Sponsored by:
Assemblyman GREGORY P. MCGUCKIN
District 10 (Monmouth and Ocean)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Kanitra, Guardian, Myhre, Azzariti Jr., Bergen, Sauickie, Inganamort, Auth, Assemblywomen Dunn and Fantasia
SYNOPSIS
Increases daily compensation for election workers and increases additional compensation rate for election workers managing signature copy registers.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act increasing compensation for election workers and amending R.S.19:45-6 and P.L.2001, c.245.
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, [$300] $400 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] $20 per election, such remuneration being limited to only one board member per election, or [$6.25] $10 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] $20 per election, such remuneration being limited to only one board member per election, or [$6.25] $10 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 commensurate with the State minimum wage 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 commensurate with the
State minimum wage, 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 $21.43. 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 commensurate with the State minimum
wage.
In addition to the [$300] $400 compensation provided pursuant to this section to each member of a district board for each time the primary election, the general election, or any special election is held under this Title, a county may provide, at its discretion, additional compensation to the members of all district boards in such county in an amount determined by the county, and the additional compensation shall be an expense of the county.
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.
In addition to the provisions of this section, 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, a county may provide, at its discretion, compensation to such a member who attends the training program in an amount determined by the county, and the compensation shall be an expense of the county.
(cf: P.L.2022, c.5, s.1)
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 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 at the general election, the primary election, and any nonpartisan municipal, special, or recall election, and who shall have qualified for and been paid [$300] $400 for such service in accordance with R.S.19:45-6, the sum of [$225] $325; and
b. any additional costs incurred by the county as a result of the provisions of this act, P.L.2001, c.245.
(cf: P.L.2022, c.5, s.2)
3. This act shall take
effect on the 60th day after the date of enactment.
STATEMENT
This bill increases the daily compensation for election workers from $300 per day to $400 per day. It also increases the additional compensation rate for election workers who obtain and return signature copy registers. Under current law, if one election worker obtains or returns the signature copy registers, the additional compensation is $12.50. If two election workers share the responsibility, each receives an additional $6.25. This bill will increase the compensation rate to $20 and $10, respectively.
Under current law, election workers are paid $300 per day each time the primary election, general election, or any special election is held. The State reimburses $225 of the payment to the election workers while the counties account for the rest. This bill increases the States reimbursement to $325 while keeping the counties sum at $75.