Bill Text: NJ S2975 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes minimum and maximum sentences and penalties for election officers and employees convicted of fraud.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-09-24 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S2975 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-S2975-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator RONALD L. RICE
District 28 (Essex)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes minimum and maximum sentences and penalties for election officers and employees convicted of fraud.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act establishing minimum and maximum sentences and penalties for election officers and employees convicted of fraud, and amending R.S.19:34-1.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.19:34-1 is amended to read as follows:
19:34-1. If any member of the district board shall willfully refuse to enter in the canvassing books or upon the registers the name of any person legally entitled to vote, or shall register the name of any person contrary to the provisions of this title, such member shall be guilty of a crime of the third degree.
Any person who shall cause or procure his name to be registered in more than one election district, or shall cause or procure his name or that of any other person to be registered, knowing that he or such other person is not entitled to vote in the election district wherein such registry is made at the next election to be held therein, shall be punished for each such offense and shall be guilty of a crime of the third degree.
No district board shall execute or deliver to any voter any paper in the nature of a transfer, purporting to authorize him to vote in any other election district unless he is actually registered as now provided by law.
Any officer or employee who shall willfully fail to perform or enforce any of the provisions of this title or who shall unlawfully or fraudulently remove any registration records, or who shall willfully destroy any record directed by this title to be kept, or any person who shall willfully or fraudulently register more than once, or register under any but his true name, or attempt to vote by impersonating another who is registered, or who willfully registers in any election district where he is not a resident at the time of registering, or who violates any of the provisions of this title, shall be guilty of a crime of the third degree.
Any officer or employee convicted of fraud with respect to voter registration, an election, or the administration of an election shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, serve a mandatory minimum term of one year but no more than a maximum term of five years during which time the officer or employee shall not be eligible for parole, and shall be liable to a mandatory minimum penalty of $15,000, but no more than a maximum penalty of $50,000.
(cf: P.L.2005, c.154, s.20)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that any election officer or employee convicted of fraud with respect to voter registration, an election, or the administration of an election would, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, serve a mandatory minimum term of one year but no more than a maximum term of five years during which time the officer or employee would not be eligible for parole, and would be liable to a mandatory minimum penalty of $15,000, but no more than a maximum penalty of $50,000.
