Bill > S676

Introduced Session

This bill changes the penalty for certain crimes involving voting and voting processes from that of a third degree to a second degree if aggravating factors apply. If a person commits, after the effective date of this bill, a crime listed below, the person would be guilty of a second degree crime if the conviction is a second or subsequent one for the same offense, if the number of votes impacted was two or more, if the violation occurred in two or more election cycles, or if the person convicted accepted money or anything of value or offered or paid money or gave a thing of value to another to commit the violation. This enhanced penalty would apply for a violation of: N.J.S.A.19:34-1 (False registration or transfer) N.J.S.A.19:34-11 (Fraudulent voting and interference with election or canvass) N.J.S.A.19:34-12 (Attempt to cast illegal vote) N.J.S.A.19:34-17 (Unlawfully taking ballot box or removing contents, destroying ballots, willfully suppressing records) N.J.S.A.1934-20 (Soliciting or procuring or assisting unlawful registration and other violations of election law) In addition, if a person commits after the effective date of this bill a crime under N.J.S.A.19:34-25 (Bribery), the person would be guilty of a crime of the second degree if the conviction is a second or subsequent one under that provision of law, if the number of votes impacted was two or more, or if the violation occurred in two or more election cycles A crime of the third degree is punishable by three to five years imprisonment and fine up to $15,000. A crime of the second degree is punishable by five to ten years imprisonment and a fine up to $150,000.

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Chris Brown (R)*,  Samuel Thompson (D)*,  Steven Oroho (R),  Mike Testa (R), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee (on 01/14/2020)