A Star Ledger Article (link) talks about how the state and county authorities are gearing up to make sure that voters have a smooth road to the machine.

The political parties are watching the polls:

The political parties also are going all out to bring in poll watchers, called challengers.

Brian Callanan, spokesman for the Republican State Committee, said the party will have 42 challengers — two in each county — who will be on-call to travel to any precinct where problems arise.

“The bottom line is the Republican party will be in position to respond to any problem in any precinct that would prevent any voter from voting,” he said.

In addition to a full complement of challengers, Democrats also have roughly 500 volunteer attorneys who will be posted at county boards of elections and courthouses, said A.J. Sabath, executive director of the Kerry-Edwards campaign.

“We’re keeping our eyes all over the place and just be prepared to deal with problems everywhere,” he said.

Elections officials and nonpartisan folks are watching the polls:

The state Division of Elections has printed thousands of multi-colored posters to be displayed at polling places and inform voters of their rights.

State and county election officials started scrambling late last week to generate lists of all new voters whose names did not make it into the “poll books,” so they can cast ballots smoothly. While some counties, such as Union and Atlantic, said they would prepare official reports so people could vote at machines, other counties were expected to create less formal lists that would allow people to vote using provisional ballots.

…

And close to 500 deputy attorneys general — nearly double the normal number compared to past elections — will be posted around the state to answer questions at county election boards and representing the state in cases that go to court, said Moore, the attorney general’s spokesman.

“There are always going to be glitches in the election process,” [State Attorney General Peter] Harvey said at a Statehouse news conference last week. In a later interview, he added: “Our goal is to have a smooth election and access to the ballot … is our primary concern.”

Dozens of volunteer nonpartisan attorneys also will be at polls and courthouses to keep an eye on workers and partisan challengers.

The excitement of this year’s election inspired McCarter & English associate Megan Worrell, who normally handles trust and estates, to give election law a try. She is one of 21 attorneys from the Newark law firm to sign up for duty.

“We’re like the first line of defense,” she said, adding she is excited and nervous.

And law enforcement are watching the polls:

The combination of a hotly contested election and security concerns are changing the way Election Day is expected to unfold this year. Around the state, law enforcement, judicial officers and the political parties are making plans for a smooth day of voting, and contingencies in case of problems.

“Some of these polling sites are going to be very crowded and some of these poll workers are going to need some extra help,” state Attorney General Peter Harvey said. “All of us just need a little more patience. We should be patient with our fellow citizens who are exercising their right to be powerful and be heard.”

The first clue for many voters that this year is different will be the extra police patrolling outside schools, firehouses and other polling places.

Polls are open from 6am to 8pm EST.