Dear New Brunswick City,

Under OPRA and the common law right of access, please provide a copy of the certifying list(s) of candidates for the 2020 primary elections. Please don't hesitate to contact me direct if you have any questions about this request.

Yours faithfully,

Charlie Kratovil

Dear Ms. Bennett,

Please provide an unredacted record. Thank you.

Yours sincerely,

Charlie Kratovil

Dear Ms. Zeledon,

Unfortunately, this redacted record is not acceptable to me. What specific "guidelines" are you referring to?

Please note that the reason why e-mail addresses appear on the document you have provided is because candidate petitions are now required to include e-mail addresses thanks to a law signed in 2018 by Governor Phil Murphy (bill #S1974). The statement attached to that law reads as follows:
"This bill requires that a petition of nomination of a candidate for any State, county, school, or municipal elective public office must include a functioning e-mail address for the candidate. This addition to the nominating petitions of such candidates would enhance the voters’ access to those candidates, particularly first-time candidates, and allow voters and organizations to contact candidates’ campaign."

Therefore, it is not appropriate to redact any portion of the e-mail addresses in question. The redactions go against the spirit of the law, and I encourage you to re-consider them and produce an unredacted record. I will also note that I've made an identical request to every other municipality in Middlesex County and none have decided to redact any portion of the e-mail addresses from the responsive records they provided.

Yours sincerely,

Charlie Kratovil