Bill Text: NJ A4875 | 2016-2017 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Requires gubernatorial candidates' statements be posted online.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-07-21 - Approved P.L.2017, c.177. [A4875 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2016-A4875-Chaptered.html
An Act requiring gubernatorial candidates' statements to be posted online and amending P.L.1974, c.26.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 12 of P.L.1974, c.26 (C.19:44A-37) is amended to read as follows:
12. The Election Law Enforcement Commission shall, on or before the forty-fifth day prior to the date on which the general election is to be held, supply each county clerk with the text of statements from each candidate for election to the office of Governor. Each candidate for the office of Governor who wishes a statement [mailed] to be posted on the county clerk's website on his behalf shall submit to the commission, on forms provided by it, his proposed statement which shall not exceed 500 words in length. Each county clerk shall cause the statements submitted by all such candidates to be [printed and mailed with the sample ballot for the general election to each registered voter in the county] posted on the county clerk's website in a conspicuous location and available as a hardcopy upon request, with a short explanation prepared by the commission that such statements are provided pursuant to this law to assist the voters of this State in making their determination among the candidates for the office of Governor. The statements shall also be posted in a conspicuous location on the websites of the Division of Elections and the Election Law Enforcement Commission.
The sample ballot shall note that gubernatorial statements are available upon request to the county clerk, on the county clerk's website and the websites of the Division of Elections and the Election Law Enforcement Commission.
The cost of [printing and mailing] posting such statements shall be paid for by the counties; except that any cost to the counties resulting from the [printing and mailing] posting of such statements shall be reimbursed from State funds appropriated to the commission for that purpose on claim therefor made by the county clerk to the commission.
(cf: P.L.1980, c.74, s.12)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires that statements from candidates for election to the office of Governor be posted online. Under the bill, the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) would provide each county clerk with a statement from each candidate for election to the office of Governor who wishes to provide a statement to the public. The bill would require county clerks, the Division of Elections, and ELEC to post those statements on their respective Internet websites in a conspicuous location, and to make the statements available as a hardcopy upon request.
Under current law, ELEC provides each county clerk with statements submitted by candidates for election to the office of Governor, which the county clerks then print and mail to each registered voter with the sample ballot for the general election.
Requires gubernatorial candidates' statements be posted online.
