Bill > S4616

Introduced Session

This bill eliminates automatic voter registration at the Motor Vehicle Commission, requires specific photo identification to vote, and requires biannual audits of voter registration records. This bill prohibits automatic voter registration through various State agencies, including the Motor Vehicle Commission. This bill requires photo identification for voting at polling places and for voting with a mail-in ballot and updates procedures for challenging voters regarding proof of identity. This bill would require persons, whether voting at a polling place or with a mail-in ballot, to present certain documentation as proof of voter identity to vote. A person voting in person at a polling place would be required to show or submit a copy of a valid New Jersey driver's license, a valid non-driver identification card, a valid New Jersey REAL ID, or a valid United States passport that includes all of the following criteria: (1) the name of the voter to whom the document was issued; (2) a photograph of the voter to whom the document was issued; (3) an expiration date that has not passed; and (4) issuance by the federal government or this State. A person voting with a mail-in ballot would be permitted For first-time voters, this documentation would be required in addition to the production of any document necessary to fulfill the proof of identity requirement mandated by the federal "Help America Vote Act of 2002," if that first-time voter had registered to vote by mail without submitting federally-acceptable identity verification with the registration. However, a first-time voter in this situation would be required to present only one document with respect to both identification requirements, if that document is able to satisfy the document criteria as applicable to each requirement. The requirement for verifying voter identity through additional documentation would not apply to any voter entitled to vote by mail-in ballot under the federal "Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act," provided the right to vote otherwise than in person under the federal "Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act," or any other federal law. In order to administer the bill's new voter verification requirement, the bill updates the statutory provisions governing election day challenges to a person's right to vote by district board members or other authorized challengers, as appointed pursuant to Chapter 7 of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes. With respect to any voter who is denied the right to vote for failing to present acceptable documentation, that voter would be provided a provisional ballot. In order for that ballot to be officially counted in an election, the voter would need to provide the required documentation by the close of business on the second day after the election to the applicable county commissioner of registration. This bill requires the Secretary of State to verify each registrant's citizenship status, in addition to the county commissioner of registration approving each voter registration application prior to the approval of the application and prior to the entry of the voter into the Statewide voter registration system. This bill requires the Secretary of State and county commissioners of registration to perform an audit of the voter registration records in the Statewide voter registration system every six months. The purpose of the audit is to identify (1) any voter registration records of persons who are ineligible to vote who have successfully registered to vote; (2) whether any person who is ineligible to vote attempted to register to vote, even if that attempt was not successful; and (3) whether the procedures to ensure that a reasonable effort is made to remove registrants who are ineligible to vote pursuant to federal or State law are effective, as required under current law. The bill directs the Secretary of State and county commissioners of registration to jointly develop the audit methodology, processes, and procedures to apply uniformly in each county. The Secretary of State and county commissioners of registration are directed to issue annual reports containing the results of the audit, their findings, and recommendations of the last two audits that were completed and to share the reports with the Governor and the Legislature.

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Tony Bucco (R)*,  Kristin Corrado (R)*,  Parker Space (R),  Mike Testa (R),  Latham Tiver (R), 

Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee (on 10/01/2026)

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Official Document