Bill Text: NJ A4665 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Permits voter registration up to 14 days before election.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-09-17 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee [A4665 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A4665-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON
District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Permits voter registration up to 14 days before election.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act changing the voter registration deadline, and amending various parts of the statutory law.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.19:12-7 is amended to read as follows:
19:12-7. a. The county board in each county shall cause to be published in a newspaper or newspapers which, singly or in combination, are of general circulation throughout the county, a notice containing the information specified in subsection b. hereof, except for such of the contents as may be omitted pursuant to subsection c. or d. hereof. Such notice shall be published once during the 30 days next preceding the day fixed for the closing of the registration books for the primary election, once during the calendar week next preceding the week in which the primary election for the general election is held, once during the 30 days next preceding the day fixed for the closing of the registration books for the general election, and once during the calendar week next preceding the week in which the general election is held.
b. Such notice shall set forth:
(1) For the primary election for the general election:
(a) That a primary election for making nominations for the general election, for the selection of members of the county committees of each political party, and in each presidential year for the selection of delegates and alternates to national conventions of political parties, will be held on the day and between the hours provided for by or pursuant to this Title.
(b) The place or places at which and hours during which a person may register, the procedure for the transfer of registration, and the date on which the books are closed for registration or transfer of registration.
(c) The several State, county, municipal and party offices or positions to be filled, or for which nominations are to be made, at such primary election.
(d) The existence of registration and voting aids, including: (i) the availability of registration and voting instructions at places of registration as provided under R.S.19:31-6; and (ii), if available, the accessibility of voter information to the deaf by means of a telecommunications device.
(e) The availability of assistance to a person unable to vote due to blindness, disability or inability to read or write.
(f) In the case of the notice published during the calendar week next preceding the week in which the primary election is held, that a voter who, prior to the election, shall have moved within the same county without (i) filing, on or before the [21st] 14th day preceding the election, a notice of change of residence with the commissioner of registration of the county or the municipal clerk of the municipality in which the voter resides on the day of the election, (ii) returning the confirmation notice sent to the voter by the commissioner of registration of the county, if such a notice has been sent to the voter, or (iii) otherwise notifying the commissioner of registration of the voter's change of address within the county shall be permitted to correct the voter's registration and to vote in the primary election by provisional ballot at the polling place of the district in which the voter resides on the day of the election. The notice shall further provide that the voter may contact the county commissioner of registration or municipal clerk or may view polling place location information on the Division of Elections website to determine the proper polling place location for the voter.
(2) For the general election:
(a) That a general election will be held on the day and between the hours provided for by or pursuant to this Title and, where applicable, shall include annual school elections and annual fire district elections held on that date.
(b) The place or places at which and hours during which a person may register, the procedure for transfer of registration, and the date on which the books are closed for registration or transfer of registration.
(c) The several State, county and municipal offices, and where applicable, school board offices and fire district offices to be filled, notice of any school district propositions to be submitted to the people and, except as provided in R.S.19:14-33 of this Title as to publication of notice of any Statewide proposition directed by the Legislature to be submitted to the people, the State, county, municipal and fire district public questions to be voted upon at such general election.
(d) The existence of registration and voting aids, including: (i) the availability of registration and voting instructions at places of registration as provided under R.S.19:31-6; and (ii) the accessibility of voter information to the deaf by means of a telecommunications device.
(e) The availability of assistance to a person unable to vote due to blindness, disability or inability to read or write.
(f) In the case of the notice published during the calendar week next preceding the week in which the general election is held, that a voter who, prior to the election, shall have moved within the same county without (i) filing, on or before the [21st] 14th day preceding the election, a notice of change of residence with the commissioner of registration of the county or the municipal clerk of the municipality in which the voter resides on the day of the election, (ii) returning the confirmation notice sent to the voter by the commissioner of registration of the county, if such a notice has been sent to the voter, or (iii) otherwise notifying the commissioner of registration of the voter's change of address within the county shall be permitted to correct the voter's registration and to vote in the general election by provisional ballot at the polling place of the district in which the voter resides on the day of the election. The notice shall further provide that the voter may contact the county commissioner of registration or municipal clerk or may view polling place location information on the Division of Elections website to determine the proper polling place location for the voter.
(3) For a school election:
(a) The day and time thereof,
(b) The offices, if any, to be filled at the election,
(c) The substance of any public question to be submitted to the voters thereat,
(d) That a voter who, prior to the election, shall have moved within the same county without (i) filing, on or before the [21st] 14th day preceding the election, a notice of change of residence with the commissioner of registration of the county or the municipal clerk of the municipality in which the voter resides on the day of the election, (ii) returning the confirmation notice sent to the voter by the commissioner of registration of the county, if such a notice has been sent to the voter, or (iii) otherwise notifying the commissioner of registration of the voter's change of address within the county shall be permitted to correct the voter's registration and to vote in the school election by provisional ballot at the polling place of the district in which the voter resides on the day of the election,
(e) That if the voter has any questions as to where to vote on the day of the election, the voter may contact the county commissioner of registration or municipal clerk or may view polling place location information on the Division of Elections website to determine the proper polling place location for the voter; and
(f) Such other information as may be required by law.
c. If such publication is made in more than one newspaper, it shall not be necessary to duplicate in the notice published in each such newspaper all the information required under this section, so long as:
(1) The municipal officers or party positions to be filled, or nominations made, or municipal public questions to be voted upon by the voters of any municipality, shall be set forth in at least one newspaper having general circulation in such municipality;
(2) All offices to be filled, or nominations made therefor, or public questions to be voted upon, by the voters of the entire State or of the entire county shall be set forth in a newspaper or newspapers which, singly or in combination, have general circulation throughout the county;
(3) Information relating to nominations and elections in each Legislative District comprised in whole or part in the county, shall be published in at least a newspaper or newspapers which singly or in combination, have general circulation in every municipality of the county which is comprised in such legislative district.
d. Such part or parts of the original notices as published which pertain to day of registration or primary election which has occurred shall be eliminated from such notice in succeeding insertions.
e. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.1999, c.232.)
f. The cost of publishing the notices required by this section shall be paid by the respective counties, unless otherwise provided for by law.
g. Notices required to be published or posted pursuant to this section shall set forth a general description of the contents of the voter information notice provided for in section 1 of P.L.2005, c.149 (C.19:12-7.1), how the notice may be viewed or obtained prior to the day of an election, and that the notice will be posted in each polling place on the day of an election.
(cf: P.L.2019, c.170, s.1)
2. Section 6 of P.L.1991, c.249 (C.19:15-18.3) is amended to read as follows:
6. Any person whose name does not appear on a challenge list prepared by the superintendent of elections of the county but who is challenged and denied the right to vote on the day of a municipal, primary, general, or special election by a duly authorized challenger or by a member of a district board of elections, may apply to a Superior Court judge sitting at the county seat for permission to vote. No papers need be filed; the court shall entertain oral applications. The challenged voter may appear pro se or with counsel. The challenger or the member of the district board, as the case may be, may appear or be represented by counsel. The challenged voter shall be permitted to state by oath or affirmation the facts which the voter believes establish eligibility to vote, shall furnish a copy of the affidavit the voter signed when challenged, a copy of the affidavit signed by the challenger and the identifying document found invalid by the challenger and the district board. The rules of evidence shall not apply to those proceedings. The judge shall grant the application and provide the challenged voter with written authorization to vote on that day if the judge finds the following facts to be established by the testimony of the applicant or, in the case of a dispute of facts or some questions as to the challenged voter's credibility, by a preponderance of the following evidence:
a. The challenged voter is at least 18 years old and a citizen of the United States and of this State, has resided in the county at least 30 days prior to the date of the election, and has not been convicted of a crime which would disenfranchise a person under the laws of this State, and either:
b. The challenged voter is properly registered at his location; or
c. The challenged voter was properly registered at his location as of the last election at which the challenged voter voted but has moved to another location within the county since then and in good faith attempted to register at the new address within the time prescribed by law.
For the purposes of this section, a good faith attempt to register shall include: completing the prescribed registration form no later than [21] 14 days before the election in the presence of a person who appears to be over 18 years old and says that he or she can and will witness the form and mail it to the register for the applicant; completing a form received in the mail from the commissioner of registration, superintendent of elections or the county board which states that information has been received that the applicant has moved and placing the completed form in a proper mailbox with proper postage, if necessary, no later than [21] 14 days before the election; completing a registration form in any government office; and reasonably relying upon the oral statements of an official at a polling place that they will insure proper reregistration.
The judge of the Superior Court having the application shall cause a full record of the proceeding to be taken stenographically, transcribed and filed in the office of the county clerk of the county, which record shall be open and public record. All costs and expenses of such proceedings shall be paid by the county.
(cf: P.L.2005, c.139, s.5)
3. R.S.19:31-2 is amended to read as follows:
19:31-2. In all counties having a superintendent of elections, the superintendent of elections is hereby constituted the commissioner of registration and in all other counties the secretary of the county board is hereby constituted the commissioner of registration.
The commissioner of registration shall have complete charge of the registration of all eligible voters within their respective counties. Pursuant to the provisions of section 2 of P.L.2005, c.145 (C.19:31-32), the commissioner of registration shall be responsible for adding to, deleting from, amending and maintaining the records of persons registered to vote in the commissioner's county contained in the Statewide voter registration system established pursuant to section 1 of that act.
The commissioner of registration shall have power to appoint temporarily, and the commissioner of registration in counties of the first class having more than 800,000 inhabitants shall have power to appoint on a permanent, or temporary basis, such number of persons, as in the commissioner's judgment may be necessary in order to carry out the provisions of this Title. All persons appointed by the commissioner of registration in counties of the first class having more than 850,000 inhabitants according to the latest federal decennial census to serve for terms of more than six months in any one year shall be in the career service of the civil service and shall be appointed, and hold their positions, in accordance with the provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service. All persons appointed by the commissioner of registration in counties of the first class having more than 600,000 but less than 850,000 inhabitants according to the latest federal decennial census to serve for terms of more than six months in any one year, other than the chief deputy and chief clerk and confidential secretary and chief custodian, shall be in the career service of the civil service and shall be appointed and hold their positions, in accordance with the provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service. Persons appointed by the commissioner of registration in such counties to serve for terms of six months or less in any one year and persons appointed by the commissioner of registration shall not be subject to any of the provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service, but shall be in the unclassified service.
In each county the commissioner of registration shall submit to the [Attorney General] Secretary of State on or before February 15 of each year a plan providing for evening registration for the primary election and on or before July 1 plans providing for evening registration for the general election, which plans shall be subject to approval by the [Attorney General] Secretary of State. Evening registration shall be made available in the office of each commissioner of registration between the hours of 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on the [21st] 14th day preceding the primary and general elections and, in any year in which municipal elections are to be held in any municipality within the county, on the [21st] 14th day preceding those municipal elections.
In each county, the commissioner of registration may also establish a plan for out-of-office registration, including door-to-door registration.
Nothing in this section shall preclude the commissioner from providing pursuant to plan evening registration in excess of the requirements of this section, or shall preclude or in any way limit out-of-office registration conducted by persons or groups other than the commissioner.
The commissioner of registration shall provide such printed forms, blanks, supplies and office telephone and transportation equipment as are necessary in the opinion of the commissioner to carry out the provisions of this Title and any amendments or supplements thereto.
Subject to the limitations set forth in chapter 32 of this Title, all necessary expenses incurred, as and when certified and approved by the commissioner of registration shall be paid by the county treasurer of the county.
Nothing in the provisions of subtitle 2 of the Title, Municipalities and Counties (R.S.40:16-1 et seq.), shall in anywise be construed to affect, restrict or abridge the powers herein conferred on the commissioners of registration of the several counties.
All powers granted to the commissioner in all counties not having superintendents of elections by the provisions of this Title are hereby conferred on the county board in such counties and any and all duties conferred upon the commissioner in all counties not having a superintendent of elections by the provisions of this Title shall only be exercised and performed by such commissioner under the instructions and directions of and subject to the approval of the county board of such counties.
(cf: P.L. 2005, c.145, s.7)
4. Section 2 of P.L.1994, c.170 (C.19:31-3.3) is amended to read as follows:
2. The commissioner may eliminate the use of the duplicate permanent registration binders and may authorize and direct the use at the polls in place of such a binder, as a signature copy register for the purposes of this Title and Title 40 of the Revised Statutes, of a polling record which identifies on each page the election at which the record is used, which indicates for each registrant the name, address, and date of birth of the registrant and identifies the municipality and the particular election district therein from which the person is registered, and which includes adjacent to the registrant's name and address an imprint of the digitalized image of the registrant's signature and sufficient space, immediately to the left or right of that imprint, for the registrant to sign the record, which imprint and signature shall be used as the signature comparison record as prescribed by this Title. The polling record shall also include for each registrant the registrant's date of birth, an indication of whether the registrant has applied for a mail-in ballot in that election, and a place to indicate whether the registrant has provided identification pursuant to R.S.19:15-17, if such identification is required. The polling record shall also include for each registrant sufficient space for the notation of remarks as provided by R.S.19:15-23 and for the recording of any challenge and the determination thereof by the district board as provided by R.S.19:15-24, or by other elections officials charged with the same duties as the district board in connection with the conduct of an election. In the case of a primary election, the polling record shall also indicate for each registrant the political party, if any, of which the registrant is a member for the purpose of voting at that primary election.
Polling records for each election shall be prepared by the commissioner of registration not later than the [10th] 8th day preceding the election. At each election, the delivery of the polling records to the municipal clerk and to the district boards or other elections officials charged with the same duties as the district board in connection with the conduct of an election, and the return of those records by the district boards or such other elections officials to the commissioner of registration, shall be made in the manner prescribed by the commissioner.
The commissioner of registration shall retain the polling records for any election for a period of not less than six years following that election.
(cf: P.L.2009, c.79, s.31)
5. R.S.19:31-6 is amended to read as follows:
19:31-6. Any person qualified to vote in an election shall be entitled to vote in the election if the person shall have registered to vote on or before the [21st] 14th day preceding the election by:
a. registering in person at any offices designated by the commissioner of registration for providing and receiving registration forms;
b. completing a voter registration form while applying for a motor vehicle driver's license from an agent of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, as provided for in section 24 of P.L.1994, c.182 (C.39:2-3.2);
c. completing and returning to the Secretary of State or having returned thereto a voter registration form received from a voter registration agency, as defined in subsection a. of section 26 of P.L.1994, c.182 (C.19:31-6.11), while applying for services or assistance or seeking a recertification, renewal or change of address at an office of that agency;
d. completing and returning to the Secretary of State a voter registration form obtained from a public agency, as defined in subsection a. of section 15 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.3);
e. completing and returning to the Secretary of State or having returned thereto a voter registration form received from a door-to-door canvass or mobile registration drive, as provided for in section 19 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.7);
f. completing and returning to the Secretary of State a federal mail voter registration form, as prescribed in subsection (b) of section 9 of the "National Voter Registration Act of 1993" (42 U.S.C. s.1973gg et seq.);
g. completing and returning to the Secretary of State or the appropriate county clerk an application for a federal postcard application form to register to vote, as permitted pursuant to the "Overseas Absentee Voting Act" (42 U.S.C. s.1973ff-1 et seq.) and section 4 of P.L.1976, c.23 (C.19:59-4);
h. completing a provisional ballot affirmation statement and voting the provisional ballot in the previous election, if the person who submitted the provisional ballot in that election is determined not to be a registered voter; or
i. completing and submitting an online voter registration form available on the Secretary of State's Internet website, as provided under section 1 of P.L.2019, c.382 (C.19:31-6.4c).
When the commissioner has designated a place or places other than his office for receiving registrations, the commissioner shall cause to be published a notice in a newspaper circulated in the municipality wherein such place or places of registration shall be located. Such notice shall be published pursuant to R.S.19:12-7.
Any office designated by the commissioner of registration for receiving registration forms shall have displayed, in a conspicuous location, registration and voting instructions. These instructions shall be the same as those provided for polling places under R.S.19:9-2 and shall be provided by the commissioner.
(cf: P.L.2017, c.39, s.10)
6. Section 1 of P.L.1966, c.177 (C.19:31-6.1) is amended to read as follows:
1. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Title to which this act is a supplement, any person authorized by law to accept applications for voter registration shall accept, during the [20-day] 13-day period prior to any election, the application for registration of all eligible voters who shall personally appear for registration before such person, or the registration card mailed or delivered to such person, but no eligible voter so registered shall be entitled to vote in the election immediately following said [20-day] 13-day period. Any person registered under the provisions of this act shall be advised that he will not be eligible to vote in the election immediately forthcoming but will be eligible to vote in elections held thereafter.
Applications for registration pursuant to the provisions of this act shall be received at such place or places as may be designated by any duly authorized election official.
(cf: P.L.2005, c.139, s.9)
7. Section 15 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.3) is amended to read as follows:
15. a. As used in this section, "public agency" shall mean:
The Division of Worker's Compensation, the Division of Employment Services and the Division of Unemployment and Temporary Disability Insurance, established initially by section 5 of P.L.1948, c.446 (C.34:1A-5), in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development;
The Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury, continued under section 24 of P.L.1948, c.92 (C.52:18A-24);
The New Jersey Transit Corporation, established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1979, c.150 (C.27:25-4);
Any free county library established under the provisions of article 1 of chapter 33 of Title 40 of the Revised Statutes;
Any regional library established under the provisions of P.L.1962, c.134 (C.40:33-13.3 et seq.);
Any free public library established under the provisions of article 1 of chapter 54 of Title 40 of the Revised Statutes;
Any joint free public library established under the provisions of P.L.1959, c.155 (C.40:54-29.3 et seq.);
Any public institution of higher education as included under the provisions of N.J.S.18A:62-1;
Any eligible institution, as defined by subsection a. of section 3 of P.L.1979, c.132 (C.18A:72B-17), that receives financial assistance, aid, or grants from State funds;
Any office or commercial establishment where State licenses or permits, other than licenses or permits issued by a professional or occupational board established under the laws of this State, are available to individual members of the public; and
Any recruitment office of the New Jersey National Guard.
b. Any person entitled to register to vote may register as a voter in the election district in which that person resides at any time prior to the [21st] 14th day preceding any election by completing a registration form described in section 16 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.4) and submitting the form to the commissioner of registration of the county wherein the person resides or alternatively, in the case of a registration form provided by the employees or agents of a public agency or a voter registration agency, as defined in subsection a. of section 26 of P.L.1994, c.182 (C.19:31-6.11), to those employees or agents or to the [Attorney General] Secretary of State. Any registration form addressed to a commissioner of registration may be mailed to or delivered to the office of that commissioner, and in the case of a registration form available at a public agency, the form shall be mailed to the [Attorney General] Secretary of State or delivered to the commissioner of registration in the county of the registrant. A registration form postmarked, stamped or otherwise marked as having been received from the registration applicant, on or before the [21st] 14th day preceding any election shall be deemed timely.
(cf: P.L.2005, c.139, s.10)
8. Section 16 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.4) is amended to read as follows:
16. a. The Secretary of State shall cause to be prepared and shall provide to each county commissioner of registration forms of size and weight suitable for mailing, which shall require the information required by R.S.19:31-3 in substantially the following form:
VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION
Print clearly in ink. Use ballpoint pen or marker.
(1) This form is being used as:
[ ] New registration
[ ] Address change [ ] Name change
(2) Name:.....................................................
...............Last First Middle
(3) Are you a citizen of the United States of America? []Yes []No
(4) Will you be 18 years of age on or before election day? []Yes [] No
If you checked 'No' in response to either of these questions, do not complete this form.
(5) Street Address where you live:
.........................................................
Street Address Apt. No.
.........................................................
(6) City or Town County Zip Code
(7) Address Where You Receive Your Mail (if different from above):
............................................................
(8) Date of Birth:
......................................................
Month Day Year
(9) (a) Telephone Number (optional)......................
(b) E-Mail Address (optional).....................
(10) Name and address of Your Last Voter Registration
............................................................
............................................................
............................................................
(11) If you are registering by mail to vote and will be voting for the first time in your current county of residence, please provide one of the following:
(a) your New Jersey driver's license number:................................
(b) the last four digits of your Social Security Number....................
OR submit with this form a copy of any one of the following documents: a current and valid photo identification card; a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, pay check or any other government or other identifying document that shows your name and current address. If you do not provide either your New Jersey driver's license number or the last four digits of your Social Security Number, or enclose a copy of one of the documents listed above, you will be asked for identification when voting for the first time, unless you are exempt from doing so under federal or State law.
(12) Do you wish to declare a political party affiliation? (Optional):
[] YES. Name of Party:
[] NO. I do not wish to declare a political party affiliation at this time.
(13) [] I wish to receive a Mail-in Ballot for all future elections, until I request otherwise in writing.
(14) Declaration - I swear or affirm that:
I am a U.S. citizen.
I live at the above address.
I will be at least 18 years old on or before the day of the next election.
I am not serving a sentence of
incarceration due to a conviction for an indictable offense under any federal
or State laws.
I UNDERSTAND THAT ANY FALSE OR FRAUDULENT REGISTRATION MAY SUBJECT ME TO A FINE OF UP TO $15,000, IMPRISONMENT UP TO FIVE YEARS, OR BOTH PURSUANT TO R.S.19:34-1.
...........................................................
Signature or mark of the registrant Date
(15) If applicant is unable to complete this form, print the name and address of individual who completed this form.
...................................................
Name
...................................................
Address
In addition, the form may include notice to the applicant of information and options relating to the registration and voting process, including but not limited to notice of qualifications required of a registered voter; notice of the final day by which a person must be registered to be eligible to vote in an election; notice of the effect of a failure to provide required identification information; a place at which the applicant may indicate availability for service as a member of the district board of elections; a place at which the applicant may indicate whether he or she requires a polling place which is accessible to individuals with disabilities and the elderly or whether he or she is legally blind; a place at which the applicant may indicate a desire to receive additional information concerning voting by mail; and if the application indicates a political party affiliation, the voter is permitted to vote in the primary election of a political party other than the political party in which the voter was affiliated previously only if the voter registration form with the change of political party affiliation is filed prior to the 50th day next preceding the primary election. The form may also include a space for the voter registration agency to record whether the applicant registered in person, by mail or by other means.
b. The reverse side of the registration form shall bear the address of the Secretary of State or the commissioner of registration to whom such form is supplied, and a United States postal permit the charges upon which shall be paid by the State.
c. The Secretary of State shall cause to be prepared registration forms of the size, weight and form described in subsection a. of this section in both the English and Spanish language and shall provide such forms to each commissioner of registration of any county in which there is at least one election district in which bilingual sample ballots must be provided pursuant to R.S.19:14-21, R.S.19:49-4 or section 2 of P.L.1965, c.29 (C.19:23-22.4).
d. The commissioner of registration shall furnish such registration forms upon request in person to any person or organization in such reasonable quantities as such person or organization shall request. The commissioner shall furnish no fewer than two such forms to any person upon request by mail or by telephone.
e. Each such registration form shall have annexed thereto instructions specifying the manner and method of registration, and the vote by mail option specified on the form, and stating the qualifications for an eligible voter.
f. The Secretary of State shall also furnish such registration forms and such instructions to the Director of the Division of Workers' Compensation, the Director of the Division of Employment Services, and the Director of the Division of Unemployment and Temporary Disability Insurance in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development; to the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury; to the Executive Director of the New Jersey Transit Corporation; to the appropriate administrative officer of any other public agency, as defined by subsection a. of section 15 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.3); to the Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs; and to the chief administrative officer of any voter registration agency, as defined in subsection a. of section 26 of P.L.1994, c.182 (C.19:31-6.11).
g. All registration forms received by the Secretary of State in the mail or forwarded to the Secretary of State shall be forwarded to the commissioner of registration in the county of the registrant. Each such form, and any registration form received otherwise by a commissioner of registration, shall be forwarded to the county clerk if the vote by mail option is selected on a form.
h. An application to register to vote received from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or a voter registration agency, as defined in subsection a. of section 26 of P.L.1994, c.182 (C.19:31-6.11), shall be deemed to have been timely made for the purpose of qualifying an eligible applicant as registered to vote in an election if the date on which the commission or agency shall have received that document in completed form, as indicated in the lower right hand corner of the form, was not later than the [21st] 14th day preceding that election.
i. Each commissioner of registration shall make note in the permanent registration file of each voter who is required to provide the personal identification information required pursuant to this section, as amended, and R.S.19:15-17, R.S.19:31-5 and Pub.L.107-252 (42 U.S.C.s. 15301 et seq.), to indicate the type of identification provided by the voter and the date on which it is provided. [Prior to the June 2004 primary election, when such a newly registered voter seeks to vote for the first time following his or her registration, the voter will be required to provide such personal identification information.] Beginning with the June 2004 primary election, when such a newly registered voter seeks to vote for the first time following his or her registration, the voter will not be required to provide such information if he or she had previously provided the personal identification information required pursuant to this section. The required information shall be collected and stored for the time and in the manner required pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Secretary of State.
j. The Secretary of State shall amend the voter registration application form if necessary to conform to the requirements of applicable federal or State law.
k. In the event that the name of any political party entered on the voter registration form by a voter who wishes to declare a political party affiliation is not legible, the commissioner of registration shall mail the voter a political party declaration form and a letter explaining that the voter's choice was not understood and that the voter should complete and return the declaration form in order to be affiliated with a party.
(cf: P.L.2019, c.270, s.3)
9. R.S.19:31-7 is amended to read as follows:
19:31-7. For the convenience of the voters the respective municipal clerks or their duly authorized clerk or clerks in all municipalities shall also be empowered to register applicants for permanent registration up to and including the [21st] 14th day preceding any election and after any such election in the manner indicated above, subject to such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the commissioner, in counties having a superintendent of elections, and the county board in all other counties. Duly authorized clerk as used in this section shall mean a clerk who resides within the municipality and has been approved by the commissioner or the county board as the case may be. For this purpose the commissioner shall forward to each municipal clerk a sufficient supply of registration forms. The commissioners shall keep a record of the serial numbers of these forms and shall periodically make such checks as are necessary to accurately determine if all such forms are satisfactorily accounted for. Each municipal clerk shall transmit daily to the commissioner all of the filled out registration forms that he may have in his office at the time.
(cf: P.L.2005, c.139, s.12)
10. R.S.19:31-11 is amended to read as follows:
19:31-11. a. In all counties within the State, change of residence notices shall be made by a written request, signed by the registrant, forwarded to the commissioner by mail, and actually received by the commissioner, or by calling in person at the office of the commissioner or the municipal clerk. The commissioner shall provide change of residence notices in card form for the use of any registered voter moving to another address within the same election district or to another election district within the same county. Copies of these notices shall also be available at the office of the municipal clerk in each municipality. Each municipal clerk shall transmit daily to the commissioner all the filled out change of residence notices that may be in the municipal clerk's office at the time. These notices shall be printed upon cards, shall contain a blank form showing where the applicant last resided and the address and exact location to which the applicant has moved and shall have a line for the applicant's signature, printed name and date of birth. Upon receipt of such change of residence notice the commissioner shall cause the signature to be compared with the registration forms of the applicant and, if such signature appears to be of and by one and the same legal voter, the commissioner shall cause the entry of the change of residence to be made on those registration forms and the registrant shall thereupon be qualified to vote in the election district to which the registrant shall have so moved. If the commissioner is not satisfied as to the signature on the request for a change of residence, a confirmation notice as prescribed by subsection d. of R.S.19:31-15 shall be sent by mail with postage prepaid to the registrant at the new address.
The application for change of residence shall be filed with the commissioner or municipal clerk, as the case may be, on or before the [21st] 14th day preceding any election.
b. In any county any voter who, prior to an election, shall move within the same county after the time above prescribed for filing an application for change of residence without having made application for change of residence, or who has not returned a confirmation notice sent to the voter by the commissioner of registration of the county, if such a notice has been sent to the voter, or who has not moved since the previous election but whose registration information is missing or otherwise deficient, or has otherwise failed to notify the commissioner of registration of the voter's change of address within the county, shall be permitted to vote in that election in the district to which the voter has moved, upon making a written affirmation regarding the change of address at the polling place of the district in which the voter resides on the day of the election. No identifying document shall be required from the voter for this affirmation. A district board member shall provide the voter with a provisional ballot, and an envelope with an affirmation statement that conforms with the requirements for such documents contained in subsection b. of section 7 of P.L.1999, c.232 (C.19:53C-1). The voter shall complete the provisional ballot and affirmation statement, place the ballot in the envelope, seal and return it to the district board member. The board member shall review the information in the affirmation statement for completeness before forwarding it for inspection, tabulation and notation by the county board of elections, as provided for by sections 7 through 26 of P.L.1999, c.232 (C.19:53C-1 through C.19:53C-20). The affirmation statement shall constitute a transfer to the registrant's new residence for any subsequent election. However, if the voter has moved from one residence to another within the same election district at any time, the voter shall be permitted to vote in such election district at any election in the same manner as other voters at the polling place upon written affirmation by the registrant to the district board member of the registrant's change of address.
c. A voter who moves from an election district in one county to an election district in another county prior to the close of registration preceding an election shall register in the new county of residence, in accordance with the provisions of R.S.19:31-6, in
order to be permitted to vote.
(cf: P.L.2005, c.139, s.13)
11. R.S.19:31-13 is amended to read as follows:
19:31-13. Whenever the registrant after his or her original registration shall change his or her name due to marriage, divorce, or by judgment of court, the registrant shall in person or by mail submit to the commissioner of registration a written statement notifying the commissioner of the change, which statement shall take such form, and be printed on a postal card suitable for mailing of such design, as the [Attorney General] Secretary of State shall prescribe and shall be signed by the registrant. The commissioner, upon receipt of such a notice of change of name, shall revise accordingly the name of the registrant as it appears among the items of information concerning the registrant included on the registrant's registration forms, shall make a photographic copy of the notice of name change submitted by the registrant, and shall affix the original notice so submitted to the registrant's original registration form and the photographic copy of that notice to the registrant's duplicate registration record.
When notice of such change in name has not been received by or filed with the commissioner prior to the [21st] 14th day preceding any election, such person may be permitted to vote under the name under which the person was registered prior to that change at the first election following such change in name at which the person shall appear to vote, after signing the signature copy register with both the registered name and his or her new name. The commissioner shall then revise accordingly the name of the registrant as it appears on the registrant's registration forms, make a photographic copy of the notice, and affix the original and copy of the notice to the registrant's permanent registration forms as hereinabove prescribed.
(cf: P.L.2005, c.139, s.14)
12. R.S.19:31-15 is amended to read as follows:
19:31-15. a. Upon receipt by the commissioner of registration of a county from a registered voter of that county of a request that the name of the registrant be removed from the Statewide voter registration system, the commissioner shall so remove the registrant's name. Notice by a registered voter to the commissioner of registration of a county that the registrant has ceased to reside in the State shall, for the purposes of this subsection, be deemed a request for removal of the registrant's name from the Statewide voter registration system.
b. The commissioner of registration of any county may agree with the United States Postal Service or its licensee to receive information provided by the Postal Service concerning the change by any Postal Service customer of that customer's address within the county. If it appears from information so received that a Postal Service customer registered to vote in the county has moved to a different address, then (1) if that address is within the county, the commissioner shall cause the registration records of the registrant to be corrected accordingly and shall transmit to the resident by forwardable mail a notice of the change and a postage prepaid, pre-addressed return form by which the registrant may verify or correct the address information, or (2) if that address is not within the county, the commissioner shall undertake the confirmation notice procedure prescribed under subsection d. of this section to confirm the change of address.
c. The commissioner of
registration of a county shall cause the name of a registrant to be removed
from the Statewide voter registration system if the registrant (1) confirms in
writing, by return of a confirmation notice as prescribed under subsection d.
of this section or by other means, that the registrant has changed residence to
a place outside the State, or (2) has either not notified the commissioner or
failed to respond to a confirmation notice as so prescribed and has not, in any
election during the period beginning on the date on which the commissioner
sends the confirmation notice to the registrant and ending on the day after the
second general election for federal office following that date on which the notice
is sent, (a) voted, or (b) appeared to vote in any county and, if necessary,
correct the official record of the registrant's address.
Other than as provided under subsection a. of this section, the name of a registrant shall not be removed from the Statewide voter registration system on the ground that the registrant has changed residence except as provided by this subsection.
d. A confirmation notice sent to ascertain whether a registrant continues to reside at the address from which that registrant is registered to vote shall be a postage prepaid and pre-addressed return card, sent by forwardable mail, which shall include: (1) space on which the registrant's current address may be entered; (2) the statement "To any voter who continues to reside at the residence address to which this notice is addressed or who no longer resides at that residence address but continues to reside in.................. (name of county): please mail or personally deliver this postage prepaid card to the commissioner of registration to whom it is addressed not later than................. (calendar date of the [21st] 14th day preceding the next election to be held in the county). If you do not return this card by that date, then at any election held subsequent to that date and on or before................. (calendar date of the day after the second general election for federal office following that date), you may be required at the polls to affirm or confirm your address before you are permitted to vote, and if you do not vote in an election during that period, your name will be removed from the registry of eligible voters."; and (3) a statement, the text of which shall be prescribed by the [Attorney General] Secretary of State, setting forth the means by which a registrant who has changed residence to a county different from that in which is located the residence to which the notice was originally addressed may retain the right to vote.
e. The commissioner of registration shall correct the registry list of eligible voters in accordance with change of residence information obtained in conformity with the provisions of this section.
(cf: P.L.2005, c.145, s.12)
13. R.S.19:31-18 is amended to read as follows:
19:31-18. On or before the [eighth] fifth day preceding any general election the commissioner shall certify and transmit to the county clerk a complete list of all persons who are registered in each election district in each municipality in the county together with a statement as to the number of persons registered in each district. The list of registered voters shall include only the following information for each registered voter: name, address, date of birth, political party affiliation, and voting history. Except when so ordered by a court, the list of registered voters shall not include voter signatures. The list shall be drawn from the Statewide voter registration system, established pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2005, c.145 (C.19:31-31). It shall in figures state the total number of names of persons registered. Such lists shall be arranged substantially in the following form:
Grand Street
Residence number Name of voter
or other designation
14 Jones, Charles M.
15 Smith, John M.
(cf: P.L.2005, c.145, s.13)
14. R.S.19:31-20 is amended to read as follows:
19:31-20. On or before the [eighth] fifth day preceding the primary election for the general election and the general election, respectively, the commissioner in counties not having a superintendent of elections, shall deliver to the municipal clerk in each municipality the signature copy registers for each election district in such municipality and shall take a receipt for same. The municipal clerk shall thereupon deliver at his office, or in any other way he sees fit, such registers to a member or members of the proper district boards at the same time and together with the primary for the general election sample ballots or the general election sample ballots, as the case may be. The registers shall be used by the district boards on election days and for the purpose of mailing the sample ballots. The commissioner in counties having a superintendent of elections shall deliver such registers at his office, or in any other way he may see fit, to the various district boards, taking a receipt for same.
Before delivering the registers the commissioner shall cause to be printed upon a separate sheet or sheets of paper, to be inserted inside of the front cover of such registers in conspicuous type, such instructions to election officers regarding the use and disposition of the binders and forms as he deems necessary.
(cf: P.L.2011, c.134, s.41)
15. This act shall take effect on January 1 next following enactment, except that the Secretary of State and the county commissioners of registration may take such anticipatory action as may be needed to effectuate the purposes of this act.
STATEMENT
Currently, a person eligible to vote is required to register at least 21 days prior to an election in order to vote in that election. This bill would provide that a person eligible to vote may register up to 14 days prior to an election and vote in that election.
The bill would not affect the constitutional requirement that a person must reside in a county for 30 days prior to an election in order to be eligible to vote in that election.
