NJ Judge Denies Polling Hour Extension In ACLU Lawsuit: Report

7:41 p.m. update: A Superior Court Judge in Mercer County has denied a request to extend voting at New Jersey polling places until 9:30 p.m., according to a report by the New Jersey Globe.

The publication reported that Superior Court Judge William Anklowitz said there is no evidence that any voters were disenfranchised. Attorneys for GOP candidate Jack Ciattarelli opposed the bid, while an attorney representing the Democratic State Committee took no position on the matter, the report added.

This is a developing story. Check back with Patch for updates. See the original Patch story below:

NEW JERSEY - The American Civil Liberties Union and the League of Women Voters are calling for New Jersey polling locations to stay open over an hour later than scheduled due to reported machine issues and delayed openings of polling places around the state.

Read more: Polling Issues, Late Openings Reported In NJ On Election Day

According to a lawsuit filed in the Superior Court of Mercer County, the organizations are asking for judge's ruling to keep the polls open until 9:30 p.m. Polls are slated to close at 8 p.m.

A judge in the Superior Court of Mercer County has been assigned to the matter, which may or may not be heard before the polls close, according to New Jersey Globe. They are expected to hold a hearing momentarily, according to NJ.com.

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Per the complaint, both organizations cited “widespread technological issues reported throughout New Jersey” leaving voters "unable to cast their ballot at their local polling locations during these scheduled hours" in the argument to keep the polls open.

Earlier reports from Election Day noted that the new e-poll books, used for the first time this year, were experiencing connectivity issues throughout the state. Polling sites such as Jersey City also saw delayed opening times as late as three hours. Related: Polling Troubles Due To Router Issues, Says Middlesex County

“This year, the state is using new electronic poll books or “e-poll books”— electronic tablet-like devices—to conduct the election,” the complaint reads. “The devices track each polling locations’ list of eligible voters. These devices have never before been used in the state.”

The complaint cites issues in the following counties: Middlesex, Hudson, Monmouth, Mercer, Cumberland, Somerset, Essex and Gloucester.

"The late opening of numerous polling locations spread across the state and ongoing operational issues throughout the day has resulted in dozens of voters being turned away, asked to return later, or leaving because of the long waits, resulting in an inability to cast a ballot," the complaint continues. "This necessitates the extension of voting hours such that voters, including Plaintiffs' members, who were unable to wait for operational voting machines during scheduled hours can vote after 8 p.m."