Bill
Bill > A1234
NJ A1234
NJ A1234Transfers Division of Elections from Department of State to Department of Law and Public Safety; designates Attorney General as chief election official and requires two bipartisan co-directors.
summary
Introduced
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
In Committee
01/13/2026
01/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026-2027 Regular Session
Bill Summary
This bill transfers the Division of Elections from the Department of State to Department of Law and Public Safety and designates the Attorney General as the chief election official in this State. The bill also requires the division to be administered by two bipartisan co-directors. Under the bill, each co-director would be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. One co-director would be of the same political party as the Governor, and would be appointed upon the recommendation of the State party chairperson of that political party, the leader of that political party in the Senate, and the leader of that political party in the General Assembly. The second co-director would be of the political party that received the second largest number of votes at the most recent election for the office of Governor, and would be appointed upon the recommendation of the State party chairperson of that political party, the leader of that political party in the Senate, and the leader of that political party in the General Assembly. The co-directors would serve for a four-year term, to expire upon the expiration of the Governor's term of office. A co-director may be reappointed for future four-year terms. Any vacancy in the office of co-director would be filled for the remaining of the term in the same manner as the original appointment was made. The bill would take effect on January 1 next following the date of enactment, but the Secretary of State and the Attorney General may take such anticipatory administrative action in advance thereof as may be necessary for its implementation.
AI Summary
This bill transfers the Division of Elections from the Department of State to the Department of Law and Public Safety, designating the Attorney General as the chief election official and making them responsible for coordinating the state's duties under federal election laws like the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act. The bill also mandates that the Division of Elections will be managed by two co-directors, each appointed by the Governor with Senate approval for a four-year term that aligns with the Governor's term. One co-director will be from the Governor's political party, appointed based on recommendations from that party's leadership, and the other will be from the second-largest political party, also appointed based on recommendations from their party's leadership.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee (on 01/13/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bill-search/2026/A1234 |
| BillText | https://pub.njleg.gov/Bills/2026/A1500/1234_I1.HTM |
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