Bill Stipulates Need for Early Voting, Online and Automatic Voter Registration, Same Day Registration, Increased Access& Protections & Stop Wasteful Spending on Special Elections
(TRENTON) – Assembly Majority Conference Leader Shavonda Sumter (D-Bergen/Passaic) joined fellow Democratic legislative leaders on Monday to announce support of legislation that would revamp the state’s election laws to encourage early voting online and automatic voter registration, same day registration, increased access& protections & stop wasteful spending on special elections, among other changes.
“The Democracy Act will finally bring the New Jersey election process into the 21st century,” said Sumter. “Our current voting system does a poor job of gaining the interest of the tech savvy generation, breaking language barriers, providing options for residents who are in the military and keeping up with voter fraud. It is time for New Jersey’s voting laws to step into the new age with a complete voting process makeover. Greater access to the ballot box for all New Jerseyans will help ensure equal opportunity and optimum participation in the democratic process. This is true democracy.”
The legislation establishes “The Democracy Act” to revise various voter registration and voting procedures. Specifically, the bill creates under law early voting, online voter registration, voting day registration and allows for the pre-registration of 17-year-olds. The bill also makes changes to language accessibility provisions; current procedures for voting by mail, military and overseas voting; and codifies federal law to prohibit certain actions of voter fraud.
The bill will be introduced in the legislature on Monday.