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Bill > S3198


NJ S3198

NJ S3198
Directs Secretary of State to establish election incident reporting and complaint database; requires certain telephone numbers be provided with voter instructions.


summary

Introduced
01/28/2026
In Committee
01/28/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2026-2027 Regular Session

Bill Summary

This bill directs the Secretary of State to establish an election incident reporting and complaint database and requires certain telephone numbers be provided with voter instructions. Under the bill, the Secretary of State is required to establish an election incident reporting and complaint database to document civil rights violations, voter fraud, or other incidents or complaints related to the conduct of an election in this State. The Secretary of State, in real time during the conduct of an election, must compile any incidents or complaints submitted to the Department of State or to county election officials. At a minimum, the reported incidents or complaints must be categorized by the following: (1) the location, if any, and date of the incident or complaint; (2) the type of incident or complaint; and (3) the action, if any, taken in response to the incident or complaint. The Secretary of State is directed to also provide the complied information to the appropriate officials, including, but not limited to, the NJ Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, in a form and manner consistent with State and federal law. Following the election, the Secretary of State is also required to prepare and submit a report to the Governor and the Legislature detailing the total number of incidents or complaints. The bill also requires the telephone numbers of the U.S. Attorney's Office Election Hotline, the NJ Election Hotline, and county election officials to be posted at polling places in the voter information notice required by current law and in the printed directions transmitted with mail-in ballots that is also required by current law.

AI Summary

This bill mandates the Secretary of State to create a centralized database for reporting and tracking election-related incidents and complaints, such as civil rights violations or voter fraud, ensuring that this information is compiled in real-time during an election and categorized by location, date, type of incident, and any actions taken. The Secretary of State will also share this compiled data with relevant officials, including the New Jersey Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey, and will submit a comprehensive report on all incidents to the Governor and the Legislature after each election, making it publicly available online. Additionally, the bill requires that voter instructions provided at polling places and with mail-in ballots must now include the telephone numbers for the U.S. Attorney's Office Election Hotline, the New Jersey Election Hotline, and local county election officials, providing voters with direct contact information for reporting concerns.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee (on 01/28/2026)

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