Bill Text: NJ A5775 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Requires automatic recount for elections with vote difference less than 0.5 percent.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-05-18 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee [A5775 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-A5775-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman SERENA DIMASO
District 13 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Requires automatic recount for elections with vote difference less than 0.5 percent.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning recounts following elections and amending R.S.19:28-1.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.19:28-1 is amended to read as follows:
19:28-1. a. When any candidate at any election shall have reason to believe that an error has been made in counting the votes of that election, the candidate may, within a period of 17 days following such election, apply to a judge of the Superior Court assigned to the county wherein such district or districts are located, for a recount of the votes cast at the election in any district or districts.
b. When ten voters at any election shall have reason to believe that an error has been so made in counting the votes upon any public question at any election, such voters may, within a period of 17 days following such election, apply to a judge of the Superior Court assigned to the county wherein such district or districts are located, for a recount of the votes cast at the election in any district or districts on such public question.
c. When the results of any election is decided by a vote differential of less than 0.5 percent, an automatic recount of the votes cast at the election in any district or districts shall occur within 48 hours following the initial results of that election. The appropriate board of elections or boards of elections, or persons designated by those boards, shall conduct the automatic recount. The State shall incur the costs of conducting an automatic recount required pursuant to this subsection.
(P.L.2018, c.72, s.12)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill requires an automatic recount of the results of any election with a vote difference of less than 0.5 percent.
Under current law, recounts can be requested by a candidate for office or by a group of ten voters at any election. The candidate or voters are required to apply for a recount to the appropriate Superior Court.
This bill would require an automatic recount when the results of any election is decided by a vote differential of less than 0.5 percent. The recount would occur within 48 hours following the initial results of that election. The appropriate board of elections or boards of elections, or those designated by the boards, would conduct the automatic recount. The State would incur the costs of conducting an automatic recount.
