Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ALISON LITTELL MCHOSE
District 24 (Sussex, Hunterdon and Morris)
Assemblyman JACK CONNERS
District 7 (Burlington and Camden)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Chiusano
SYNOPSIS
Requests that Department of Defense, Federal Voting Assistance Program, and New Jersey election officials provide members of Armed Forces and dependents with certain voting information.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Assembly Resolution requesting the Department of Defense, the Federal Voting Assistance Program, and New Jersey election officials provide members of the Armed Forces and their dependents with certain voting information.
Whereas, Members of the Armed Forces and their dependents deserve every reasonable opportunity to participate in the electoral process given their daily sacrifices to protect our liberty and freedom; and
Whereas, Congress enacted the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act in part to ensure that members of the Armed Forces and their dependents are provided with sufficient information, opportunities, and balloting materials to foster their participation in federal elections; and
Whereas, The Federal Election Assistance Commission found that less than 17 percent of the 6 million citizens eligible under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act chose to participate in the 2006 general election ; and
Whereas, The Federal Election Assistance Commission further found that of the 48,600 Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act ballots that were not counted by States and local jurisdictions in the November 2006 elections, 70 percent were not counted due to incorrect or undeliverable addresses; and
Whereas, The Federal Election Assistance Commission further found that more than 10 percent of all uncounted military and overseas absentee ballots were rejected because they were received past the required deadline; and
Whereas, The Federal Election Assistance Commission further found that more effort needs to be made by the states and the Department of Defense to ensure that members of the Armed Forces and their dependents living overseas are made fully aware of their voting rights; and
Whereas, It is fitting and proper for New Jersey to redouble its efforts to make sure that local jurisdictions collect the mandated information for individuals who are eligible under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and to work in partnership with the federal government to develop best practices for encouraging voter participation among members of the Armed Forces and their dependents living overseas; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Assembly of the State of New Jersey requests the United States Department of Defense, the Director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program, and the election officials of the State of New Jersey to work together to provide members of the Armed Forces and their dependents with information on how to register to vote and how to vote in future elections.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to the Governor of this State, the President of the United States, to each member of New Jersey's Congressional delegation, the Secretary of the United States Department of Defense, and the Director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
STATEMENT
It is in the interests of the United States and the State of New Jersey to ensure that the Secretary of Defense, the Director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program, and New Jersey election officials provide members of the Armed Forces and their dependents who are eligible under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act with sufficient information regarding opportunities to register to vote and to request an absentee ballot for general elections.
In particular, toward this goal, New Jersey's election officials should work with the Director of the Federal Voting Assistance Program to develop methods, consistent with privacy and security, for obtaining updated addresses and contact information, if possible, for any member of the Armed Forces, or a dependent, who has been identified by a State or local election official as having an undeliverable ballot address.
New Jersey should redouble its efforts to make sure that local jurisdictions collect the mandated information for individuals who are eligible under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, and should work in partnership with the federal government to develop best practices for encouraging voter participation among members of the Armed Forces and their dependents.