ASSEMBLY HOMELAND SECURITY AND STATE PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 3095

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 16, 2020

      The Assembly Homeland Security and State Preparedness Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 3095.

      As amended and reported by the committee, Assembly Bill No. 3095 provides county clerks with additional time to prepare mail-in ballots for the 2020 primary. 

      The amended bill seeks to address concerns over sufficient time to prepare the significant number of mail-in ballots expected for the 2020 primary election.  Under current law, thousands of ballots will be required to be mailed by April 18, 2020, which gives county clerks less than four days to prepare and deliver mail-in ballots.  This bill provides county clerks with an additional week to proof, print, prepare, and mail ballots following the ballot draw date.

      Under the amended bill, any additional mail-in ballots that have been approved before the 45th day before the 2020 primary election are required to be forwarded or delivered at least 38 days, instead of 45 days, before the day of the election.  County clerks still are required to comply with federal guidelines and have military and overseas ballots mailed by April 18, 2020.  The additional week provided under the amended bill is temporary and will only apply to the 2020 primary election.

      As amended by the committee, the bill requires the ballot position draw to be conducted one day early if the statutory date for the draw falls on a holiday.  Under the bill, as amended, a clerk’s office that conducts the ballot position draw a day early is required to post notice of the change of date in the clerk’s office and on the clerk’s official website at least by three o’clock 60 days prior to the primary election for the general election.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The committee amended the bill to:

      (1)   require the ballot position draw to be conducted one day early if the statutory date for the draw falls on a holiday; and

      (2)   require a clerk’s office that conducts the ballot position draw a day early to post notice of the change of date in the clerk’s office and on the clerk’s official website by at least three o’clock 60 days prior to the primary election for the general election.      

      As amended, this bill is identical to Senate Bill No. 1982 (1R).