Lumberton Township Committeewoman Gina LaPlaca and her husband, Jason Carty, have been charged with allegedly forging signatures to place LaPlaca on the Democratic primary ballot for her reelection bid. The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office announced the charges Tuesday.
According to prosecutors, LaPlaca and Carty, who both collected signatures, are accused of adding names to a nominating petition without consent and signing for individuals. Investigators found that multiple people who appeared on the petition stated they did not sign or authorize anyone to endorse LaPlaca’s candidacy. LaPlaca signed the petition under oath, attesting that she personally circulated it and that each signer signed it in their own handwriting.
Jason Carty then submitted the allegedly falsified petition to the Lumberton Township clerk. While the exact number of forged signatures was not disclosed, officials stated that LaPlaca would not have qualified for the ballot without them. The prosecutor’s office noted that LaPlaca’s petition lacked the required number of valid signatures to be a candidate for the primary without the fraudulent entries.
LaPlaca, who previously served as the mayor of Lumberton Township in 2025, was one of three candidates competing for two spots in the Democratic primary. She ultimately finished last in the election, receiving 323 votes, while current Mayor Terrance Benson and former committeewoman Kendra Hatfield received 1,100 and 1,052 votes, respectively.
LaPlaca faces charges including Making a False Statement Under Oath, Knowingly Filing a False Petition, Tampering with Public Records or Information, and Falsifying or Tampering with Records. Carty is charged with Knowingly Filing a False Petition, Tampering with Public Records or Information, and Falsifying or Tampering with Records. Both are scheduled for their first court appearance on September 21 in Superior Court in Mount Holly.
This legal action follows a series of other incidents involving LaPlaca. Days before the primary election, she alleged voter intimidation, claiming individuals in dark suits visited supporters' homes to question their signatures. LaPlaca is currently serving a three-year supervision sentence related to a March 17, 2025, arrest for driving under the influence with a .30% Blood Alcohol Concentration, nearly four times the legal limit in New Jersey. She had pleaded guilty in March to DUI and child endangerment charges stemming from that incident, which occurred while she was mayor. Her sentence was described as a "second chance" as she was a first-time offender who entered an intervention program.
Separately, days before the June 3 primary, LaPlaca accused Carty of aggravated assault, alleging he attempted to harm her. Court records indicate Carty was charged with aggravated assault by strangulation and harassment. Responding officers reportedly noted LaPlaca appeared inebriated during that incident, a claim she denied, attributing her condition to prescribed medications and stating her husband was the one drinking. A pre-indictment conference for that incident is scheduled for August 19.