ASSEMBLY PASSES QUIGLEY/CONNERS 'VOTE BY MAIL LAW OF 2008'

Measure Would Streamline Steps Voters Use to Cast Absentee Ballots in Elections

(TRENTON) - The General Assembly today passed legislation Assembly members Joan M. Quigley and Jack Conners sponsored to eliminate New Jersey's current absentee ballot system and replace it with a true "vote-by-mail" system.

"Choosing who to vote for can be a confusing and stressful process; casting a ballot shouldn't be," said Quigley (D-Hudson), chairwoman of the Assembly State Government Committee.  "Moving to a true vote-by-mail system will make it easier for people to exercise their right to vote and increase public participation in the democratic process."

The Quigley/Conners measure (A-2451), known as "The Vote by Mail Law of 2008," would repeal all existing absentee ballot statutes on the books in New Jersey, replacing them with simpler, more streamlined vote-by-mail procedures.

If enacted this year, the bill would be in effect for all elections beginning in 2009.

Since 2005, New Jersey has permitted "no-excuse" absentee balloting, which allows any registered voter to cast an absentee ballot in any election for any reason.  Previously, New Jerseyans could only vote absentee if they were going to be unable to physically appear at the polls on Election Day.

According to the sponsors, the current no-excuse absentee system presented undue confusion for both voters and election workers during the past election cycle.  Some voters accidentally invalidated their ballots by voting absentee and in person, others were inappropriately required to vote by provisional ballot, and still others were completely disenfranchised.

"Public excitement about voting has been reenergized in New Jersey, as the record-breaking participation levels in the February presidential primary clearly showed," said Conners (D-Camden).  "This excitement cannot be allowed to wither and die because of a lack of understanding or confusion over voting rights."

The bill would do away with civilian and military absentee ballots, replacing them with a single, standardized "mail-in" ballot for use by any registered voter wishing to vote by mail and not at his or her assigned polling place on Election Day.

Registered voters would be given the option to vote by mail-in ballot for all elections in a particular calendar year or for all future general elections.  Once such a request is made, a county board of elections would be required to send a ballot to the voter without the need for any further requests.

The measure also would set a clear schedule for county clerks to follow when fulfilling a mail-in ballot request.  The schedule would ensure that requests for mail-in ballots are honored in a timely fashion.

Under the bill, any person who applies for a mail-in ballot but does not receive it, has the application rejected, or fails to mail a completed ballot back to the county board of elections, would be permitted to vote via provisional ballot on Election Day.

To ensure the security of the new mail-in ballots, the bill would require that the statewide voter registration system have the ability to:

• record and monitor all requests for mail-in ballots;
• enable county boards of election to verify the identity and signature of every person requesting a mail-in ballot;
• record the name and address of each voter determined to be eligible to receive a mail-in ballot for a specific election; and
• note when a mail-in ballot has been delivered to a voter by mail or hand delivery.

It would further require this information be made available to the Secretary of State so that voters can be notified when the application for a mail-in ballot has been accepted or rejected and, when rejected, the reasons for the rejection.

The Secretary of State also would be required to undertake a public awareness program to properly educate voters about the new mail-in ballot voting procedures.

"To encourage people to vote, you need to make the process simple, easy, and accessible," said Conners.  "A true vote-by-mail system promises to do just that."

"New Jersey needs a vote-by-mail system to give voice to those voters who would otherwise never make it to the polls," said Quigley.  "Increased participation makes us better representatives, something most New Jerseyans would agree is a good thing."

The Assembly passed the bill by a vote of 50 to 30.  It now heads to the Senate for further consideration.

--30--