Bill to help voters address mail-in ballot mistakes clears state Senate

Under state law, mail-in voters have few options to address technical mistakes with their ballots, but legislation cleared by the state Senate on Thursday would give voters more ways to “cure” their ballots.

Election officials reject hundreds of ballots each year due to mistakes with envelopes, including missing privacy envelopes or missing signatures on envelopes. Under current law, voters are only allowed to cure ballots with signature discrepancies — technical issues with how a ballot is mailed in are not eligible for cures.

In a party-line vote, the state Senate approved the reform 23-14. The bill has been introduced in the Assembly, but has not been before a committee. State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge) sponsored the legislation.

“The bill would give the voter the opportunity to submit a new mail-in ballot if the voter failed to enclose the ballot in the inner envelope, sign the certificate, if the voter failed to provide or properly seal the inner or outer envelope, or if the seal appears to be tampered with,” the bill states.



https://newjerseyglobe.com/section-2/bill-to-help-voters-address-mail-in-ballot-mistakes-clears-state-senate/