SENATE STATE GOVERNMENT, WAGERING, TOURISM & HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMITTEE

 

STATEMENT TO

 

SENATE, No. 2580

 

with committee amendments

 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

 

DATED:  AUGUST 20, 2020

 

      The Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism and Historic Preservation Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 2580.

     As amended by the committee, this bill requires county boards of elections to establish mail-in ballot drop boxes in each county at least 45 days before the election. Under current law, voters who vote using a mail-in ballot may deposit their ballot in the mail or may deliver it in person to the county board of elections or provide it to a mail-in ballot bearer to deliver their ballot. This bill would also entitle mail-in voters to deposit their ballot in a ballot drop box before the time designated for the closing of the polls on election day.

     Under the bill, as amended, the county board of elections in each county would establish ballot drop boxes throughout the county in a manner that provides the greatest convenience to voters. Ballot drop boxes would be secured, but not required to be within view of a live person for monitoring. Ballot drop boxes would be available for use by a voter 24 hours a day at locations equipped with security cameras for the surveillance of the ballot drop boxes. At least 10 ballot drop boxes would be established in each county, with at least one ballot drop box at each of the following locations: (1) any county government building in which the main office of the county clerk is located; (2) any municipal government building in which the main office of the municipal clerk is located in municipalities with populations larger than 5,000 residents; (3) the main campus of each county community college; the main campus of each State college or university; and (4) the main campus of each independent four-year college or university with enrollments larger than 5,000 students. The board of elections of any county that has fewer than 10 ballot drop boxes upon establishing the drop boxes at each of these locations would be required to establish additional locations for ballot drop boxes, so that the county has no fewer than 10 ballot drop boxes. These additional drop boxes would be placed at county or municipal government buildings.

     The bill requires the Secretary of State, in consultation with county clerks and municipal clerks, to establish the rules and regulations necessary to ensure the secure and successful implementation of the mail-in ballot drop boxes. The rules and regulations would include, but may not be limited to, criteria for each county board of elections to: (1) determine the number of ballot drop boxes required per voter population, considering both the number of registered voters and the number of registered mail-in voters in each county before each election; (2) select the geographic location of each ballot drop box, ensuring an equitable distribution of ballot drop boxes across the county to maximize convenience to voters; (3) ensure the accessibility of ballot drop boxes and drop box locations to persons with disabilities; and (4) maintain the security of ballot drop boxes and of the ballots deposited therein, including standards and procedures for ballot retrieval by authorized persons only, and for ensuring the proper chain of custody and safe storage of voted mail-in ballots before each election. 

     The bill also provides for an appropriation from the State General Fund to the Department of State of the sums necessary to reimburse counties and municipalities for the costs of implementing its provisions.

 

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS

      The amendments:

      (1) require county boards of elections, in addition to transmitting the ballot to the correct county board of elections, to notify that county board of elections if a voter deposits a mail-in ballot at a ballot drop box in a county in which the voter does not reside;

      (2) require county boards of elections to establish ballot drop boxes at least 45 days before an election, rather than seven days before an election;

      (3) remove the requirement that counties provide staffed ballot drop boxes, and instead require that all ballot drop boxes be secure, available for used by a voter 24 hours a day, and placed in locations that would allow the drop box to be monitored by security cameras;

      (4) apply the restrictions of “The Vote By Mail Law” to ballot bearers depositing mail-in ballots in ballot drop boxes;

      (5) require that at least 10 ballot drop boxes be established in each county, with at least one ballot drop box at each of the following locations: (1) any county government building in which the main office of the county clerk is located; (2) any municipal government building in which the main office of the municipal clerk is located in municipalities with populations larger than 5,000 residents; (3) the main campus of each county community college; the main campus of each State college or university; and (4) the main campus of each independent four-year college or university with enrollments larger than 5,000 students;

      (6) provide that the board of elections of any county that has fewer than 10 ballot drop boxes upon establishing the drop boxes at each location required would establish additional locations for ballot drop boxes, so that the county has no fewer than 10 ballot drop boxes; and

      (7) provide that such additional drop boxes must be placed at county or municipal government buildings.