Bill Text: NJ A5149 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Reschedules June 2025 primary election date; provides for adjustment of date on which primary elections will be held if date coincides with period of religious observance.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-12-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly State and Local Government Committee [A5149 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-A5149-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GARY S. SCHAER
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
Assemblyman LOUIS D. GREENWALD
District 6 (Burlington and Camden)
Assemblywoman YVONNE LOPEZ
District 19 (Middlesex)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblyman Karabinchak, Assemblywomen Peterpaul, Donlon, Haider, Hall and Assemblyman Azzariti Jr.
SYNOPSIS
Reschedules June 2025 primary election date; provides for adjustment of date on which primary elections will be held if date coincides with period of religious observance.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the date for holding certain primary elections and amending R.S.19:2-1 and R.S.19:23-40.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, rule, or regulation to the contrary, the primary election currently scheduled to take place on June 3, 2025 shall be rescheduled to take place on June 10, 2025. The Secretary of State shall provide notice to all county clerks, county boards of election, superintendents of elections, municipal clerks, and members of the public at large in this State of the rescheduled primary election not later than seven days from the effective date of this act, P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill). The Secretary of State shall make all necessary adjustments to all deadlines required to be met ahead of a primary election pursuant to Title 19 of the Revised Statutes, and shall publish a calendar containing the adjusted dates to be used for the 2025 primary election pursuant to this section.
2. R.S.19:2-1 is amended to read as follows:
19:2-1. Primary elections for delegates and alternates to national conventions of political parties and for the general election shall be held in each year on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in June between the hours of 6:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M., Standard Time. Primary elections for special elections shall be held not earlier than 30 nor later than 20 days prior to the special elections.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Secretary of State shall reschedule the date provided for a primary election for delegates and alternates to national conventions of political parties and for the general election in any year if the date coincides with a period of religious observance that limits significantly the usual activities of the followers of a particular religion or that would result in significant religious consequences for such followers. The new date of the primary election for delegates and alternates to national conventions of political parties and for the general election shall be the first Tuesday following such period of religious observance. The secretary shall inform all county clerks, county boards of election, superintendents of elections, municipal clerks, and members of the public at large in this State of the rescheduled primary election no later than the first working day in January of the year in which the rescheduled election is to occur. Whenever the date of a primary election is rescheduled pursuant to this section, the Secretary of State shall make all necessary adjustments to all deadlines required to be met ahead of a primary election pursuant to Title 19 of the Revised Statutes, and shall publish a calendar containing the adjusted dates to be used for that primary election pursuant to this section.
As used in this section "period of religious observance" means any day or portion thereof on which a religious observance imposes a substantial burden on an individual's ability to vote in person on election day.
(cf: P.L.2011, c.134, s.2)
3. R.S.19:23-40 is amended to read as follows:
19:23-40. The primary election for the general election shall be held for all political parties upon the Tuesday next after the first Monday in June between the hours of 6:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M., Standard Time. It shall be held for all political parties in the same places as hereinbefore provided for the ensuing general election.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the Secretary of State shall reschedule the date provided for a primary election for the general election in any year if the date coincides with a period of religious observance that limits significantly the usual activities of the followers of a particular religion or that would result in significant religious consequences for such followers. The new date of the primary election for delegates and alternates to national conventions of political parties and for the general election shall be the first Tuesday following such period of religious observance. The secretary shall inform all county clerks, county boards of election, superintendents of elections, municipal clerks, and members of the public at large in this State of the rescheduled primary election no later than the first working day in January of the year in which the rescheduled election is to occur. Whenever the date of a primary election is rescheduled pursuant to this section, the Secretary of State shall make all necessary adjustments to all deadlines required to be met ahead of a primary election pursuant to Title 19 of the Revised Statutes, and shall publish a calendar containing the adjusted dates to be used for that primary election pursuant to this section.
As used in this section "period of religious observance" means any day or portion thereof on which a religious observance imposes a substantial burden on an individual's ability to vote in person on election day.
(cf: P.L.2011, c.134, s.25)
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill reschedules the June 3, 2025 primary to take place on June 10, 2025, the following Tuesday, in order to accommodate a period of religious observance. The bill requires the Secretary of State to inform all county clerks, county boards of election, superintendents of elections, municipal clerks, and members of the public at large in this State of the rescheduled primary election day no later than seven days following the effective date of this bill. The Secretary of State will also be required to make all necessary adjustments to all deadlines required to be met ahead of a primary election pursuant to Title 19 of the Revised Statutes, and publish a calendar containing the adjusted dates to be used for the 2025 primary election pursuant to the bill
This bill also requires the Secretary of State to reschedule the date of primary elections in any future year if the date of the primary elections coincides with a period of religious observance that limits significantly the usual activities of the followers of a particular religion or that would result in significant religious consequences for such followers. In such a scenario, the secretary must inform all county clerks, county boards of election, superintendents of elections, municipal clerks, and members of the public at large in this State of the rescheduled primary election no later than the first working day in January of the year in which the rescheduled election is to occur.
Whenever the date of a primary election is rescheduled, the Secretary of State will be required to make all necessary adjustments to all deadlines required to be met ahead of a primary election pursuant to Title 19 of the Revised Statutes, and publish a calendar containing the adjusted dates to be used for that primary election pursuant to the bill.
The bill defines "a period of religious observance" as any day or portion thereof on which a religious observance imposes a substantial burden on an individual's ability to vote in person on election day.
