Bill Text: NJ S2000 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Authorizes combination of identification and documents to be used in establishing identity of ballot bearer.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-03-05 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S2000 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S2000-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator VIN GOPAL
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Authorizes combination of identification and documents to be used in establishing identity of ballot bearer.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the forms of identification required to deliver voted ballots on behalf of voters to the county board of elections and amending P.L.2009, c.79.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 16 of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-16) is amended to read as follows:
16. a. A mail-in voter shall be entitled to mark any mail-in ballot forwarded to the voter for voting at any election by indicating the voter's choice of candidates for the offices named, and as to public questions, if any, stated thereon, in accordance with current law. In the case of ballots to be voted for any primary election for the general election, as the case may be, the voter's choice shall be limited to the candidates of the voter's political party or to any person or persons whose names are written thereon by the voter. When so marked, such ballot shall be placed in the inner envelope, which shall then be sealed, and the voter shall then fill in the form of certificate attached to the inner envelope, at the end of which the voter shall sign and print the voter's name. The inner envelope with the certificate shall then be placed in the outer envelope, which shall then be sealed.
b. No mail-in voter shall permit any person in any way, except as provided by this act, to unseal, mark or inspect the voter's ballot, interfere with the secrecy of the voter's vote, complete or sign the certificate, or seal the inner or outer envelope, nor shall any person do so.
c. A mail-in voter shall be entitled to assistance from a family member in performing any of the actions provided for in this section. The family member or other person providing such assistance shall certify that he or she assisted the voter and will maintain the secrecy of the vote by both printing and signing his or her name in the space provided on the certificate. In no event may a candidate for election provide such assistance, nor may any person, at the time of providing such assistance, campaign or electioneer on behalf of any candidate.
d. (1) The sealed outer
envelope with the inner envelope and the ballot enclosed therein shall then
either be mailed to the county board of elections to which it is addressed or
delivered personally by the voter or a bearer designated by the voter to the
board. To be counted, the ballot must be received by the board or its designee
before the time designated by R.S.19:15-2 or R.S.19:23-40 for the closing of
the polls, as may be appropriate, on the day of an election.
(2) Whenever a person delivers a ballot to the county board, that person shall provide proof of the person's identity in the form of a New Jersey driver's license, or another form of identification issued or recognized as official by the federal government, the State, or any of its subdivisions, providing the identification carries the full address and signature of the person. Whenever the form of identification issued or recognized as official does not carry the full address or signature of the person, another identification or document shall be acceptable in conjunction with the official identification, including a current or valid photo identification card, a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck, any other government document that shows the person's name, current address, or signature, or any other identifying document the Secretary of State has determined acceptable for this purpose. The person shall sign a record maintained by the county of all mail-in ballots personally delivered to it.
(3) No person shall serve as an authorized messenger or as a bearer for more than three qualified voters in an election. No person who is a candidate in the election for which the voter requests a mail-in ballot shall be permitted to serve as an authorized messenger or bearer. The bearer, by signing the certification provided for in section 12 of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-12), certifies that he or she received a mail-in ballot directly from the voter, and no other person, and is authorized to deliver the ballot to the appropriate board of election or designee on behalf of the voter.
(cf: P.L.2015, c.84, s.5)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Under current law, whenever a person delivers a voted ballot on behalf of a voter to the county board of election, that person (also known as a bearer) is required to provide proof of identity in the form of a New Jersey driver's license, or another form of identification issued or recognized as official by the federal government, the State, or any of its subdivisions, as long as the identification carries the full address and signature of the person.
This bill would allow a bearer to use a combination of identification forms and documents to meet the identification requirement. The bill provides that, whenever the form of identification issued or recognized as official does not carry the full address or signature of the bearer, another identification or document would be acceptable in conjunction with the official identification. These additional forms of identification or documentation may include a current or valid photo identification card, a current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck, any other government document that shows the person's name, current address, or signature, or any other identifying document the Secretary of State has determined acceptable for this purpose. The identification requirements established by the bill are similar to those required for voter registration purposes.
