Bill
Bill > A3820
NJ A3820
NJ A3820Prohibits unaffiliated mail-in voters from receiving mail-in ballot for primary election; requires election officials to provide such voters certain notices; prohibits mail-in ballot envelopes from containing visible political affiliation or designation for certain elections.
summary
Introduced
03/24/2022
03/24/2022
In Committee
06/27/2022
06/27/2022
Crossed Over
06/16/2022
06/16/2022
Passed
06/29/2022
06/29/2022
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
07/28/2022
07/28/2022
Introduced Session
2022-2023 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill requires that an unaffiliated voter request a mail-in ballot for a primary election and declare a political party affiliation. Currently, unaffiliated voters listed to receive mail-in ballots receive both a Democrat and Republican primary ballot for a primary election. If they choose, a voter may fill out one ballot and return it, which would then designate them as an affiliated voter for the appropriate party. This bill requires an unaffiliated voter to request to the county clerk a mail-in ballot for the political party in whose primary the voter wishes to vote. However, the bill allows any unaffiliated mail-in voter to vote in person at the polling place using a provisional ballot and thereby affiliate with a political party that day. This is similar to the process in place in municipalities with 500 or fewer persons that conduct all elections by mail. This bill also requires the county commissioner of registration in each county to publish notice of the requirements for voting in primary elections for unaffiliated voters who vote by mail-in ballot. This bill also requires notifications to be sent out to any unaffiliated voter listed to receive mail-in ballots informing the voter that they are unaffiliated and providing instructions on how to register with a political party through a political party affiliation declaration form and instructions on how to vote in person by provisional ballot and affiliate with a political party at a polling place on the day of a primary election. The Secretary of State would prepare uniform language for the notifications. The commissioners of registration of the several counties and the clerks of the municipalities within such counties would distribute the notifications to the appropriate voters. These measures would strengthen the integrity of elections by improving ballot security.
AI Summary
This bill requires that an unaffiliated voter request a mail-in ballot for a primary election and declare a political party affiliation. Currently, unaffiliated voters listed to receive mail-in ballots receive both a Democrat and Republican primary ballot for a primary election. This bill also requires election officials to publish notices about the requirements for unaffiliated voters who vote by mail-in ballot, and to send notifications to unaffiliated voters informing them of the process to affiliate with a political party or vote in person using a provisional ballot. Additionally, the bill prohibits mail-in ballot envelopes from containing visible political affiliation or designation for certain elections, in order to strengthen the integrity of elections by improving ballot security.
Committee Categories
Budget and Finance, Government Affairs
Sponsors (6)
Joe Cryan (D)*,
Robert Karabinchak (D)*,
Joe Danielsen (D),
Angela Mcknight (D),
Nellie Pou (D),
Sterley Stanley (D),
Last Action
Approved P.L.2022, c.69. (on 07/28/2022)
Taxonomy
Civil Rights, Minority Issues, and Civil Liberties
- ‐ Right to Privacy and Access to Government Information
- ‐ Voting Rights and Issues
Official Document
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