Bill Text: NJ A136 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires notice be provided upon changes to voter registration; prohibits changes in party affiliation from being processed after statutory deadline.
Sponsorship: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Introduced) 2026-01-13 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee [A136 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-A136-Introduced.html
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.
