A bill that would change a number of election dates in New Jersey passed both houses of the legislature yesterday; The Senate voted unanimously in favor, while the Assembly voted 74 to 2 with two Republicans in opposition.
If signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy, the bill would push back various deadlines to accommodate other recent adjustments and give election officials more time to prepare for the election. Specifically, the bill would require county clerks to prepare ballots for printing two weeks earlier than under current law, 45 to 60 days in primary elections and 50 to 64 days in general elections.
“Our democracy rests on free and fair elections,” state Sen. Andrew Zwicker (R-BNS), one of the sponsors of the Senate bill, said in a statement. “This legislation will help relieve some of the pressure on county clerks and other officials who work to make sure ballots are prepared, printed and secure, and that various documents are certified.”
The bill was administered in tandem with another bill amending other election terms; that bill has passed two Assembly committees but has yet to begin passage through the Senate.
