This bill amends New Jersey election laws to allow police presence at ballot drop boxes and polling places, reversing a prohibition established by a previous law (P.L.2021, c.459). It permits police officers to be within 100 feet of these locations while performing their official duties and enables election boards to request police assistance to maintain order during elections. The bill also modifies the role of police officers who are members of district boards of elections, allowing them to serve as challengers for political parties or candidates without wearing uniforms or carrying weapons.

Furthermore, the bill eliminates several existing requirements regarding police presence at polling places, including the obligations for district boards of elections to notify county election authorities about police dispatches, for county election authorities to inform the Secretary of State about such dispatches, and for the Secretary of State and election boards to maintain records of all police dispatches to polling places. Overall, the bill aims to enhance security and order during elections by facilitating police involvement at critical voting locations.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 19:6-15.1, 19:63-16.1