Bill Text: NJ S3805 | 2022-2023 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Allows candidates for Senate and General Assembly to appear together in same nominating petition.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-05-11 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S3805 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2022-S3805-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator KRISTIN M. CORRADO
District 40 (Bergen, Essex, Morris and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Allows candidates for Senate and General Assembly to appear together in same nominating petition.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the naming of certain candidates for public office in petitions of nomination and amending R.S.19:13-4 and R.S.19:23-7.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.19:13-4 is amended to read as follows:
19:13-4. Such petition shall set forth the names, places of residence and post-office addresses of the candidates for the offices to be filled, the title of the office for which each candidate is named, that the petitioners are legally qualified to vote for such candidates and pledge themselves to support and vote for the persons named in such petition and that they have not signed any other petition of nomination for the primary or for the general election for such office. The petitions of a candidate for any State, county, or municipal elective public office shall also include a functioning campaign e-mail address for the candidate.
Candidates for member of the Senate and General Assembly seeking nomination from the same legislative district and who are of the same political party may appear together in the same petition.
In the case of a petition or petitions nominating electors of president and vice president of the United States, the names of the candidates for president and vice president for whom such electors are to vote may be included in the petition or petitions, but the petition or petitions shall not include the names of any candidates for president or vice president who have been nominated at a convention of a political party, as defined by this title.
The petition shall also state in not more than three words the designation of the party or principles which the candidates therein named represent, but such designation shall not contain the designation name, derivative, or any part thereof as a noun or an adjective of any political party entitled to participate in the primary election.
The petition shall also include the request that the names of the candidates and their designations of party or principles be printed upon the ballots to be used at the ensuing general election.
No such petition shall undertake to nominate any candidate who has accepted the nomination for the primary for such position.
Each petition shall be arranged to contain double spacing between the signature lines of the petition, so that each signer thereof is afforded sufficient space to provide his or her printed name, address and signature.
Any form of a petition of nomination, other than petitions for federal office, which is provided to candidates by the Secretary of State, the county clerk, or the municipal clerk shall contain the following notice: "Notice: All candidates are required by law to comply with the provisions of the 'New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act.' For further information, please call (insert phone number of the Election Law Enforcement Commission)."
(cf: P.L.2018, c.66, s.1)
2. R.S.19:23-7 is amended to read as follows:
19:23-7. Each such petition shall set forth that the signers thereof are qualified voters of the State, congressional district, county, or county election district, municipality, ward or election district, as the case may be, in which they reside and for which they desire to nominate candidates; that they are members of a political party (naming the same), and that they intend to affiliate with that political party at the ensuing election; that they indorse the person or persons named in their petition as candidate or candidates for nomination for the office or offices therein named, and that they request that the name of the person or persons therein mentioned be printed upon the official primary ballots of their political party as the candidate or candidates for such nomination. The petition shall further state the residence and post-office address of each person so indorsed, and shall certify that the person or persons so indorsed is or are legally qualified under the laws of this State to be nominated, and is or are a member or members of the political party named in the petition. The petitions of a candidate for any State, county, or municipal elective public office shall also include a functioning e-mail address for the candidate.
Candidates for member of the Senate and General Assembly seeking nomination from the same legislative district and who are of the same political party may appear together in the same petition.
Accompanying the petition, each person indorsed therein shall file a certificate, stating that he is qualified for the office mentioned in the petition, that he is a member of the political party named therein, that he consents to stand as a candidate for nomination at the ensuing primary election of such political party, and that, if nominated, he consents to accept the nomination, to which shall be annexed the oath of allegiance prescribed in R.S.41:1-1, duly taken and subscribed by him before an officer authorized to take oaths in this State.
Each petition shall be arranged to contain double spacing between the signature lines of the petition, so that each signer thereof is afforded sufficient space to provide his or her printed name, address and signature.
Any form of a petition of nomination, other than petitions for federal office, which is provided to candidates by the Secretary of State, the county clerk, or the municipal clerk shall contain the following notice: "Notice: All candidates are required by law to comply with the provisions of the 'New Jersey Campaign Contributions and Expenditures Reporting Act.' For further information, please call (insert phone number of the Election Law Enforcement Commission)."
(cf: P.L.2018, c.66, s.2)
3. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill allows candidates for Senate and General Assembly to appear together in the same nominating petition, provided they seek nomination from the same legislative district and are of the same political party.
Under current law, several candidates for nomination to the same office may appear together in the petitions of nomination that are circulated to appear on the primary election ballot. This bill expands this authorization to enable such Senate and General Assembly candidates to appear together in the same primary nomination petition. This bill also allows such Senate and General Assembly candidates to appear together on petitions for direct nomination for the general election.
Under current law, Senate and General Assembly candidates from the same legislative district require the same number of signatures on their nominating petitions. This bill does not change the required number of signatures, but would simplify the process of gathering these signatures for candidates running in the same legislative district who are from the same political party, should the candidates choose to be named on the same petition.
