STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator ANDREW ZWICKER
District 16 (Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset)
SYNOPSIS
Prohibits candidates who are constitutionally ineligible to hold office from being placed on general election ballots.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act prohibiting the placement of certain candidates on a general election ballot and amending R.S.19:14-2.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.19:14-2 is amended to read as follows:
19:14-2. There shall be a single or blanket form of ballot, upon which shall be printed the names of all the candidates of every party or group of petitioners having candidates to be voted for at such election. The name of a candidate nominated at the primary who shall fail to accept his nomination, or file the oath of allegiance executed, in the manner herein provided shall not be printed on the ballot. The name of a candidate whose nomination has been vacated as hereinbefore provided shall not be printed on the ballot. The name of a candidate who is ineligible to hold the office for which the candidate has been nominated under the qualifications prescribed for that office by the State Constitution or the Constitution of the United States, as applicable, shall not be printed on the ballot. The name of a candidate shall appear but once upon the ballot for the same office.
Except as to the requirements of section 19:14-15 of this Title as to State-wide propositions, any public question which is to be submitted to the people of the State, county or municipality at the general election, shall be printed in a separate space at the foot of the ballot with appropriate instructions to the voter.
(cf: P.L.1949, c.24, s.6)
2. This act shall take effect January 1 next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill prohibits the name of any candidate for office from being placed on a general election ballot if that candidate is ineligible to hold that office under the qualifications prescribed by the State Constitution or the Constitution of the United States. For example, this would include instances in which the candidate has not yet reached the age required for holding the office or the candidate has exceeded the maximum number of terms permitted in the office.