Bill Text: NJ S1617 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes pilot project to permit voters in military service on active duty overseas, and their eligible family members, to vote in certain elections using the Internet; makes appropriation.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-02-05 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S1617 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-S1617-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator JEFF VAN DREW
District 1 (Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes pilot project to permit voters in military service on active duty overseas, and their eligible family members, to vote in certain elections using the Internet; makes appropriation.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing a pilot project to permit a voter in military service on active duty overseas, and the spouse or dependent who is eligible, to vote in certain elections using the Internet, and making an appropriation.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Secretary of State shall establish a pilot project to permit a voter in military service on active duty overseas, and any spouse or dependent thereof who is eligible, to vote using the Internet. The pilot project shall be for the primary election and general election occurring in the calendar year in which P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill) takes effect. This section shall apply to any person in military service, and the spouse or dependent thereof, who, by reason of active duty or service, is absent on the date of the election from the place of residence in New Jersey where the person is or would be qualified to vote.
b. The secretary shall:
(1) create an Internet-based voting system for the pilot project that: (a) uses such technology as may be available to ensure the authentication of the voter, the security of the ballot being voted, the privacy of the voter casting the ballot, the ability to audit or verify the voting process by the voter and third party entities, the control of the voting process by the appropriate election officials, the integrity of the voting process for the elections at which Internet voting is to be available and the compatibility of that process with the voting system currently used by a voter overseas; (b) employs to the extent possible any guidelines for an Internet voting pilot project that assists voters in military service on active duty overseas, and the spouses or dependents thereof who are eligible to vote, that are proposed or promulgated by the United States Election Assistance Commission or any other agency of the federal government; and (c) adopts, where possible, the best practices used in similar projects in other states and countries;
(2) consult with representatives of the clerks of the counties, the superintendents of elections and the county boards of election with regard to the development and implementation of the pilot project;
(3) provide sufficient and accessible notice and information to the public and voters in military service on active duty overseas, and the spouses or dependents thereof who are eligible to vote, with respect to the pilot project and the requirements for such voters to participate in the elections at which Internet voting is to be available; and
(4) promulgate such temporary rules and regulations as the secretary deems necessary to effectuate the purpose of this act.
c. The secretary shall submit to the Governor and the Legislature no later than the 120th day following the day of the general election at which the pilot project is operative a written report with recommendations as to whether:
(1) Internet voting for voters in military service on active duty overseas, and the spouses or dependents thereof who are eligible to vote, should not be adopted at present; or
(2) the pilot project should be expanded and a further assessment of its feasibility should be conducted; or
(3) Internet voting for voters in military service on active duty overseas, and the spouses or dependents thereof who are eligible to vote, should be adopted permanently by law.
d. There shall be appropriated from the General Fund such sums as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Department of the Treasury shall deem as necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act.
2. This act shall take effect on the January 1 next following enactment and shall expire upon the submission of the report to the Governor and the Legislature pursuant to subsection c. of section 1 of this act.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes a pilot project to permit voters in military on active duty overseas, and the spouses or dependents thereof who are eligible, to vote in certain elections using the Internet. The pilot project would be for the primary election and general election occurring in the calendar year in which the bill takes effect. The bill would apply only to any person in military service on active duty overseas, and the spouse and dependent thereof eligible to vote who, by reason of such service, is absent on the date of the election from the place of residence in New Jersey where the person is or would be qualified to vote.
Specifically, the bill requires the Secretary of State to:
1) create an Internet-based voting system for the pilot project that: a) uses such technology as may be available to ensure the authentication of the voter, the security of the ballot being voted, the privacy of the voter casting the ballot, the ability to audit or verify the voting process by the voter and third party entities, the control of the voting process by the appropriate election officials, the integrity of the voting process for the elections at which Internet voting is to be available and the compatibility of that process with the voting system currently used by a voter overseas; b) employs to the extent possible any guidelines for an Internet voting pilot project that assists voters in military service on active duty overseas, and the spouses or dependents thereof who are eligible to vote, that are proposed or promulgated by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission or any other agency of the federal government; and c) adopts, where possible, the best practices used in similar projects in other states and countries;
2) consult with representatives of the clerks of the counties, the superintendents of elections and the county boards of election with regard to the development and implementation of the pilot project;
3) provide sufficient and accessible notice and information to the public and voters in military service on active duty overseas, and the spouses or dependents thereof who are eligible to vote, with respect to the pilot project and the requirements for such voters to participate in the elections at which Internet voting is to be available; and
4) promulgate such temporary rules and regulations as the secretary deems necessary to effectuate the purpose of this bill.
The Secretary must submit to the Governor and the Legislature no later than the 120th day following the day of the general election at which the pilot project is operative a written report with recommendations as to whether:
1) Internet voting for voters in military service on active duty overseas, and the spouses or dependent thereof who are eligible to vote, should not be adopted at present; or
2) the pilot project should be expanded and a further assessment of its feasibility should be conducted; or
3) Internet voting for voters in military service on active duty overseas, and the spouses or dependent thereof who are eligible to vote, should be adopted permanently by law.
The bill provides that there would be appropriated from the General Fund such sums as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Department of the Treasury deems necessary to effectuate the purposes of this bill.
