College Democrats of New Jersey Executive Board Addresses Allegations from State Federation Chapters

College Democrats of New Jersey Responds to Chapter Allegations Amid Ballot Dispute

The Executive Board of the College Democrats of New Jersey (CDNJ) has issued a formal response to allegations made by four state federation chapters, categorically denying claims of misconduct and providing their account of a disputed election process.

The controversy stems from the organization’s annual convention held on February 28, 2026, where new leadership was elected. According to the CDNJ Executive Board, the dispute began when a chapter president informed newly elected board members about concerns regarding an absentee ballot request that had been improperly handled.

“The member in question had reached out informally to a member of the previous Executive Board requesting an absentee ballot for a valid reason, only to be told that no absentee ballots would be issued,” the statement explains. This response apparently came without proper consultation with other board members and contradicted the organization’s bylaws.

Upon learning of the issue, the new Executive Board arranged a meeting on March 3rd with the chapter president and relevant parties. This was followed by a full board meeting on March 6th to review the absentee ballot request and ensure compliance with CDNJ bylaws.

The board claims they verified that no other member had requested an absentee ballot prior to the convention and that the member in question had requested the ballot for herself alone. Following this review, the Executive Board provided voting links to the individual.

The situation escalated on March 9th when, according to the board, the requester informed them that four total votes had been cast on behalf of the chapter, not just the one originally discussed. The board rejected the additional three votes, citing bylaws requiring absentee ballot requests to be submitted prior to the convention.

“Had there been a request made on behalf of all four members prior to the convention, we would have granted the request for all four people,” the statement notes. “However, they did not, and as such, we communicated that the additional three votes could unfortunately not be counted.”

This decision sparked further meetings and ultimately led to a request from four chapters to collectively meet with the Executive Board. The board claims these chapters rejected proposed third-party mediation through their parent organization.

In their statement, the Executive Board alleges that subsequent discussions devolved into disputes over technical definitions, including the meaning of the word “ballot” and whether the original request was made on behalf of an individual or an entire chapter.

The CDNJ leadership strongly denounced what they described as personal attacks and harassment directed at board members. They expressed particular concern about the release of board members’ personal information, including legal names and schools, in what they characterized as an “inaccuracy-riddled press release” whose authors remained anonymous.

The statement directly refutes claims of Islamophobic comments attributed to CDNJ’s President and Political Director, citing testimony from the president of Rutgers Democrats that such allegations are “outright fabrications meant to degrade their character.”

In an effort to address the underlying issues, the CDNJ Executive Board states they have been developing a new absentee ballot request process and have invited all four chapters to participate. They also offered alternative methods to represent American Muslim voices, including lobbying for supportive legislation and establishing a Muslim caucus within the organization.

The board concluded with a stern warning about harassment, stating that “threatening phone calls, physical intimidation, and verbal harassment have no place in any organization.” They indicated that continued harassment or false claims may result in legal action.

The statement was signed by the five-member Executive Board: Alice Merolli, Eric Silverman, Ian Mann, Juliette Madea, and Ania Kicinska.

This internal conflict highlights the challenges student political organizations face in maintaining democratic processes while navigating sensitive identity issues and organizational disputes.