The bill amends New Jersey's election laws to provide voters with increased flexibility in participating in political party primaries. It allows voters to change their party affiliation at the polling place on primary election day, enabling them to vote in a primary election for a different political party than their registered affiliation. Additionally, mail-in voters can complete a primary ballot for a party other than their registered affiliation, which will automatically update their party status. The legislation also specifies that unaffiliated mail-in voters will not receive a primary ballot but will be given information on how to affiliate with a political party and vote in person.

Key changes include the removal of the requirement that voters must be members of a party 55 days prior to the primary election, facilitating more immediate changes in party affiliation. The bill mandates the Secretary of State to prepare and distribute political party affiliation declaration forms at polling places and establishes penalties for violations of election laws regarding party affiliation during primary voting. Furthermore, it outlines procedures for mail-in ballots, including the issuance of "Cure Letters" for rejected ballots due to signature discrepancies, ensuring voters are informed on how to rectify issues. Overall, these amendments aim to streamline the voting process and encourage broader participation in New Jersey's electoral system.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 19:23-45.1, 19:31-6.4, 19:31-13.2, 19:62-7, 19:63-8, 19:63-11, 19:63-17, 19:63-22