New Jersey-2020-S3934-Introduced

An Act concerning compensation for election workers and amending R.S.19:45-6 and P.L.2001, c.245 and making an appropriation.

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

1. 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] $300 for a full day of services and $150 for a half day of services 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.

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)

2. Section 6 of P.L.2001, c.245 (C.19:45-6.2) is amended to read as follows:

6. In accordance with the provisions of Art.VIII, Sec.II, par.5 of the Constitution, upon application for reimbursement by a county governing body to the [Attorney General] Secretary of State and approval of the application by the Director of the Division of Budget and Accounting, a county shall be reimbursed by the State for:

a. compensation to each member of the district board of elections who shall have served a full day at the general election, the primary election, and any nonpartisan municipal, special, or recall election, and who shall have qualified for and been paid [$200] $300 for such service in accordance with R.S.19:45-6, the sum of [$125] $225; [and]

b. compensation to each member of the district board of elections who shall have served a half day at the general election, the primary election, and any nonpartisan municipal, special, or recall election, and who shall have qualified for and been paid $150 for such service in accordance with R.S.19:45-6, the sum of $75; and

c. any additional costs incurred by the county as a result of the provisions of this act, [P.L.2001, c.245] P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill).

(cf. P.L.2001, c.245, s.6)

3. There is appropriated from the State General Fund to the Department of State the sum of $5,000,000 to be distributed among the counties subject to the requirements of section 2 of this act, P.L. , c. (pending before the Legislature as this bill), as reimbursement for the costs of implementing the provisions of this act.

4. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2022.

STATEMENT

This bill increases the compensation of election workers from $200 per day to $300 per day for a full day of services and permits compensation of election workers of $150 per day for a half day of services. This bill also appropriates $5,000,000 to the Department of State.

Under current law, election workers are paid $200 per day for a full day each time the primary election, the general election, or any special election is held. The State reimburses $125 of the payment to election workers while the counties account for the rest.

This bill increases the compensation for election workers who work a full day to $300. For election workers who work a half-day, the compensation will be $150. This bill increases the State's reimbursement to $225 for full day workers while keeping the counties' sum at $75. For half-day workers, the State's reimbursement would be $75 and the counties' sum $75.

This bill appropriates $5,000,000 to the Department of State to be distributed among the counties subject to the requirements of this bill as reimbursement for the costs of implementing the provisions of this bill.