SENATE, No. 2349

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

219th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED APRIL 9, 2020

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  JAMES BEACH

District 6 (Burlington and Camden)

Assemblyman  CRAIG J. COUGHLIN

District 19 (Middlesex)

Assemblywoman  ANGELICA M. JIMENEZ

District 32 (Bergen and Hudson)

Assemblywoman  LISA SWAIN

District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senators Turner, Addiego, Cardinale, Doherty, Pennacchio, Assemblymen Zwicker and Tully

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Changes date of 2020 primary election from June 2 to July 7.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

 


An Act concerning the date of the 2020 primary election.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.  a.  Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S.19:2-1, R.S.19:23-40, any provision of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes, or any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the 2020 primary election shall not be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in June, falling on June 2, 2020, and shall be held instead on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in July, falling on July 7, 2020. Any other election scheduled to occur between May 13, 2020 and July 6, 2020, inclusive, shall be rescheduled to be held on July 7, 2020.

     b.  Nothing in this act shall be interpreted to affect the deadlines prescribed under the provisions of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes for the nomination of candidates, filing of petitions, acceptance of nominations, certification of nominations, and any other deadline required to be met preceding the primary election, when that deadline occurs before April 11, 2020, including, but not limited to, the deadline for filing nominating petitions under R.S.19:23-14, for amending defective petitions under R.S.19:23-20, for the filing of objections to nominating petitions under R.S.19:13-10, for determining the validity of objections to nominating petitions under R.S.19:13-11, and for drawing for ballot positions under R.S.19:23-24, which dates shall continue to be determined by reference to June 2, 2020. All other deadlines prescribed under the provisions of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes for meeting statutory requirements for a primary election shall be calculated using the July 7, 2020 primary election date.    

     c.  Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection b. of this section, or any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the party affiliation deadline established under R.S.19:23-45 shall be calculated based on the July 7, 2020 primary election date.

     d.  Notwithstanding the provisions of Title 19 of the Revised Statutes, or any other law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, petitions for direct nomination for the general election required to be filed under R.S.19:13-3 through R.S.19:13-9 shall be due by 4:00 p.m. on July 7, 2020.

 

     2.  This act shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

      This bill moves the date for the 2020 primary election from June 2 to July 7.

     Under current law, the primary election for the general election is required to be held “on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in June,” which falls on June 2, 2020. This bill provides that the primary election will be held instead “on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in July,” which falls on July 7, 2020. Under the bill, any other election scheduled to occur between May 13, 2020 and July 6, 2020, inclusive, will also be rescheduled to be held on July 7, 2020.

     The bill would not affect the deadlines prescribed under current law for the nomination of candidates, filing of petitions, acceptance of nominations, certification of nominations, and any other deadline required to be met preceding the primary election, when that deadline occurs before April 11, 2020, including, but not limited to, the deadline for filing nominating petitions under R.S.19:23-14, for amending defective petitions under R.S.19:23-20, for the filing of objections to nominating petitions under R.S.19:13-10, for determining the validity of objections to nominating petitions under R.S.19:13-11, and for drawing for ballot positions under R.S.19:23-24, which dates will continue to be determined by reference to June 2, 2020. All other deadlines prescribed under current law for meeting statutory requirements for a primary election will be calculated using the July 7, 2020 primary election date.    

     However, the party affiliation deadline established under R.S.19:23-45 will be calculated based on the July 7, 2020 primary election date. In addition, petitions for direct nomination for the general election required to be filed under R.S.19:13-3 through R.S.19:13-9 will be due by 4:00 p.m. on July 7, 2020.  

     This bill is temporary and will apply only to the 2020 primary election.