SENATE, No. 1446

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED SEPTEMBER 19, 1996

By Senator BASSANO

An Act concerning certain political activity within or about the polling place and amending R.S.19:34-15.

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

    1. R.S.19:34-15 is amended to read as follows:

    19:34-15. If, within the polling place or room or within a distance of 100 feet of the outside entrance to such polling place or room, a person shall distribute or display any circular or printed matter, or offer any suggestion or solicit any support for any candidate, party or public question, or solicit a person to appear at the polling place for the purpose of voting [within the polling place or room or within a distance of one hundred feet of the outside entrance to such polling place or room], he shall be guilty of a [misdemeanor] crime of the fourth degree.

(cf: P.L.1948, c.438, s.17)

    2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    This bill amends the statute that prohibits electioneering activity within the polling place or within 100 feet of the entrance thereto. Under the bill, the prohibition is extended to cover one person's solicitation of another to appear at the polling place for the purpose of voting. In some jurisdictions, persons serving as challengers have used devices such as cellular telephones to undertake such solicitations; this practice risks disruption of the electoral process and is contrary to the longstanding statutory policy of barring political activity at the polls.

Extends prohibition against electioneering within or about polling place to solicitation of voters' appearance to vote.