Bill Text: NJ A3287 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Allows county governing body to establish uniform polling hours and poll worker compensation for type II school districts holding elections in April.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-06-05 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Judiciary Committee [A3287 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A3287-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman TIMOTHY J. EUSTACE
District 38 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Allows county governing body to establish uniform polling hours and poll worker compensation for type II school districts holding elections in April.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning elections in type II school districts, amending R.S.19:15-2 and R.S.19:45-6, and supplementing P.L.1995, c.278 (C.19:60-1 et seq.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. (New section) a. The governing body of any county in which there is at least one type II school district that holds its annual election in April shall have the option to establish, by ordinance, a uniform schedule for the opening and closing of the polls and a requirement for the payment of uniform compensation for poll workers for each school district holding elections in the county.
b. Once the governing body of a county has chosen to exercise the option authorized by subsection a. of this section, it shall not be permitted to abolish the uniform schedule for the opening and closing of the polls and the requirement for the payment of uniform compensation for poll workers serving on the day of a school election until: (1) at least 10 years have passed since the adoption of the ordinance; and (2) a new ordinance to abolish the uniform schedule for the opening and closing of the polls and the requirement for the payment of uniform compensation for poll workers serving on the day of a school election is adopted by the county's governing body.
c. Adoption of the ordinance provided by subsection a. of this section shall not change the requirement that a board of education holding its annual school election in April is obligated to pay the costs of that election pursuant to section 12 of P.L.1995, c.278 (C.19:60-12).
2. R.S.19:15-2 is amended to read as follows:
19:15-2. The district boards shall open the polls for such election at 6:00 A.M. and close them at 8:00 P.M., and shall keep them open during the whole day of election between these hours [; except that for]. For a school election held at a time other than at the time of the general election the polls shall be open between the hours of 5:00 P.M. and 9:00 P.M. and during any additional time which the school board may designate between the hours of 7:00 A.M. and 9:00 P.M. unless the governing body of the county, pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill), has adopted an ordinance to establish a uniform schedule for the opening and closing of the polls for each school district in the county holding elections on such date.
The board may allow one member thereof at a time to be absent from the polling place and room for a period not exceeding one hour between the hours of 1:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. or for such shorter time as it shall see fit.
At no time from the opening of the polls to the completion of the canvass shall there be less than a majority of the board present in the polling room or place, except that during a school election held at a time other than at the time of the general election there shall always be at least one member of each district election board present or if more than two district board members are designated to serve at the polling place, at least two members present.
(cf: P.L.2011, c.202, s.31)
3. R.S.19:45-6 is amended to read as follows:
19:45-6. The compensation of each member of the district boards for all services performed by them under the provisions of this Title shall be as follows:
In all counties, for all services rendered including the counting of the votes, and in counties wherein voting machines are used, the tabulation of the votes registered on the voting machines, and the delivery of the returns, registry binders, ballot boxes and keys for the voting machines to the proper election officials, $200 each time the primary election, the general election or any special election is held under this Title; provided, however, that:
a. (1) The member of the board charged with the duty of obtaining and signing for the signature copy registers shall receive an additional $12.50 per election, such remuneration being limited to only one board member per election, or $6.25 to each of two board members if they share such responsibility for the signature copy registers, and (2) the member of the board charged with the duty of returning the signature copy registers shall receive an additional $12.50 per election, such remuneration being limited to only one board member per election, or $6.25 to each of two board members if they share such responsibility for the signature copy registers;
b. In the case of any member of the board who is required under R.S.19:50-1 to attend in a given year a training program for district board members, but who fails to attend such a training program in that year, that compensation shall be $50.00 for each of those elections;
c. In counties wherein voting machines are used no compensation shall be paid for any services rendered at any special election held at the same time as any primary or general election. Such compensation shall be in lieu of all other fees and payments; and
d. Compensation for district board members serving at a school election held at a time other than the time of the general election shall be paid by the board of education of the school district conducting the election at an hourly rate of $5.77, except that the board of education may compensate such district board members at a pro-rated hourly rate consistent with the daily rate up to a maximum of $14.29. The provisions of subsections a., b., and c. of this section shall also apply to district board members serving at a school election held at a time other than at the time of the general election, except that in the case of subsection b., the compensation shall be at an hourly rate of $3.85.
e. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply if the governing body of the county, pursuant to section 1 of P.L. , c. (C. )(pending before the Legislature as this bill), has adopted an ordinance to establish a requirement for the payment of uniform compensation to poll workers serving in each school district in the county holding elections in April. Under such circumstances, the ordinance adopted by the governing body shall determine whether the provisions of subsections a., b., c., and d. of this section shall also apply to district board members serving at a school election and the compensation for such workers.
Compensation due each member shall be paid within 30 days but not within 20 days after each election; provided, however, that no compensation shall be paid to any member of any such district board who may have been removed from office or application for the removal of whom is pending under the provisions of R.S.19:6-4.
(cf: P.L.2011, c.202, s.32)
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that the governing body of any county in which there is at least one type II school district that hold its annual election in April would have the option to establish, by ordinance, a uniform schedule for the opening and closing of the polls, and for the payment of uniform compensation to poll workers for each school district holding elections in the county.
Once the governing body of a county has chosen to exercise this option, it would not be permitted to abolish the uniform schedule for the opening and closing of the polls and for compensation for poll workers serving on the day of a school election until: (1) at least 10 years have passed since the adoption of the ordinance; and (2) a new ordinance to abolish the uniform schedule for the opening and closing of the polls and for the payment of uniform compensation for poll workers serving on the day of a school election is adopted by the county's governing body.
Adoption of the ordinance provided by this bill would not change the requirement that a board of education holding its annual school election in April is obligated to pay the costs of that election pursuant to current law.
