A New Jersey Democratic official and her husband are facing criminal charges over allegations that fraudulent signatures were submitted to get her name onto a primary ballot, adding yet another controversy to an already remarkable political and legal saga.
Former Lumberton Township Mayor and current Committeewoman Gina LaPlaca, 47, and her husband, Democratic political operative Jason Carty, 49, were charged following an investigation into LaPlaca’s nominating petition for the June Democratic primary for Lumberton Township Committee.
According to Burlington County prosecutors, investigators determined that multiple people whose names and purported signatures appeared on the petition had neither signed the document nor authorized somebody else to sign for them.
That is not exactly a minor paperwork disagreement.
Prosecutors allege that without the disputed signatures, LaPlaca would not have collected enough valid signatures to qualify for the Democratic primary ballot.
The allegations become even more serious because LaPlaca reportedly signed a sworn affidavit stating that she had “personally circulated the petition” and that the signatures appearing on it were written by the voters themselves.
Investigators, however, determined that Carty also collected signatures. Authorities said Carty ultimately submitted the petition to the Lumberton Township Municipal Clerk.
LaPlaca now faces charges including fourth-degree making a false statement under oath, third-degree knowingly filing a false petition, two counts of third-degree tampering with public records or information, and fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records.
Carty faces third-degree knowingly filing a false petition, two counts of third-degree tampering with public records or information, and fourth-degree falsifying or tampering with records.
Both are scheduled to appear in Superior Court in Mount Holly on September 21.
It is important to note that these are criminal allegations, and both defendants are entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. But if prosecutors prove what they are alleging, the case represents exactly the sort of conduct that destroys public confidence in elections.
And there is a rather embarrassing punchline to this political mess.
After allegedly benefiting from fraudulent petition signatures just to qualify for the ballot, LaPlaca finished dead last.
Official Burlington County election results showed LaPlaca receiving only 323 votes, or 13.03 percent, in the three-candidate Democratic primary for two committee seats. Apparently, getting onto the ballot was only half the problem. Democratic voters still had to actually vote for her.
The new charges arrive after a series of previous controversies involving LaPlaca and Carty.
Earlier this year, LaPlaca pleaded guilty to DUI and fourth-degree child abuse stemming from an incident in which authorities said she drove intoxicated with her two-year-old child in the vehicle. Authorities said her blood-alcohol concentration was 0.30 percent after she picked up the child from daycare on St. Patrick’s Day 2025.
She avoided incarceration and entered New Jersey’s Pretrial Intervention program, receiving three years of supervision along with Alcoholics Anonymous attendance, an ignition-interlock requirement and other court-ordered conditions.
Then, shortly before the June primary, police responded to a domestic incident involving the couple. Carty was charged with aggravated assault by strangulation. LaPlaca initially accused him of trying to kill her, but later recanted in a sworn statement and said she had been “under the influence” when she made false allegations.
Now prosecutors are alleging fraud involving the very petition that allowed LaPlaca to appear before Democratic primary voters.
Election laws governing ballot access exist for a reason. Candidates should have to play by the rules regardless of whether they are Democrats, Republicans or independents. When sworn petitions and voter signatures are allegedly falsified, prosecutors should investigate and courts should determine the facts.
In this case, Lumberton voters ultimately delivered their own political verdict by putting LaPlaca firmly in last place.
The legal verdict is still to come.
Leave a Comment