Atlantic County Clerk Candidate Lisa Bender Defends Mobile Office Plan, Says Critics Misunderstood Proposal

Democratic challenger says she wants to bring county services closer to residents as she challenges Republican incumbent Joe Giralo in November election.

ATLANTIC COUNTY, N.J. — Atlantic County Clerk candidate Lisa Bender is pushing back against criticism of her proposal to bring county government services directly into local communities, saying political opponents have misunderstood her plan.

During an October 14 appearance on Off The Press with Scott Cronick on News Talk 1400 & 92.3 WOND, Bender, a Democrat challenging incumbent Republican County Clerk Joe Giralo, explained that her proposal for a mobile office would not involve visiting residents' homes or purchasing a specialized vehicle.

Instead, she envisions bringing county employees and portable equipment to municipal buildings, libraries and other community locations, potentially offering services during evening hours when many residents are unable to visit traditional government offices.

"I never said I was going into people's homes," Bender told Cronick.

The proposal has become a point of disagreement in the race for the five-year County Clerk position, which oversees election-related responsibilities as well as property records, business filings, passport applications and other public services.

Bender Explains Her Mobile Office Proposal

Bender said she wants to use technology to make certain Clerk's Office services available outside traditional county facilities.

"I said that I want to have a mobile office," Bender explained, describing portable equipment including computers and scanners that could be taken into communities.

She suggested municipal complexes and libraries as possible locations, particularly for residents who cannot conveniently travel to the Clerk's Office during normal business hours.

"If there's a chance to be able to reach people, you know, say from that five to seven timeframe, where they might work till five and can't get to the clerk's office," Bender said.

She emphasized that the proposal is about providing services at convenient locations rather than creating an entirely new physical office.

"It does not mean an office on wheels," she said.

Cronick asked Bender about criticism from Giralo and another political figure concerning the practicality of her proposal.

Bender responded that her opponents had misunderstood what she was proposing.

"They totally misinterpreted the meaning of what I said," she said.

The interview did not include a response from Giralo, and South Jersey NewsBeat has not independently obtained the specific statements Bender was responding to.

Similar Programs Already Operate Elsewhere in New Jersey

While Bender's proposal has generated discussion in Atlantic County, similar mobile County Clerk programs already operate elsewhere in New Jersey.

Somerset County has offered mobile Clerk services since 2019, allowing residents to complete certain transactions closer to home.

Depending on the event, residents can apply for passports, obtain passport photographs, register trade names, record property documents and complete other transactions.

Bergen County also operates an outreach program that brings certain County Clerk services into local communities, including passport applications and notary-related services.

These existing programs demonstrate that the general concept of bringing Clerk services into communities is not new.

However, the specific services available depend on staffing, equipment, applicable regulations and administrative arrangements.

Atlantic County Already Offers Satellite Services

Atlantic County's existing operations provide another important point of comparison.

According to the County Clerk's official website, Giralo's office maintains its main location at 5901 Main Street in Mays Landing and a satellite office at 1333 Atlantic Avenue in Atlantic City.

Both locations list regular weekday hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Clerk's Office has also previously advertised outreach services for organizations, schools and community groups, including assistance with passport applications.

It remains unclear how frequently those outreach services are currently offered or whether they are available outside regular business hours.

Consequently, the central distinction between Bender's proposal and existing county services may be how frequently outreach programs are offered, where they are available and whether evening hours could become a regular feature.

Bender did not provide a detailed cost estimate for her proposed program during the WOND interview.

Giralo Has Emphasized Technology and Customer Service

Giralo, who was first elected County Clerk in 2021, is seeking a second five-year term.

His administration has promoted efforts to make county services more accessible, including improvements to the Clerk's Office website.

In May 2026, the office launched an updated website designed to improve access to election information, passport services, deed recording, public records and other functions.

Giralo has emphasized his administration's commitment to efficient service and technological improvements.

"We are always looking for better ways to serve the public and welcome any feedback," Giralo said in a county announcement.

Those comments reflect Giralo's general approach to customer service and accessibility but do not constitute a direct response to Bender's mobile office proposal.

Caller Challenges Bender on Clerk's Other Responsibilities

One of the interview's more substantive exchanges occurred when a caller questioned Bender about her emphasis on election administration.

The caller suggested that elections account for only a small portion of the County Clerk's responsibilities and asked what Bender planned to do about the office's other functions.

"That's a fair question," Bender responded.

She described the Clerk's Office as an agency involved in major milestones in residents' lives, including purchasing property, starting a business, obtaining a passport and getting married.

"The clerk is there for life's big moments," Bender said.

She explained that the office records deeds and mortgages, handles trade-name registrations, provides passport application services and performs other administrative duties.

Bender said she wants the office's service and atmosphere to reflect the importance of those transactions.

She also proposed community seminars connecting residents interested in starting businesses with existing local resources.

The caller's estimate that elections account for just 10 percent of the office's responsibilities was not independently verified. Nevertheless, the exchange highlighted duties that often receive less attention during political campaigns.

Election Security and Voter Confidence Remain Central Issues

Bender has also made election administration and voter confidence central themes of her campaign.

During the interview, she emphasized maintaining convenient voting options, including vote-by-mail and early voting, while expressing concern about political rhetoric that she believes discourages participation.

She was careful to distinguish her criticism of national Republican politics from any allegation of misconduct by Giralo.

"I'm not saying that he's done anything wrong," Bender told Cronick.

However, the candidates represent different political approaches to election administration.

Bender said she believes the County Clerk should actively promote public confidence in elections and encourage participation.

"Our elections are safe," she said. "We have secure elections, but I will be communicating that."

Bender also said she has knocked on more than 2,500 doors during her campaign and has encountered residents who feel disconnected from politics.

She believes the Clerk's Office can play a role in encouraging greater civic participation.

Earlier this year, Atlantic County's handling of vote-by-mail ballots became a subject of political disagreement.

Atlantic County Democratic Chairman Michael Suleiman called for a state investigation into ballot delays, while Giralo defended his office's performance.

Giralo maintained that ballot distribution began within the legally required period and pointed to the complexity of preparing ballots for numerous election districts and candidates.

New Jersey divides election responsibilities among county clerks, superintendents of elections and county boards of elections.

The County Clerk is responsible for several important functions, including preparing ballots and issuing vote-by-mail ballots.

A Race Over Experience, Accessibility and the Future of County Services

Bender, a Somers Point resident and small business owner, has cited her experience in communications, consulting and community service as qualifications for the position.

During the interview, she said she has worked with municipalities in Atlantic and Cape May counties and believes that experience would help her manage the office.

Giralo is running on his record as the incumbent, including his administration's election operations, technological improvements and public service initiatives.

The debate over mobile Clerk services provides voters with a specific policy issue beyond the broader political disagreements surrounding the election.

Similar programs elsewhere in New Jersey demonstrate that community-based Clerk services are feasible in principle.

What remains unanswered is how Bender would implement her particular proposal, what it would cost, and how it would compare with services Atlantic County already provides.

Atlantic County voters will decide the race in the November 3 general election.

Lisa Bender was interviewed October 14 on Off The Press with Scott Cronick, airing weekdays from 4–6 p.m. on News Talk 1400 & 92.3 WOND.