Read the full stored bill text
A136
ASSEMBLY, No. 136
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
222nd LEGISLATURE
�
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman AL BARLAS
District 40 (Bergen, Essex and Passaic)
Assemblyman MICHAEL VENEZIA
District 34 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
���� Requires notice be provided upon changes to voter
registration; prohibits changes in party affiliation from being processed after
statutory deadline.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.
��
An Act
concerning changes to voter registration and party
affiliation, and amending and supplementing P.L.1974, c.30.
����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:
���� 1.��� a.� (New section)�
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 17 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.5) or
any other provision of law to the contrary, the commissioner of registration
shall not modify or update the party affiliation of a registered and affiliated
voter after the party affiliation deadline established for any primary election
pursuant to R.S.19:23-45.� The voter�s request to modify or update the voter�s
party affiliation shall be held in abeyance until all votes in the primary
election have been cast and counted.
���� b.��� The commissioner shall
notify any voter who submits a voter registration form indicating a change in
party affiliation within five business days of receiving such voter
registration form that:
���� (1)� the voter�s change in
party affiliation has not been processed;
���� (2)� the voter remains a
member of the political party to which the voter previously belonged; and
���� (3)� the voter is eligible to
vote in the primary election of the political party to which the voter is
affiliated.
���� c.��� Any voter who is denied
the right to vote in the voter�s preferred primary election based upon a voter
registration file that reflects the incorrect party affiliation shall be
allowed to vote via a provisional ballot and shall be provided with information
as to how to initiate judicial review of the voter�s status before a court of
competent jurisdiction.� If, upon review, the district board canvassing the
ballot, the county board of elections, or a judge of the Superior Court or
other judge hearing the voter�s case determines that the voter had lawfully
associated with the voter�s preferred political party prior to the deadline
established pursuant to R.S.19:23-45, then the provisional ballot shall be
counted.
���� d.��� Nothing in this section
shall be construed to prohibit the commissioner from reviewing completed voter
registration forms and updating a voter�s registration with regard to the
voter�s home address, county of residence, or any other information, other than
the voter�s party affiliation, as may be permitted by law.
���� 2.��� Section 17 of P.L.1974,
c.30 (C.19:31-6.5) is amended to read as follows:
���� 17. a. Upon receipt of any
completed registration form, the commissioner of registration shall review it,
and if it is found to be in order, shall:
���� (1)� Send to the registrant
,
within seven business days of receipt of the registration form,
written
notification that such registrant is duly registered to vote.� No registrant
shall be considered a registered voter until the commissioner of registration
reviews the application submitted by the registrant and deems it acceptable.�
On the face of such notification in the upper left-hand corner shall be printed
the words:� "Do Not Forward. Return Postage Guaranteed.� If not delivered
in 2 days, return to the Commissioner of Registration."
���� (2)� In as timely a manner as
possible, enter the information provided for the registrant on the completed
registration form, or electronically transfer the information from an online
voter registration form completed pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2019, c.382 (C.19:31-6.4c),
into the Statewide voter registration system established pursuant to section 1
of P.L.2005, c.145 (C.19:31-31).
���� (3)� Paste, tape, or photocopy
the completed registration form onto an original registration form, and shall
paste or tape a copy of such completed registration form onto a duplicate
registration form, both of which shall be filed as provided in R.S.19:31-10.�
Nothing in this paragraph shall preclude any commissioner of registration from
keeping the original mail registration form on file.
���� (4)� In the case of a
registrant currently registered in another county of this State, notify the
commissioner of registration of such other county to remove the individual's
name from the registry list of voters of the county and place into an
appropriate retention file all registration documents or material relating to
that voter.� The commissioner of registration of the current county of the
registrant shall secure and maintain the entire voting history of that
registrant.
����
(5)� In the case of a
registrant seeking to change party affiliation after the party affiliation
deadline established pursuant to R.S.19:23-45, provide such notification as
required by subsection b. of section 1 of P.L.��� , c.��� (C.������� ) (pending
before the Legislature as this bill).
���� b.��� The commissioner shall
notify a registrant of the reasons for any refusal to approve his registration
within
seven business days of receipt of the registration form
.�
���� c.��� (Deleted by amendment,
P.L.1994, c.182.)
(cf: P.L.2019, c.382, s.3)
���� 3.��� This act shall take
effect January 1 next following the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
���� This bill prohibits the
commissioner of registration in each county from modifying or updating a
voter�s registration with regard to the voter�s party affiliation after the
statutory deadline.� Under current law, in order to vote in a political party�s
primary election, a voter must be deemed to be a member of that party on the
55th day next preceding such primary election.� Voters who are unaffiliated or
newly registered voters are not subject to this deadline.
���� Under the bill, the
commissioner must notify any voter who submits a voter registration form
indicating a change in party affiliation within five business days of receiving
such voter registration form that:
���� (1)� the voter�s change in
party affiliation has not been processed;
���� (2)� the voter remains a
member of the political party to which the voter previously belonged; and
���� (3)� the voter is eligible to
vote in the primary election of the political party to which the voter is
affiliated.
���� Any voter who is denied the
right to vote in their preferred primary election based upon a voter
registration file that reflects the incorrect party affiliation will be allowed
to vote via a provisional ballot and shall be provided with information as to
how to initiate judicial review of the voter�s status before a court of
competent jurisdiction.� If, upon review, the district board canvassing the
ballot, the county board of elections, or a judge of the Superior Court or
other judge hearing the voter�s case determines that the voter had lawfully
associated with the voter�s preferred political party prior to the established
deadline, then the provisional ballot shall be counted.
���� The bill also requires that,
whenever a voter submits a voter registration form, the commissioner of
registration must notify the voter within seven business days of the receipt of
the registration form.