LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

SENATE, No. 2776

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: AUGUST 26, 2020

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

Requires county board of elections to mail or email notice to mail-in voters after each election confirming ballot was received and counted.

Type of Impact:

State and local expenditure increases; potential local revenue increases.

Agencies Affected:

Division of Elections in the Department of State, county boards of election.

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

Year 1* 

Year 2* 

Year 3*

 

State Cost Increase:

 

 

 

 

   Mail

Up to $2,310,000

         Up to $825,000

Up to $825,000

 

   Email

Indeterminate

 

Local Cost Increase

Indeterminate

 

Local Revenue Increase

Indeterminate

 

 

 

  * This fiscal estimate assumes the State will reimburse the counties for the notification costs.

 

·         Based on election information collected by the Division of Elections, the Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates that the cost to notify each voter who votes by mail-in ballot in New Jersey in the 2020 General Election would be up to $2.310 million if the notifications are made by letter and sent through the United States Post Office.  The cost of the notification by mail assumes a 70 percent turnout rate (most recent Division of Elections estimate of the percentage of ballots cast) of the approximately 6 million registered voters in New Jersey and regular first class postage cost of $0.55 per letter sent.

·         The estimate of up to $825,000 for years 2 and 3, for notification by mail, assumes a 25 percent turnout rate (most recent Division of Elections estimate of the percentage of ballots cast) of the approximate 6,000,000 registered voters in New Jersey who vote in primary and other elections and regular first class postage cost of $0.55 per letter sent.

·         County boards of elections may experience an increase in workload to email the status of mail-in ballots to all voters who vote by mail-in ballot resulting in an indeterminate increase in costs.

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      This bill requires the county board of elections in each county to send a notice by mail or email to each mail-in voter after each election, confirming that the voter’s ballot was received and counted. Under current law, county boards of elections are required to update the Statewide Voter Registration System with that information for each voter after each election. Current law also establishes a free-access system that mail-in voters can use to ascertain whether a mail-in ballot or an application therefor was received, accepted, or rejected, and the reason for the rejection. The mail or email notice required by this bill would not replace such free access system.

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      Based on election information collected by the Division of Elections, the OLS estimates that the cost to notify each voter who votes by mail-in ballot in New Jersey in the 2020 General Election would cost up to $2.310 million if notifications are by made letter and sent through the United States Post Office.  The cost of the notification by mail assumes a 70 percent turnout rate (most recent Division of Elections estimate of the percentage of ballots cast) of the approximately 6 million registered voters in New Jersey and regular first class postage cost of $0.55 per letter sent.  The estimate up to $825,000 for years 2 and 3 for notification by mail, assumes a 25 percent turnout rate (most recent Division of Elections estimate of the percentage of ballots cast) of the approximate 6,000,000 registered voters in New Jersey who vote in primary and other elections and regular first class postage cost of $0.55 per letter sent. .

      County boards of elections may experience an increase in workload to email the status of mail-in ballots to all voters who vote by mail-in ballot resulting in an indeterminate increase in costs.

 

 

Section:

State Government

Analyst:

Kimberly M. Clemmensen

Lead Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Frank W. Haines III

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).