The John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey is designed to enhance voting rights and ensure equitable access to the electoral process, particularly for individuals from protected classes, including racial, ethnic, and language-minority groups. The bill establishes a public policy that promotes maximum participation in elections and mandates that state laws related to voting be interpreted to favor the protection of voting rights. It assigns the Attorney General as the chief legal officer responsible for enforcing these rights, empowering them to conduct investigations and represent the public interest in federal voting rights proceedings. The legislation prohibits any voting qualifications or practices that could suppress or dilute votes for protected class members and establishes a rebuttable presumption of impairment in certain situations.

Additionally, the bill mandates local election offices to provide voting assistance in designated languages for limited English proficient voters, ensuring that electoral materials are available in both the designated language and English. It introduces a preclearance process for new or modified voting policies by entities with a history of voting rights violations, requiring Attorney General approval to prevent infringement on voting rights. The act also establishes the New Jersey Voting and Elections Institute to maintain a centralized database of election data and promote research on voting practices. Overall, the legislation aims to strengthen voting rights protections, improve access to the electoral process, and safeguard against practices that could undermine election integrity.