Bill > A5690

This bill modifies existing election ballot labeling requirements in New Jersey, making the labeling of candidate ballot positions optional rather than mandatory for county clerks. Currently, county clerks are required to label each candidate's position on a primary election ballot with a letter and number (such as "1A") corresponding to their specific location on the ballot. Under this proposed legislation, county clerks will now have the discretion to choose whether they want to use these position labels. The bill maintains other existing ballot design standards, such as requiring consistent formatting, plain language, and preventing visual distinctions between candidates. Specifically, the bill removes the previous mandatory requirement for ballot position labeling and instead adds language in Section 1(d) that allows county clerks to label candidate positions as an optional design choice. This change gives local election officials more flexibility in ballot design while maintaining overall ballot readability and fairness.

Government Affairs

https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2024/A5690