Bill Text: NJ S4487 | 2026-2027 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Changes requirements for persons providing assistance to voters completing mail-in ballots.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-06-22 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S4487 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2026-S4487-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator PARKER SPACE
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
SYNOPSIS
Changes requirements for persons providing assistance to voters completing mail-in ballots.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act changing requirements for persons providing assistance to voters completing mail-in ballots 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. (1) A mail-in voter shall be entitled to assistance from a family member, or other person who is a registered voter in the same county as the mail-in voter, 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.
(2) Any person providing assistance in completing another voter's mail-in ballot shall not assist more than three qualified mail-in voters in an election, except that a person providing assistance may assist up to five qualified mail-in voters in an election if those mail-in voters are immediate family members residing in the same household as the person providing assistance.
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. 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, but a person may serve as such for up to five qualified voters in an election if those voters are immediate family members residing in the same household as the messenger or bearer. 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.2020, c.71, s.11)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill changes the requirements for persons providing assistance to mail-in voters completing mail-in ballots. Under the bill, a person providing assistance in completing another voters' mail-in ballot may not assist more than three qualified mail-in voters in an election. The bill that provides that person providing assistance may assist up to five qualified mail-in voters in an election if those voters are immediate family members residing in the same household as the person providing assistance. This bill also requires a person providing assistance to a qualified mail-in voter who is not a family member to be a registered voter in the same county as the mail-in voter to whom the person is providing assistance to.
