For Immediate Release

Mays Landing, NJ. Atlantic County Clerk Edward P. McGettigan should immediately remove himself from any role in preparing election ballots or processing election materials, such as absentee ballots, in the 2008 election year.

The clerk’s brother, Jim McGettigan, is running for reelection and faces a contentious primary battle in June, according to Frank Balles, the Republican candidate for Atlantic County Sheriff. “Knowing the history of Sheriff McGettigan’s influence on absentee ballots, ballot placement and affiliation with more unsavory electioneers, there has to be a transparent and clean election process,” Balles said in a prepared statement issued today.

This week’s court decision on ballot placement, the history of the Callaway machine’s involvement in both Ed and Jim McGettigan’s previous campaign’s and the sheer appearance of a conflict of interest demands that the county clerk step aside from any election matter involving his brother, Balles charged.

The Appellate Court ruled Tuesday that Atlantic County gave preferential treatment in assigning ballot positions in the Democratic primary. Balles said he can not trust that the same preferential treatment will not carry over into the General Election in November.

“The people must be assured of a fair, open and honest election process. James McGettigan has shown his ability to use a corrupt political machine to turn out the votes for him. County Clerk Edward McGettigan is first in line to have influence over the election process,” Balles said. “As long as his brother is a candidate for office, he should step aside from election issues dealing with him.

Balles, a veteran police captain in Pleasantville, was selected by the Atlantic County Republicans at the party convention March 27, 2008. He is unopposed in the June primary and will be the party’s candidate in the November election. Whether or not he faces off against James McGettigan or another Democrat, Balles said the troubled Atlantic County political scene needs to be cleaned up.

“The county clerk must be above reproach in the election process. Two brothers who hold the highest level of elected office in Atlantic County must do what is best for the people,” said Balles. “County Clerk Edward McGettigan must step aside from this year’s election process and turn over those duties to the appropriate subordinate.”