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 protected classes such as 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 prohibits any voting qualifications or practices that could suppress or dilute votes for these groups and outlines specific actions that would constitute violations, such as closing polling places or changing election dates in a discriminatory manner. The Attorney General is designated as the chief legal officer responsible for enforcing these provisions and ensuring compliance with voting rights laws.

Additionally, the bill requires local election offices to provide language assistance to eligible voters from language-minority groups and mandates that electoral materials be available in both the designated languages and English. It introduces a preclearance process for new or modified voting policies by entities with a history of voting rights violations, ensuring transparency and accountability. The legislation 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 act aims to create a more inclusive electoral process, protect voters from intimidation, and ensure timely remedies for any violations of voting rights.