This bill amends existing election laws in New Jersey to grant district boards of elections and county boards of elections the discretion to make the initial determination of the validity of cast ballots. Specifically, it allows these boards to assess whether any marks, signs, or other identifiers on a ballot were intended to distinguish the ballot or indicate a vote for a candidate. The bill emphasizes that the boards will exercise their judgment in determining the voter's intent, even if the marks do not conform to traditional voting standards, such as being within designated spaces.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that ballots should not be deemed invalid due to various factors, such as misprints of candidates' names, the color of ink used for marks, or the presence of unauthorized marks unless it can be established that these were intended to identify the ballot. This change aims to streamline the ballot counting process and reduce the number of ballots rejected due to technicalities, thereby enhancing voter participation and ensuring that more votes are counted.