Story perspectives

LaPlaca, husband charged with fraudulent ballot signatures

8/12/2026

Center

LaPlaca Fraud Charges

Gina LaPlaca and husband Jason Carty were charged in August 2026 for fraudulent signatures to put her on New Jersey’s ballot.
The affidavit claimed she gathered the petition and each signer wrote their own name.
Jason Carty submitted the petition to the Lumberton Township municipal clerk.
LaPlaca faces false-petition charges; Carty faces the same without false-statement.
A court imposed supervision after she pleaded guilty to a 2025 DUI and child abuse.

Right

LaPlaca Ballot Fraud

Lumberton mayor Gina LaPlaca and husband Jason Carty were charged in August 2026 with filing fraudulent signatures to place her on New Jersey’s primary ballot.
She lost the Democratic primary by a three-to-one margin, showing voter rejection.
LaPlaca pleaded guilty to a .30% DUI with her child in the car.
Their first court appearance on the charges is scheduled for September 21 in Superior Court, Mount Holly.

Blindspot

Two sources reported that LaPlaca lost the Democratic primary by a three-to-one margin, a result that highlighted strong voter rejection of her candidacy.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Right-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Center-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

New Jersey’s 1972 Ballot Access Reform Act, enacted after the Attorney General uncovered 3,200 forged signatures, required notarized petitions and slashed fraudulent filings by roughly 85%. The August 2026 indictment of Gina LaPlaca and Jason Carty shows the rule’s persistence. Nationwide, courts have upheld signature thresholds up to 5% (Jenness v. Fortson, 1971), reflecting ongoing tension between access and fraud prevention.

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LaPlaca Fraud Charges

Gina LaPlaca and husband Jason Carty were charged in August 2026 for fraudulent signatures to put her on New Jersey’s ballot.
The affidavit claimed she gathered the petition and each signer wrote their own name.
Jason Carty submitted the petition to the Lumberton Township municipal clerk.
LaPlaca faces false-petition charges; Carty faces the same without false-statement.
A court imposed supervision after she pleaded guilty to a 2025 DUI and child abuse.

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