Permits voter registration up to 14 days before election.

A1680

ASSEMBLY, No. 1680

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman VERLINA REYNOLDS-JACKSON

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Venezia

SYNOPSIS

���� Permits voter registration up to 14 days before
election.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative
Counsel.

��

An Act

changing the voter registration deadline, and
amending various parts of the statutory law.

����
Be It Enacted

by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� R.S.19:12-7 is amended
to read as follows:

���� 19:12-7. a. The county board
in each county shall cause to be published in a newspaper or newspapers which,
singly or in combination, are of general circulation throughout the county, a
notice containing the information specified in subsection b. hereof, except for
such of the contents as may be omitted pursuant to subsection c. or d. hereof.�
Such notice shall be published once during the 30 days next preceding the day
fixed for the closing of the registration books for the primary election, once
during the calendar week preceding the week in which the early voting period
for the primary election for the general election begins, once during the 30
days next preceding the day fixed for the closing of the registration books for
the general election, and once during the calendar week preceding the week in
which the early voting period for the general election begins.

���� b.��� Such notice shall set
forth:

���� (1)�� For the primary election
for the general election:

���� (a)�� That a primary election
for making nominations for the general election, for the selection of members
of the county committees of each political party, and in each presidential year
for the selection of delegates and alternates to national conventions of
political parties, will be held on the day and between the hours provided for
by or pursuant to this Title, and the days, hours, and places at which early
voting shall be available in the county.

���� (b)�� The place or places at
which and hours during which a person may register, the procedure for the
transfer of registration, and the date on which the books are closed for
registration or transfer of registration.

���� (c)�� The several State,
county, municipal and party offices or positions to be filled, or for which
nominations are to be made, at such primary election.

���� (d)�� The existence of
registration and voting aids, including: (i) the availability of registration
and voting instructions at places of registration as provided under
R.S.19:31-6; and (ii), if available, the accessibility of voter information to
the deaf by means of a telecommunications device.

���� (e)�� The availability of
assistance to a person unable to vote due to blindness, disability or inability
to read or write.

���� (f)�� In the case of the
notice published during the calendar week preceding the week in which the early
voting period for the primary election begins, that a voter who, prior to the
election, shall have moved within the same county without (i) filing, on or before
the
[
21st
]

14th

day preceding the election, a notice of change of residence with the
commissioner of registration of the county or the municipal clerk of the
municipality in which the voter resides on the day of the election, (ii)
returning the confirmation notice sent to the voter by the commissioner of
registration of the county, if such a notice has been sent to the voter, or
(iii) otherwise notifying the commissioner of registration of the voter's
change of address within the county shall be permitted to correct the voter's
registration and to vote in the primary election by provisional ballot at the
polling place of the district in which the voter resides on the day of the
election.� The notice shall further provide that the voter may contact the
county commissioner of registration or municipal clerk or may view polling
place location information on the Division of Elections website to determine
the proper polling place location for the voter.

���� (2)�� For the general
election:

���� (a)�� That a general election
will be held on the day and between the hours provided for by or pursuant to
this Title, and the days, hours and places at which early voting shall be
available in the county, and, where applicable, shall include annual school elections
and annual fire district elections held on that date.

���� (b)�� The place or places at
which and hours during which a person may register, the procedure for transfer
of registration, and the date on which the books are closed for registration or
transfer of registration.

���� (c)�� The several State,
county and municipal offices, and where applicable, school board offices and
fire district offices to be filled, notice of any school district propositions
to be submitted to the people and, except as provided in R.S.19:14-33 of this Title
as to publication of notice of any Statewide proposition directed by the
Legislature to be submitted to the people, the State, county, municipal and
fire district public questions to be voted upon at such general election.

���� (d)�� The existence of
registration and voting aids, including: (i) the availability of registration
and voting instructions at places of registration as provided under
R.S.19:31-6; and (ii) the accessibility of voter information to the deaf by
means of a telecommunications device.

���� (e)�� The availability of
assistance to a person unable to vote due to blindness, disability or inability
to read or write.

���� (f)�� In the case of the
notice published during the calendar week preceding the week in which the early
voting period for the general election begins, that a voter who, prior to the
election, shall have moved within the same county without (i) filing, on or before
the
[
21st
]

14th

day preceding the election, a notice of change of residence with the
commissioner of registration of the county or the municipal clerk of the
municipality in which the voter resides on the day of the election, (ii)
returning the confirmation notice sent to the voter by the commissioner of
registration of the county, if such a notice has been sent to the voter, or
(iii) otherwise notifying the commissioner of registration of the voter's
change of address within the county shall be permitted to correct the voter's
registration and to vote in the general election by provisional ballot at the
polling place of the district in which the voter resides on the day of the
election.� The notice shall further provide that the voter may contact the
county commissioner of registration or municipal clerk or may view polling
place location information on the Division of Elections website to determine
the proper polling place location for the voter.

���� (3)�� For a school election:

���� (a)�� The day and time
thereof,

���� (b)�� The offices, if any, to
be filled at the election,

���� (c)�� The substance of any
public question to be submitted to the voters thereat,

���� (d)�� That a voter who, prior
to the election, shall have moved within the same county without (i) filing, on
or before the
[
21st
]

14th

day preceding the election, a notice of change of residence with the
commissioner of registration of the county or the municipal clerk of the
municipality in which the voter resides on the day of the election, (ii)
returning the confirmation notice sent to the voter by the commissioner of
registration of the county, if such a notice has been sent to the voter, or
(iii) otherwise notifying the commissioner of registration of the voter's
change of address within the county shall be permitted to correct the voter's
registration and to vote in the school election by provisional ballot at the
polling place of the district in which the voter resides on the day of the
election,

���� (e)�� That if the voter has
any questions as to where to vote on the day of the election, the voter may
contact the county commissioner of registration or municipal clerk or may view
polling place location information on the Division of Elections website to determine
the proper polling place location for the voter; and

���� (f)�� Such other information
as may be required by law.

���� c.���� If such publication is
made in more than one newspaper, it shall not be necessary to duplicate in the
notice published in each such newspaper all the information required under this
section, so long as:

���� (1)�� The municipal officers
or party positions to be filled, or nominations made, or municipal public
questions to be voted upon by the voters of any municipality, shall be set
forth in at least one newspaper having general circulation in such
municipality;

���� (2)�� All offices to be
filled, or nominations made therefor, or public questions to be voted upon, by
the voters of the entire State or of the entire county shall be set forth in a
newspaper or newspapers which, singly or in combination, have general circulation
throughout the county;

���� (3)�� Information relating to
nominations and elections in each Legislative District comprised in whole or
part in the county, shall be published in at least a newspaper or newspapers
which singly or in combination, have general circulation in every municipality
of the county which is comprised in such legislative district.

���� d.��� Such part or parts of
the original notices as published which pertain to day of registration or
primary election which has occurred shall be eliminated from such notice in
succeeding insertions.

���� e.���� (Deleted by amendment,
P.L.1999, c.232.)

���� f.���� The cost of publishing
the notices required by this section shall be paid by the respective counties,
unless otherwise provided for by law.

���� g.��� Notices required to be
published or posted pursuant to this section shall set forth a general
description of the contents of the voter information notice provided for in
section 1 of P.L.2005, c.149 (C.19:12-7.1), how the notice may be viewed or
obtained prior to the day of an election, and that the notice will be posted in
each polling place on the day of an election.

(cf: P.L.2021, c.40, s.8)

���� 2.��� Section 6 of P.L.1991,
c.249 (C.19:15-18.3) is amended to read as follows:

���� 6.��� Any person whose name
does not appear on a challenge list prepared by the superintendent of elections
of the county but who is challenged and denied the right to vote on the day of
a municipal, primary, general, or special election by a duly authorized challenger
or by a member of a district board of elections, may apply to a Superior Court
judge sitting at the county seat for permission to vote.� No papers need be
filed; the court shall entertain oral applications.� The challenged voter may
appear pro se or with counsel.� The challenger or the member of the district
board, as the case may be, may appear or be represented by counsel.� The
challenged voter shall be permitted to state by oath or affirmation the facts
which the voter believes establish eligibility to vote, shall furnish a copy of
the affidavit the voter signed when challenged, a copy of the affidavit signed
by the challenger and the identifying document found invalid by the challenger
and the district board.� The rules of evidence shall not apply to those
proceedings.� The judge shall grant the application and provide the challenged
voter with written authorization to vote on that day if the judge finds the
following facts to be established by the testimony of the applicant or, in the
case of a dispute of facts or some questions as to the challenged voter's
credibility, by a preponderance of the following evidence:

���� a.���� The challenged voter is
at least 18 years old and a citizen of the United States and of this State, has
resided in the county at least 30 days prior to the date of the election, and
has not been convicted of a crime which would disenfranchise a person under the
laws of this State, and either:

���� b.��� The challenged voter is
properly registered at his location; or

���� c.���� The challenged voter
was properly registered at his location as of the last election at which the
challenged voter voted but has moved to another location within the county
since then and in good faith attempted to register at the new address within
the time prescribed by law.

���� For the purposes of this
section, a good faith attempt to register shall include: completing the
prescribed registration form no later than
[
21
]

14

days before the election in the presence of a person who appears to be over 18
years old and says that he or she can and will witness the form and mail it to
the register for the applicant; completing a form received in the mail from the
commissioner of registration, superintendent of elections or the county board
which states that information has been received that the applicant has moved
and placing the completed form in a proper mailbox with proper postage, if
necessary, no later than
[
21
]

14
days
before the election; completing a registration form in any government office;
and reasonably relying upon the oral statements of an official at a polling
place that they will insure proper reregistration.

���� The judge of the Superior
Court having the application shall cause a full record of the proceeding to be
taken stenographically, transcribed and filed in the office of the county clerk
of the county, which record shall be open and public record.� All costs and
expenses of such proceedings shall be paid by the county.

(cf: P.L.2005, c.139, s.5)

���� 3.��� R.S.19:31-2 is amended
to read as follows:

���� 19:31-2.����� In all counties
having a superintendent of elections, the superintendent of elections is hereby
constituted the commissioner of registration and in all other counties the
secretary of the county board is hereby constituted the commissioner of
registration.

���� The commissioner of
registration shall have complete charge of the registration of all eligible
voters within their respective counties.� Pursuant to the provisions of section
2 of P.L.2005, c.145 (C.19:31-32), the commissioner of registration shall be responsible
for adding to, deleting from, amending and maintaining the records of persons
registered to vote in the commissioner's county contained in the Statewide
voter registration system established pursuant to section 1 of that act.

���� The commissioner of
registration shall have power to appoint temporarily, and the commissioner of
registration in counties of the first class having more than 800,000
inhabitants shall have power to appoint on a permanent, or temporary basis,
such number of persons, as in the commissioner's judgment may be necessary in
order to carry out the provisions of this Title.� All persons appointed by the
commissioner of registration in counties of the first class having more than
850,000 inhabitants according to the latest federal decennial census to serve
for terms of more than six months in any one year shall be in the career
service of the civil service and shall be appointed, and hold their positions,
in accordance with the provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service.� All persons
appointed by the commissioner of registration in counties of the first class
having more than 600,000 but less than 850,000 inhabitants according to the
latest federal decennial census to serve for terms of more than six months in
any one year, other than the chief deputy and chief clerk and confidential
secretary and chief custodian, shall be in the career service of the civil
service and shall be appointed and hold their positions, in accordance with the
provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service.� Persons appointed by the commissioner
of registration in such counties to serve for terms of six months or less in
any one year and persons appointed by the commissioner of registration shall
not be subject to any of the provisions of Title 11A, Civil Service, but shall
be in the unclassified service.

���� In each county the
commissioner of registration shall submit to the
[
Attorney General
]

Secretary
of State
on or before February 15 of each year a plan providing for evening
registration for the primary election and on or before July 1 plans providing
for evening registration for the general election, which plans shall be subject
to approval by the
[
Attorney
General
]

Secretary of State
.� Evening registration shall be made available in the
office of each commissioner of registration between the hours of 4 p.m. and 9
p.m. on the
[
21st
]

14th

day preceding the primary and general elections and, in any year in which
municipal elections are to be held in any municipality within the county, on
the
[
21st
]

14th

day preceding those municipal elections.

���� In each county, the
commissioner of registration may also establish a plan for out-of-office
registration, including door-to-door registration.

���� Nothing in this section shall
preclude the commissioner from providing pursuant to plan evening registration
in excess of the requirements of this section, or shall preclude or in any way
limit out-of-office registration conducted by persons or groups other than the
commissioner.

���� The commissioner of
registration shall provide such printed forms, blanks, supplies and office
telephone and transportation equipment as are necessary in the opinion of the
commissioner to carry out the provisions of this Title and any amendments or
supplements thereto.

���� Subject to the limitations set
forth in chapter 32 of this Title, all necessary expenses incurred, as and when
certified and approved by the commissioner of registration shall be paid by the
county treasurer of the county.

���� Nothing in the provisions of
subtitle 2 of the Title, Municipalities and Counties (R.S.40:16-1 et seq.),
shall in anywise be construed to affect, restrict or abridge the powers herein
conferred on the commissioners of registration of the several counties.

���� All powers granted to the
commissioner in all counties not having superintendents of elections by the
provisions of this Title are hereby conferred on the county board in such
counties and any and all duties conferred upon the commissioner in all counties
not having a superintendent of elections by the provisions of this Title shall
only be exercised and performed by such commissioner under the instructions and
directions of and subject to the approval of the county board of such counties.

(cf: P.L. 2005, c.145, s.7)

���� 4.��� Section 2 of P.L.1994,
c.170 (C.19:31-3.3) is amended to read as follows:

���� 2.��� The commissioner may
eliminate the use of the duplicate permanent registration binders and may
authorize and direct the use at the polls in place of such a binder, as a
signature copy register for the purposes of this Title and Title 40 of the
Revised Statutes, of a polling record which identifies on each page the
election at which the record is used, which indicates for each registrant the
name, address, and date of birth of the registrant and identifies the
municipality and the particular election district therein from which the person
is registered, and which includes adjacent to the registrant's name and address
an imprint of the digitalized image of the registrant's signature and
sufficient space, immediately to the left or right of that imprint, for the
registrant to sign the record, which imprint and signature shall be used as the
signature comparison record as prescribed by this Title.� The polling record
shall also include for each registrant the registrant's date of birth, an
indication of whether the registrant has applied for a mail-in ballot in that
election, and a place to indicate whether the registrant has provided
identification pursuant to R.S.19:15-17, if such identification is required.�
The polling record shall also include for each registrant sufficient space for
the notation of remarks as provided by R.S.19:15-23 and for the recording of
any challenge and the determination thereof by the district board as provided
by R.S.19:15-24, or by other elections officials charged with the same duties
as the district board in connection with the conduct of an election.� In the
case of a primary election, the polling record shall also indicate for each
registrant the political party, if any, of which the registrant is a member for
the purpose of voting at that primary election.

���� Polling records for each
election shall be prepared by the commissioner of registration not later than
the
[
10th
]

8th

day preceding the election.� At each election, the delivery of the polling
records to the municipal clerk and to the district boards or other elections
officials charged with the same duties as the district board in connection with
the conduct of an election, and the return of those records by the district
boards or such other elections officials to the commissioner of registration,
shall be made in the manner prescribed by the commissioner.

���� The commissioner of
registration shall retain the polling records for any election for a period of
not less than six years following that election.

(cf: P.L.2009, c.79, s.31)

���� 5.��� R.S.19:31-6 is amended
to read as follows:

���� 19:31-6. Any person qualified
to vote in an election shall be entitled to vote in the election if the person
shall have registered to vote on or before the
[
21st
]

14th
day preceding the
election by:

���� a.���� registering in person
at any offices designated by the commissioner of registration for providing and
receiving registration forms;

���� b.��� completing a voter
registration form while applying for a motor vehicle driver's license from an
agent of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, as provided for in section 24
of P.L.1994, c.182 (C.39:2-3.2);

���� c.���� completing and
returning to the Secretary of State or having returned thereto a voter
registration form received from a voter registration agency, as defined in
subsection a. of section 26 of P.L.1994, c.182 (C.19:31-6.11), while applying
for services or assistance or seeking a recertification, renewal or change of
address at an office of that agency;

���� d.��� completing and returning
to the Secretary of State a voter registration form obtained from a public
agency, as defined in subsection a. of section 15 of P.L.1974, c.30
(C.19:31-6.3);

���� e.���� completing and
returning to the Secretary of State or having returned thereto a voter
registration form received from a door-to-door canvass or mobile registration
drive, as provided for in section 19 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.7);

���� f.���� completing and
returning to the Secretary of State a federal mail voter registration form, as
prescribed in subsection (b) of section 9 of the "National Voter
Registration Act of 1993,"

(42 U.S.C. s. 1973gg et seq.);

���� g.��� completing and returning
to the Secretary of State or the appropriate county clerk an application for a
federal postcard application form to register to vote, as permitted pursuant to
the "Overseas Absentee Voting Act" (42 U.S.C. s.1973ff-1 et seq.) and
section 4 of P.L.1976, c.23 (C.19:59-4);

���� h.��� completing a provisional
ballot affirmation statement and voting the provisional ballot in the previous
election, if the person who submitted the provisional ballot in that election
is determined not to be a registered voter; or

���� i.���� completing and
submitting an online voter registration form available on the Secretary of
State's Internet website, as provided under section 1 of P.L.2019, c.382
(C.19:31-6.4c).

���� When the commissioner has
designated a place or places other than his office for receiving registrations,
the commissioner shall cause to be published a notice in a newspaper circulated
in the municipality wherein such place or places of registration shall be
located.� Such notice shall be published pursuant to R.S.19:12-7.

���� Any office designated by the
commissioner of registration for receiving registration forms shall have
displayed, in a conspicuous location, registration and voting instructions.�
These instructions shall be the same as those provided for polling places under
R.S.19:9-2 and shall be provided by the commissioner.

(cf: P.L.2019, c.382, s.2)

���� 6.��� Section 1 of P.L.1966,
c.177 (C.19:31-6.1) is amended to read as follows:

���� 1.��� Notwithstanding any
other provisions of the Title to which this act is a supplement, any person
authorized by law to accept applications for voter registration shall accept,
during the
[
20-day
]

13-day

period prior to any election, the application for registration of all eligible
voters who shall personally appear for registration before such person, or the
registration card mailed or delivered to such person, but no eligible voter so
registered shall be entitled to vote in the election immediately following said

[
20-day
]

13-day

period. Any person registered under the provisions of this act shall be advised
that he will not be eligible to vote in the election immediately forthcoming
but will be eligible to vote in elections held thereafter.

���� Applications for registration
pursuant to the provisions of this act shall be received at such place or
places as may be designated by any duly authorized election official.

(cf: P.L.2005, c.139, s.9)

���� 7.��� Section 15 of P.L.1974,
c.30 (C.19:31-6.3) is amended to read as follows:

���� 15.� a.� As used in this
section, "public agency" shall mean:

���� The Division of Worker's
Compensation, the Division of Employment Services and the Division of
Unemployment and Temporary Disability Insurance, established initially by
section 5 of P.L.1948, c.446 (C.34:1A-5), in the Department of Labor and
Workforce Development;

���� The Division of Taxation in
the Department of the Treasury, continued under section 24 of P.L.1948, c.92
(C.52:18A-24);

���� The New Jersey Transit
Corporation, established pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1979, c.150 (C.27:25-4);

���� Any free county library
established under the provisions of

article 1 of chapter 33 of Title 40 of the Revised Statutes;

���� Any regional library
established under the provisions of P.L.1962, c.134 (C.40:33-13.3 et seq.);

���� Any free public library
established under the provisions of article 1 of chapter 54 of Title 40 of the
Revised Statutes;

���� Any joint free public library
established under the provisions of P.L.1959, c.155 (C.40:54-29.3 et seq.);

���� Any public institution of
higher education as included under the provisions of N.J.S.18A:62-1;

���� Any eligible institution, as
defined by subsection a. of section 3 of P.L.1979, c.132 (C.18A:72B-17), that
receives financial assistance, aid, or grants from State funds;

���� Any office or commercial
establishment where State licenses or permits, other than licenses or permits
issued by a professional or occupational board established under the laws of
this State, are available to individual members of the public; and

���� Any recruitment office of the
New Jersey National Guard.

���� b.��� Any person entitled to
register to vote may register as a voter in the election district in which that
person resides at any time prior to the
[
21st
]

14th

day preceding any election by completing a registration form described in
section 16 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.4) and submitting the form to the
commissioner of registration of the county wherein the person resides or
alternatively, in the case of a registration form provided by the employees or
agents of a public agency or a voter registration agency, as defined in
subsection a. of section 26 of P.L.1994, c.182 (C.19:31-6.11), to those
employees or agents or to the
[
Attorney
General
]

Secretary of State
.� Any registration form addressed to a commissioner
of registration may be mailed to or delivered to the office of that
commissioner, and in the case of a registration form available at a public
agency, the form shall be mailed to the
[
Attorney
General
]

Secretary of State
or delivered to the commissioner of registration in
the county of the registrant.� A registration form postmarked, stamped or
otherwise marked as having been received from the registration applicant, on or
before the
[
21st
]

14th

day preceding any election shall be deemed timely.

(cf: P.L.2005, c.139, s.10)

���� 8.��� Section 16 of P.L.1974,
c.30 (C.19:31-6.4) is amended to read as follows:

���� 16.� a.� The Secretary of
State shall cause to be prepared and shall provide to each county commissioner
of registration forms of size and weight suitable for mailing, which shall
require the information required by R.S.19:31-3 in substantially the following
form:

VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION

���� Print clearly in ink. Use
ballpoint pen or marker.

���� (1)�� This form is being used
as:

���� [ ]��� New registration

���� [ ]��� Address change��������� [
]������� Name change

���� (2)�� Name:.....................................................

���� ������
...............Last������ First�������� Middle

���� (3)�� Are you a citizen of the
United States of America? []Yes []No

���� (4)�� Will you be 18 years of
age on or before election day? []Yes [] No

���� If you checked 'No' in
response to either of these questions, do not �� complete this form.

���� (5)�� Street Address where you
live:

.........................................................

�

���� Street Address��������� Apt.
No.

.........................................................

���� (6)�� City or Town County Zip
Code

���� (7)�� Address Where You
Receive Your Mail (if different from above):

���� ............................................................

�

���� (8)�� Date of Birth:

���� ......................................................

���� Month���� Day����� Year

���� (9)�� (a)� Telephone Number
(optional)......................

����������� (b)� E-Mail Address
(optional).....................

���� (10) Name and address of Your
Last Voter Registration

���� ............................................................

���� ............................................................

���� ............................................................

���� (11)��� If you are registering
by mail to vote and will be voting for the first time in your current county of
residence, please provide one of the following:

���� (a)�� your New Jersey driver's
license number:................................

���� (b)�� the last four digits of
your Social Security Number....................

���� OR submit with this form a
copy of any one of the following documents: a current and valid photo
identification card; a current utility bill, bank statement, government check,
pay check or any other government or other identifying document that shows your
name and current address. If you do not provide either your New Jersey driver's
license number or the last four digits of your Social Security Number, or
enclose a copy of one of the documents listed above, you will be asked for
identification when voting for the first time, unless you are exempt from doing
so under federal or State law.

���� (12)��� Do you wish to declare
a political party affiliation? (Optional):

����������� [] YES. Name of Party:

����������� [] NO. I do not wish to
declare a political party affiliation at this time.

���� (13) [] I wish to receive a
Mail-in Ballot for all future elections, until I request otherwise in writing.

�

���� (14) Declaration - I swear or
affirm that:

�

���� I am a U.S. citizen.

���� I live at the above address.

�

���� I will be at least 18 years
old on or before the day of the next election.

�

���� I am not serving a sentence of
incarceration due to a conviction for an indictable offense under any federal
or State laws.

���� I UNDERSTAND THAT ANY FALSE OR
FRAUDULENT REGISTRATION MAY SUBJECT ME TO A FINE OF UP TO $15,000, IMPRISONMENT
UP TO FIVE YEARS, OR BOTH PURSUANT TO R.S.19:34-1.

���� ...........................................................

���� Signature or mark of the
registrant����� Date

���� (15)��� If applicant is unable
to complete this form, print the name and address of individual who completed
this form.

...................................................

����������� Name

...................................................

����������� Address

���� In addition, the form may
include notice to the applicant of information and options relating to the
registration and voting process, including but not limited to notice of
qualifications required of a registered voter; notice of the final day by which
a person must be registered to be eligible to vote in an election; notice of
the effect of a failure to provide required identification information; a place
at which the applicant may indicate availability for service as a member of the
district board of elections; a place at which the applicant may indicate
whether he or she requires a polling place which is accessible to individuals
with disabilities and the elderly or whether he or she is legally blind; a
place at which the applicant may indicate a desire to receive additional
information concerning voting by mail; and if the application indicates a
political party affiliation, the voter is permitted to vote in the primary
election of a political party other than the political party in which the voter
was affiliated previously only if the voter registration form with the change
of political party affiliation is filed prior to the 50th day next preceding
the primary election.� The form may also include a space for the voter
registration agency to record whether the applicant registered in person, by
mail or by other means.

���� b.��� The reverse side of the
registration form shall bear the address of the Secretary of State or the
commissioner of registration to whom such form is supplied, and a United States
postal permit the charges upon which shall be paid by the State.

���� c.���� The Secretary of State
shall cause to be prepared registration forms of the size, weight and form
described in subsection a. of this section in both the English and Spanish
language and shall provide such forms to each commissioner of registration of
any county in which there is at least one election district in which bilingual
sample ballots must be provided pursuant to R.S.19:14-21, R.S.19:49-4 or
section 2 of P.L.1965, c.29 (C.19:23-22.4).

���� d.��� The commissioner of
registration shall furnish such registration forms upon request in person to
any person or organization in such reasonable quantities as such person or
organization shall request.� The commissioner shall furnish no fewer than two
such forms to any person upon request by mail or by telephone.

���� e.���� Each such registration
form shall have annexed thereto instructions specifying the manner and method
of registration, and the vote by mail option specified on the form, and stating
the qualifications for an eligible voter.

���� f.���� The Secretary of State
shall also furnish such registration forms and such instructions to the
Director of the Division of Workers' Compensation, the Director of the Division
of Employment Services, and the Director of the Division of Unemployment and Temporary
Disability Insurance in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development; to
the Director of the Division of Taxation in the Department of the Treasury; to
the Executive Director of the New Jersey Transit Corporation; to the
appropriate administrative officer of any other public agency, as defined by
subsection a. of section 15 of P.L.1974, c.30 (C.19:31-6.3); to the Adjutant
General of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs; and to the chief
administrative officer of any voter registration agency, as defined in
subsection a. of section 26 of P.L.1994, c.182 (C.19:31-6.11).

���� g.��� All registration forms
received by the Secretary of State in the mail or forwarded to the Secretary of
State shall be forwarded to the commissioner of registration in the county of
the registrant.� Each such form, and any registration form received otherwise
by a commissioner of registration, shall be forwarded to the county clerk if
the vote by mail option is selected on a form.

���� h.��� An application to
register to vote received from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission or a
voter registration agency, as defined in subsection a. of section 26 of
P.L.1994, c.182

(C.19:31-6.11), shall be deemed to have been timely made for the purpose of
qualifying an eligible applicant as registered to vote in an election if the
date on which the commission or agency shall have received that document in
completed form, as indicated in the lower right hand corner of the form, was
not later than the
[
21st
]

14th

day preceding that election.

���� i.���� Each commissioner of
registration shall make note in the permanent registration file of each voter
who is required to provide the personal identification information required
pursuant to this section, as amended, and R.S.19:15-17, R.S.19:31-5 and

Pub.L.107-252 (42 U.S.C. s.15301 et seq.), to indicate the type of
identification provided by the voter and the date on which it is provided.
[
Prior to the
June 2004 primary election, when such a newly registered voter seeks to vote
for the first time following his or her registration, the voter will be
required to provide such personal identification information.
]
Beginning
with the June 2004 primary election, when such a newly registered voter seeks
to vote for the first time following his or her registration, the voter will
not be required to provide such information if he or she had previously
provided the personal identification information required pursuant to this
section.� The required information shall be collected and stored for the time
and in the manner required pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Secretary
of State.

���� j.���� The Secretary of State
shall amend the voter registration application form if necessary to conform to
the requirements of applicable federal or State law.

���� k.��� In the event that the
name of any political party entered on the voter registration form by a voter
who wishes to declare a political party affiliation is not legible, the
commissioner of registration shall mail the voter a political party declaration
form and a letter explaining that the voter's choice was not understood and
that the voter should complete and return the declaration form in order to be
affiliated with a party.

(cf: P.L.2019, c.270, s.3)

���� 9.��� R.S.19:31-7 is amended
to read as follows:

���� 19:31-7.����� For the
convenience of the voters the respective municipal clerks or their duly
authorized clerk or clerks in all municipalities shall also be empowered to
register applicants for permanent registration up to and including the
[
21st
]

14th

day preceding any election and after any such election in the manner indicated
above, subject to such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the
commissioner, in counties having a superintendent of elections, and the county
board in all other counties.� Duly authorized clerk as used in this section
shall mean a clerk who resides within the municipality and has been approved by
the commissioner or the county board as the case may be.� For this purpose the
commissioner shall forward to each municipal clerk a sufficient supply of
registration forms.� The commissioners shall keep a record of the serial
numbers of these forms and shall periodically make such checks as are necessary
to accurately determine if all such forms are satisfactorily accounted for.�
Each municipal clerk shall transmit daily to the commissioner all of the filled
out registration forms that he may have in his office at the time.

(cf: P.L.2005, c.139, s.12)

���� 10.� R.S.19:31-11 is amended
to read as follows:

���� 19:31-11.��� a.�� In
all counties within the State, change of residence notices shall be made by a
written request, signed by the registrant, forwarded to the commissioner by
mail, and actually received by the commissioner, or by calling in person at the
office of the commissioner or the municipal clerk.� The commissioner shall
provide change of residence notices in card form for the use of any registered
voter moving to another address within the same election district or to another
election district within the same county.� Copies of these notices shall also
be available at the office of the municipal clerk in each municipality.� Each
municipal clerk shall transmit daily to the commissioner all the filled out
change of residence notices that may be in the municipal clerk's office at the
time.� These notices shall be printed upon cards, shall contain a blank form
showing where the applicant last resided and the address and exact location to
which the applicant has moved and shall have a line for the applicant's
signature, printed name and date of birth.� Upon receipt of such change of
residence notice the commissioner shall cause the signature to be compared with
the registration forms of the applicant and, if such signature appears to be of
and by one and the same legal voter, the commissioner shall cause the entry of
the change of residence to be made on those registration forms and the
registrant shall thereupon be qualified to vote in the election district to
which the registrant shall have so moved.� If the commissioner is not satisfied
as to the signature on the request for a change of residence, a confirmation
notice� as prescribed by subsection d. of R.S.19:31-15 shall be sent by mail
with postage prepaid to the registrant at the new address.

���� The application for change of
residence shall be filed with the commissioner or municipal clerk, as the case
may be, on or before the
[
21st
]

14th

day preceding any election.

���� b.��� In any county any voter
who, prior to an election, shall move within the same county after the time
above prescribed for filing an application for change of residence without
having made application for change of residence, or who has not returned a confirmation
notice sent to the voter by the commissioner of registration of the county, if
such a notice has been sent to the voter, or who has not moved since the
previous election but whose registration information is missing or otherwise
deficient, or has otherwise failed to notify the commissioner of registration
of the voter's change of address within the county, shall be permitted to vote
in that election in the district to which the voter has moved, upon making a
written affirmation regarding the change of address at the polling place of the
district in which the voter resides on the day of the election.� No identifying
document shall be required from the voter for this affirmation.� A district
board member shall provide the voter with a provisional ballot, and an envelope
with an affirmation statement that conforms with the requirements for such
documents contained in subsection b. of section 7 of P.L.1999, c.232
(C.19:53C-1).� The voter shall complete the provisional ballot and affirmation
statement, place the ballot in the envelope, seal and return it to the district
board member.� The board member shall review the information in the affirmation
statement for completeness before forwarding it for inspection, tabulation and
notation by the county board of elections, as provided for by sections 7
through 26 of P.L.1999, c.232 (C.19:53C-1 through C.19:53C-20).� The
affirmation statement shall constitute a transfer to the registrant's new
residence for any subsequent election.� However, if the voter has moved from
one residence to another within the same election district at any time, the
voter shall be permitted to vote in such election district at any election in
the same manner as other voters at the polling place upon written affirmation
by the registrant to the district board member of the registrant's change of
address.

���� c.���� A voter who moves from
an election district in one county to an election district in another county
prior to the close of registration preceding an election shall register in the
new county of residence, in accordance with the provisions of R.S.19:31-6, in

order to be permitted to vote.

(cf: P.L.2005, c.139, s.13)

���� 11.� R.S.19:31-13 is amended
to read as follows:

���� 19:31-13.��� Whenever the
registrant after his or her original registration shall change his or her name
due to marriage, divorce, or by judgment of court, the registrant shall in
person or by mail submit to the commissioner of registration a written
statement notifying the commissioner of the change, which statement shall take
such form, and be printed on a postal card suitable for mailing of such design,
as the
[
Attorney
General
]

Secretary of State
shall prescribe and shall be signed by the
registrant.� The commissioner, upon receipt of such a notice of change of name,
shall revise accordingly the name of the registrant as it appears among the
items of information concerning the registrant included on the registrant's
registration forms, shall make a photographic copy of the notice of name change
submitted by the registrant, and shall affix the original notice so submitted
to the registrant's original registration form and the photographic copy of
that notice to the registrant's duplicate registration record.

���� When notice of such change in
name has not been received by or filed with the commissioner prior to the
[
21st
]

14th

day preceding any election, such person may be permitted to vote under the name
under which the person was registered prior to that change at the first
election following such change in name at which the person shall appear to
vote, after signing the signature copy register with both the registered name
and his or her new name.� The commissioner shall then revise accordingly the
name of the registrant as it appears on the registrant's registration forms,
make a photographic copy of the notice, and affix the original and copy of the
notice to the registrant's permanent registration forms as hereinabove
prescribed.

(cf: P.L.2005, c.139, s.14)

���� 12.� R.S.19:31-15 is amended
to read as follows:

���� 19:31-15.��� a.�� Upon
receipt by the commissioner of registration of a county from a registered voter
of that county of a request that the name of the registrant be removed from the
Statewide voter registration system, the commissioner shall so remove the
registrant's name.� Notice by a registered voter to the commissioner of
registration of a county that the registrant has ceased to reside in the State
shall, for the purposes of this subsection, be deemed a request for removal of
the registrant's name from the Statewide voter registration system.

���� b.��� The commissioner of
registration of any county may agree with the United States Postal Service or
its licensee to receive information provided by the Postal Service concerning
the change by any Postal Service customer of that customer's address within the
county.� If it appears from information so received that a Postal Service
customer registered to vote in the county has moved to a different address,
then (1) if that address is within the county, the commissioner shall cause the
registration records of the registrant to be corrected accordingly and shall
transmit to the resident by forwardable mail a notice of the change and a
postage prepaid, pre-addressed return form by which the registrant may verify
or correct the address information, or (2) if that address is not within the
county, the commissioner shall undertake the confirmation notice procedure
prescribed under subsection d. of this section to confirm the change of
address.

���� c.���� The commissioner of
registration of a county shall cause the name of a registrant to be removed
from the Statewide voter registration system if the registrant (1) confirms in
writing, by return of a confirmation notice as prescribed under subsection d. of
this section or by other means, that the registrant has changed residence to a
place outside the State, or (2) has either not notified the commissioner or
failed to respond to a confirmation notice as so prescribed and has not, in any
election during the period beginning on the date on which the commissioner
sends the confirmation notice to the registrant and ending on the day after the
second general election for federal office following that date on which the
notice is sent, (a) voted, or (b) appeared to vote in any county and, if
necessary, correct the official record of the registrant's address.

���� Other than as provided under
subsection a. of this section, the name of a registrant shall not be removed
from the Statewide voter registration system on the ground that the registrant
has changed residence except as provided by this subsection.

���� d.��� A confirmation notice
sent to ascertain whether a registrant continues to reside at the address from
which that registrant is registered to vote shall be a postage prepaid and
pre-addressed return card, sent by forwardable mail, which shall include:� (1)
space on which the registrant's current address may be entered; (2) the
statement "To any voter who continues to reside at the residence address
to which this notice is addressed or who no longer resides at that residence
address but continues to reside in.................. (name of county):� please
mail or personally deliver this postage prepaid card to the commissioner of
registration to whom it is addressed not later than................. (calendar
date of the
[
21st
]

14th

day preceding the next election to be held in the county).� If you do not
return this card by that date, then at any election held subsequent to that
date and on or before................. (calendar date of the day after the
second general election for federal office following that date), you may be
required at the polls to affirm or confirm your address before you are
permitted to vote, and if you do not vote in an election during that period,
your name will be removed from the registry of eligible voters."; and (3)
a statement, the text of which shall be prescribed by the
[
Attorney
General
]

Secretary of State
, setting forth the means by which a registrant who
has changed residence to a county different from that in which is located the
residence to which the notice was originally addressed may retain the right to
vote.

���� e.���� The commissioner of
registration shall correct the registry list of eligible voters in accordance
with change of residence information obtained in conformity with the provisions
of this section.

(cf: P.L.2005, c.145, s.12)

���� 13.� R.S.19:31-18 is amended
to read as follows:

���� 19:31-18.��� On or before the
[
eighth
]

fifth

day preceding any general election the commissioner shall certify and transmit
to the county clerk a complete list of all persons who are registered in each
election district in each municipality in the county together with a statement
as to the number of persons registered in each district.�� The list of
registered voters shall include only the following information for each
registered voter:� name, address, date of birth, political party affiliation,
and voting history.� Except when so ordered by a court, the list of registered
voters shall not include voter signatures.� The list shall be drawn from the
Statewide voter registration system, established pursuant to section 1 of
P.L.2005, c.145 (C.19:31-31).� It shall in figures state the total number of
names of persons registered.� Such lists shall be arranged substantially in the
following form:

Grand Street

���� ���������� Residence
number�������� Name of voter

���� ��������� or other designation

���� �������������������
14������������� Jones, Charles� M.

���� �������������������
15��������������� Smith, John M.

(cf: P.L.2005, c.145, s.13)

���� 14.� R.S.19:31-20 is amended
to read as follows:

���� 19:31-20.��� On or before the
[
eighth
]

fifth

day preceding the primary election for the general election and the general
election, respectively, the commissioner in counties not having a
superintendent of elections, shall deliver to the municipal clerk in each
municipality the signature copy registers for each election district in such
municipality and shall take a receipt for same.� The municipal clerk shall
thereupon deliver at his office, or in any other way he sees fit, such
registers to a member or members of the proper district boards at the same time
and together with the primary for the general election sample ballots or the
general election sample ballots, as the case may be.� The registers shall be
used by the district boards on election days and for the purpose of mailing the
sample ballots.� The commissioner in counties having a superintendent of
elections shall deliver such registers at his office, or in any other way he
may see fit, to the various district boards, taking a receipt for same.

���� Before delivering the
registers the commissioner shall cause to be printed upon a separate sheet or
sheets of paper, to be inserted inside of the front cover of such registers in
conspicuous type, such instructions to election officers regarding the use and
disposition of the binders and forms as he deems necessary.

(cf: P.L.2011, c.134, s.41)

���� 15.� This act shall take
effect on January 1 next following enactment, except that the Secretary of
State and the county commissioners of registration may take such anticipatory
action as may be needed to effectuate the purposes of this act.

STATEMENT

���� Currently, a person eligible
to vote is required to register at least 21 days prior to an election in order
to vote in that election.� This bill would provide that a person eligible to
vote may register up to 14 days prior to an election and vote in that election.

���� The bill would not affect the
constitutional requirement that a person must reside in a county for 30 days
prior to an election in order to be eligible to vote in that election.