Signed by Governor Phil Murphy

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that requires an in-person early voting period for certain elections.

Highlights:

• Establishes the results of the voted ballots cast during early voting will remain confidential and will be disclosed only following the statutes, regulations, and guidelines concerning the disclosure of election results, and a violation will be subject to the penalties established by law (Sec. 1.g-1).

• Specifies every provisional ballot voted in each such election and determined by a county board to be valid shall be counted and will be part of the official tally of the results of the election (Sec. 2-4).

• Requires a county board of elections to post a voter information notice, which will be referred to as a voter's bill of rights, in a conspicuous location in each polling place [before the opening of the polls on the day of any election] and each specially designated polling place used for early voting before voting begins (Sec. 9-1.a).

• Establishes the county clerk in counties having a superintendent of elections will also deliver to the county board no later than the 7th day preceding the start of the early voting period for the general election sample ballots of each election district of each municipality in the county (Sec. 19:14-21.c).

• Authorizes the county clerk to provide for the electronic display of sample ballots at each early voting location during the early voting period for the general election (Sec. 19:14-21.d).

• Requires, at least 1 week before the start of the early voting period for any primary, local, or general election two sets of official ballots to be provided for each voting machine, for each polling place, for each election district, for use in and upon the voting machine (Sec. 19:49-3).

• Establishes the rules, regulations, and instructions regarding the examination, testing, and use of electronic poll books, including rules regarding the security and protection of the information stored in such electronic poll books, to each county commissioner of registration and board of elections (Sec. 19).

• Establishes a voter is permitted to vote by provisional ballot if the electronic poll book ceases to operate (Sec. 20-3).

• Authorizes a municipality holding municipal elections on the second Tuesday in May, in addition to those elections and by an ordinance adopted by its governing body, may also conduct early voting for those municipal elections (Sec. 21-3).

• Authorizes a contracting unit to procure qualified vendors to develop, implement, or produce any hardware, software, or equipment, any change to its Internet website, or any supporting systems or services ahead of the 2021 general election to facilitate early voting as quickly and efficiently as possible (Sec. 23).

Full Bill Text