STATE OF NEW JERSEY
220th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2022 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman LISA SWAIN
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman P. CHRISTOPHER TULLY
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman DANIEL R. BENSON
District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman McKnight
SYNOPSIS
Establishes pilot program to provide for same-day voter registration on election day in certain years.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act establishing a pilot program to provide for same-day voter registration on election day in certain years.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes, or any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the commissioner of registration, county clerk, and county board of elections in each county, shall implement a pilot program to allow each person who meets the voter eligibility criteria under R.S.19:31-5 to register to vote on the day of the general election in 2021, 2022, and 2023 at designated locations, as further provided by this section.
b. Under the pilot program, the commissioner of registration, county clerk, and county board of elections in each county shall collectively designate one or more locations in each county to allow for same-day voter registration for all eligible residents of that county who desire to register to vote. At least one location shall be designated in each county in 2021. The commissioner, clerk, and board shall have discretion to open additional locations allowing same-day voter registration in 2022 and 2023.
c. A voter who registers to vote under the same-day voter registration pilot program shall be required to do so in compliance with the eligibility criteria specified under R.S.19:31-5, and shall complete a voter registration form as required under section 16 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.4). Upon registering to vote, a voter shall be directed to the voter’s designated polling place and shall be permitted to cast a provisional ballot.
d. The Secretary of State, in collaboration with the commissioner of registration, county clerk, and county board of elections in each county, shall develop interim reports on the effectiveness of the pilot program, including an audit of the pilot program, for each of the 2021, 2022, and 2023 implementation years by January 31 of the following year, along with a final report by March 1, 2024. The interim and final reports shall be submitted to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature, by January 31 of 2022, 2023, and 2024, and March 1, 2024, respectively.
e. If the Secretary of State, commissioner of registration, county clerk, and county board of elections in each county find in their final report required pursuant to subsection d. of this section that the pilot program was successful in increasing voter registration and participation in the elections relative to comparable general elections, with a low risk for voter fraud, then the final report shall include recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature for the enactment of same-day voter registration in this State at every polling location for the 2024 general election, and all elections thereafter.
2. This act shall take effect immediately, and shall expire on March 1, 2024, or upon the issuance of the final report required by this act, whichever occurs later.
STATEMENT
This bill requires the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the commissioner of registration, county clerk, and county board of elections in each county, to implement a pilot program to allow each person who meets the voter eligibility criteria to register to vote on the day of the general election in 2021, 2022, and 2023 at designated locations.
Under current law, a person who meets the voter eligibility requirements of being a citizen of the United States, of the age of 18 years, and who has been a resident of the State for at least 30 days and of the county at least 30 days before the election, is permitted to register to vote on or before the 21st day preceding the election.
Under the pilot program, the commissioner of registration, county clerk, and county board of elections in each county would collectively designate one or more locations in each county to allow for same-day voter registration for all eligible residents of that county who wish to register to vote. A voter who registers to vote under the same-day voter registration pilot program would be required to meet the voter eligibility criteria under current law and to complete a voter registration form. Upon registering to vote, such a voter would be directed to the voter’s designated polling place and be permitted to cast a provisional ballot.
The bill requires the Secretary of State, in collaboration with the commissioner of registration, county clerk, and county board of elections in each county, to submit three interim reports and one final report to the Governor and the Legislature on the effectiveness of the pilot program, including an audit of the program. The interim reports would be due by January 31 of 2022, 2023, and 2024, and the final report would be due by March 1, 2024. The bill further provides that, if the final report finds that the pilot program was successful in increasing voter registration and participation in the elections relative to comparable general elections, with a low risk for voter fraud, then it would include recommendations for the enactment of same-day voter registration in this State at every polling location for the 2024 general election, and all elections thereafter. Such implementation would require enabling legislation.
This bill would take effect immediately, and would expire on March 1, 2024, or upon the issuance of the final report, whichever occurs later.