Establishes public awareness campaign concerning federal rules for US Postal Service postmark and its effect on mail-in ballots; directs Secretary of State to evaluate adequacy of mail-in ballot drop box placement and usage; appropriates $100,000.

A4863

ASSEMBLY, No. 4863

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED MAY 4, 2026

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman� LINDA S. CARTER

District 22 (Somerset and Union)

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblyman Scharfenberger

SYNOPSIS

���� Establishes public awareness campaign concerning
federal rules for US Postal Service postmark and its effect on mail-in ballots;
directs Secretary of State to evaluate adequacy of mail-in ballot drop box
placement and usage; appropriates $100,000.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act

concerning the mailing and receipt of mail-in
ballots, supplementing P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-1 et seq.), and making an
appropriation.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.� a.� The Secretary of State
shall establish a public awareness campaign to inform the general public about
the federal rules defining the United States Postal Service postmark and its
potential impacts on the postmark of mail-in ballots.� The campaign shall, at a
minimum, provide information on:

���� (1)� the United States Postal
Service postmark definition;

���� (2)� the potential for a
postmark to be applied on a date other than the date when mail was provided to
the United States Postal Service;

���� (3)� the potential
consequences for mail having a postmark date that is later than the date that
an individual provided the mail to the United States Postal Service, including,
but not limited to, mail-in ballots not being canvassed, pursuant to section 22
of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-22); and

���� (4)� the option for
individuals to deposit mail-in ballots in ballot drop boxes or to request free
manual postmarks at a post office retail location.

���� b.� The Secretary of State
shall implement a public awareness campaign about the impacts of the United
States Postal Service postmark definition through media outlets and the
department�s Internet website, no later than 60 days after the enactment of P.L. ,
c.���� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill). �Such media
outlets shall include, but need not be limited to: Statewide newspapers, radio,
public service announcements, social media, television advertisements, and any
other media outlets deemed appropriate by the Secretary of State.

���� 2.� The Secretary of State
shall, in collaboration with all county boards of elections in this State,
within 90 days of the effective date of P.L.��� , c.���� (C.������� ) (pending
before the Legislature as this bill), assess the placement of mail-in ballot
drop boxes in each county to ensure the locations meet the provisions of
section 1 of P.L.2020, c.72 (C.19:63-16.1) and evaluate the usage of such drop
boxes to ensure their placement meets the current needs of voters.� Based on
the evaluation, the secretary shall issue a report containing findings and
recommendations to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164
(C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature concerning any statutory changes deemed
necessary to the current law, including, but not limited to, changes to the
number and location of ballot drop boxes.

���� 3.� There is appropriated from
the General Fund to the Department of State the sum of $100,000 to develop and
implement the public awareness campaign established pursuant to P.L.��� ,
c.���� (C.������� ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

���� 4.� This act shall take effect
immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires the
Secretary of State to establish a public awareness campaign concerning the
federal rules defining the United States Postal Service (USPS) postmark and its
potential impacts on the postmark of mail-in ballots.

���� In December 2025, the USPS
finalized a rule establishing section 608.11 of the Domestic Mail Manual, which
defines postmarks, identifies the types of USPS markings that qualify as
postmarks, and describes the circumstances under which those markings are applied.�
Because the date postmarked on a mailed item may be later than when the mail is
first received by the USPS, the rule also advises customers on how to obtain
evidence of the date on which the USPS accepts possession of their mail,
including requesting a free, manual postmark.� Although the USPS advises that
the language in the manual does not change any existing postal operations or
postmarking practices, the new language is intended to advance public
understanding of postmarks and their relationship to the date of mailing.�

���� The bill provides that the
Secretary of State will develop and implement a public awareness campaign about
the impacts of postmark dates on mail-in ballots through the department�s
Internet website and media outlets, which will include, but not be limited to:
Statewide newspapers, radio, public service announcements, social media, and television
advertisements.�

���� Under current law, every
mail-in ballot that bears a postmark date before or of the day of election and
that is received by the county board within 144 hours after the time of the
closing of the polls is considered valid and canvassed.� The public awareness
campaign will inform the public of the risk of a mail-in ballot not being
accepted if it is postmarked after election day, despite being mailed by
election day.� A voter has the option to request a manual postmark to ensure
the mail-in ballot is postmarked by election day.� The campaign will also
inform the public that voters may also deposit their mail-in ballots in ballot
drop boxes without being impacted by the USPS postmark processes.

���� The bill requires the
Secretary of State, in collaboration with all county boards of elections in
this State, to assess ballot drop box placement in each county and evaluate the
usage of such drop boxes to ensure their placement meets the current needs of
voters.� Based on the evaluation, the secretary is required to issue a report
to the Governor and the Legislature concerning any statutory changes deemed
necessary to the current law, including changes to the number and location of
ballot drop boxes.

The bill also
appropriates $100,000 from the General Fund to the Department of State to
develop and implement the public awareness campaign.