perform the duties of his office.
2. In accordance with the New Jersey Constitution, Article VII, Section III, paragraph 2, by a majority of all the members, the General Assembly hereby impeaches James N. Hogan.
3. The Speaker of the General Assembly shall appoint a committee, of sufficient number, to act as managers for the purpose of presenting these articles of impeachment to the Senate forthwith.
4. This resolution shall take effect upon its adoption by this House.
STATEMENT
This Assembly Resolution adopts articles of impeachment in the matter of James N. Hogan, Gloucester County Clerk, provides for the presentation of articles to the Senate, and impeaches James N. Hogan.
On October 3, 2025, James N. Hogan was found by the Superior Court of New Jersey to have illegally designed ballots for the November 2025 general election. The court's decision indicates that James N. Hogan designed the general election ballots in a manner which violates New Jersey's ballot design statutes and stated that the ballots, as constructed, are inconsistent with the intent of the Legislature. The court ordered that James N. Hogan pay $26,007 to the Republican party to address harms caused by his actions but did not require the re-printing of ballots because of the potential confusion for the voters. On October 10, 2025, the Appellate Division ruled that the ballot design utilized by James N. Hogan violated State law and that in-person and sample ballots must be revised to comport with State law.
It further appears from the circumstances surrounding the design of the November 2025 general election ballots that James N. Hogan undertook these actions in an attempt to benefit Democratic candidates, thereby compromising the impartiality expected of a county election official and seeking to confer partisan advantage contrary to law and the public trust.
James N. Hogan committed an egregious abuse of the power vested in him through his office. His actions are a direct assault on the integrity of the State's electoral process and erode public trust in the State's democratic institutions. The actions of James N. Hogan are incompatible with the responsibilities and duties owed to the public by the Gloucester County Clerk.
In light of these unlawful actions, it is altogether fitting and proper and within the public interest for the General Assembly to adopt articles of impeachment against James N. Hogan, and present the articles to the New Jersey Senate in accordance with the New Jersey Constitution, Article VII, Section III, paragraph 2.
