Bill Text: NJ A3863 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Extends petition filing deadline by two weeks for all candidates, and waives signature requirements for candidates for party office, for 2020 primary election.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2020-03-16 - Received in the Senate without Reference, 2nd Reading [A3863 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A3863-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman ERIC HOUGHTALING
District 11 (Monmouth)
Assemblywoman JOANN DOWNEY
District 11 (Monmouth)
Assemblyman VINCENT MAZZEO
District 2 (Atlantic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson
SYNOPSIS
Extends petition filing deadline by two weeks for all candidates, and waives signature requirements for candidates for party office, for 2020 primary election.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the deadline for filing nominating petitions for any candidate, and the number of signatures required to nominate a candidate for party office, for the 2020 primary election.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Notwithstanding any provision of R.S.19:23-8, or any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, for the 2020 primary election, the number of voter signatures required in a petition to nominate a candidate for party office shall be waived, except that such petition shall have at least one signer.
2. a. Notwithstanding any provision of R.S.19:23-14, or any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, for the 2020 primary election, a petition filed before 4:00 PM of the 64th day next preceding the primary election may contain fewer than the number of voter signatures required by law, provided the candidate filing such petition submits the remaining number of required signatures not later than 8:00 AM on the 50th day preceding the primary election.
b. Notwithstanding any provision of R.S.19:23-14, or section 1 of P.L.1945, c.68 (C.19:23-22.1), or any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, for petitions submitted not later than 8:00 AM on the 50th day preceding the 2020 primary election as provided under subsection a. of this section, the municipal clerk shall certify to the county clerk the full and correct names and addresses of all candidates for nomination for public and party office and the name of the political party of which such persons are candidates together with their slogan and designation not later than the close of business on the 50th day preceding the primary election for the general election.
c. Notwithstanding any provision of R.S.19:23-21, or any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, for petitions submitted not later than 8:00 AM on the 50th day preceding the 2020 primary election as provided under subsection a. of this section, the Secretary of State shall certify the names of the persons indorsed in the petitions filed in the secretary's office to the clerks of counties concerned thereby not later than the close of business on the 50th day prior to the holding of the primary election, specifying in such certificate the political parties to which the persons so nominated in the petitions belong.
d. Notwithstanding any
provision of R.S.19:23-22, or any other law, rule, or regulation to the
contrary, for petitions submitted not later than 8:00 AM on the 50th day
preceding the 2020 primary election as provided under subsection a. of this
section, the county
clerk shall certify all of the persons so certified to the county clerk by the Secretary of State and in addition the names of all persons indorsed in petitions filed in the county clerk's office to the clerk of each municipality concerned thereby in the county clerk's respective county not later than the close of business on the 50th day prior to the time fixed by law for the holding of the primary election, specifying in such certificate the political party to which the person or persons so nominated belong.
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill extends the petition filing deadline by two weeks for all candidates, and waives signature requirements for candidates for party office, for the 2020 primary election only.
Under current law, candidates for county committee are required to comply with the number of signatures required under current law, as specified in R.S.19:23-8 and in the by-laws of the party. This bill would waive the signature requirements for candidates for party office, but would require their nominating petitions to have at least one signature.
Under current law, R.S.19:23-14, candidates are required to submit their petitions to the municipal clerk, county clerk, or Secretary of State, as the case may be, before 4:00 PM of the 64th day next preceding the primary election (March 30, 2020). This bill provides that, for the 2020 primary election, such petitions may contain fewer than the number of voter signatures required by law, provided the candidate filing such petition submits the remaining number of required signatures not later than 8:00 AM on the 50th day preceding the 2020 primary election (April 13, 2020). The municipal clerk, county clerk, and Secretary of State, as the case may be, would certify such petitions by the close of business on that same day. Normally, certifications by the municipal clerks and the Secretary of State occur not later than the 54th day before the primary election (April 9, 2020), or by the county clerk on the 53rd day (April 10, 2020).
