A 2012 New Jersey Superior Court ruling in Margaret Nordstrom v. William (Hank) Lyon found that Parsippany Council candidate Jigar Shah improperly handled mail-in ballots, breaking the legally required chain of custody. Shah testified that he collected and delivered approximately 32 ballots to the Morris County Board of Elections without directly receiving them from voters—a clear violation of election law. Out of the 32 voters involved, only 12 voters testified in court. The court determined these ballots were illegally counted after all 12 voters confirmed that they never cast the votes attributed to them.
Despite these damning findings, Mayor James Barberio’s administration is now attempting to rewrite history, shielding Shah from scrutiny while falsely attacking his 2025 mayoral opponent, Councilman Justin Musella. The Barberio-Neglia-Shah campaign’s recent press release, echoed in Parsippany Focus, falsely claims that Shah was cleared of wrongdoing. However, the court’s ruling explicitly states that the ballots he handled were invalidated due to procedural violations. While no criminal charges were filed, the court’s findings raise serious concerns about election integrity and Shah’s shady role in past campaigns.
Musella’s concerns about Shah’s ballot handling are not mere political attacks—backed by the court’s findings and Shah’s testimony in the court proceedings. Instead of misleading the public with baseless accusations, Barberio’s campaign should answer for its candidate’s documented behavior. Parsippany residents deserve transparency, not deflection and political cover-ups.
About Justin Musella
Justin Musella is a young conservative leader and Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey Councilman. He was elected to the Town Council in 2021, where he fought for smart, lean government, fiscal responsibility, and community values. He has been involved in politics since he was a teenager, rising to leadership positions in the Morris County Young Republicans and the Parsippany Republican Committee. Insider NJ has recognized him as one of the most influential millennials in New Jersey politics.
| Click here to view the documents. | New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division – Justia Law |
This press release was submitted by Musella for Mayor
