This bill mandates that all new voting machines purchased or leased for use in elections in New Jersey must produce a voter-verifiable paper record for each vote cast. The paper record must be available for inspection and verification by the voter at the time of voting and preserved for future manual audits. In the event of a recount, the voter-verified paper record will serve as the official tally. The bill also includes provisions that allow the Secretary of State to waive this requirement for voting machines that were already in use prior to the bill's effective date, but explicitly prohibits waivers for any newly purchased or leased machines after that date.

The bill amends existing law to replace the previous suspension of the requirement for voting machines to produce a paper record, which was contingent on the availability of funding. The new language specifies that each voting machine must produce an individual permanent paper record, ensuring transparency and accountability in the voting process. This change aims to enhance the integrity of elections in New Jersey by ensuring that all new voting machines meet these updated standards. The act is set to take effect on the first day of the third month following its enactment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 19:53A-3