TRENTON – The Senate passed legislation sponsored by Senator Gordon Johnson that prohibits any person from being paid or offered goods or services to be a messenger or a bearer of vote-by-mail ballots.
“The integrity of our elections is paramount to protecting our constitutional democracy,” said Senator Johnson (D-Bergen). “This legislation works to prevent bad faith actors from committing voter fraud and abusing a system that helps many of our residents exercise their right to vote.”
Under current law, messengers are authorized through an application process to deliver blank mail-in ballots to qualified voters who are either family members or residents of the same county. These are often elderly or disabled voters who cannot safely obtain a ballot.
Once a ballot is completed by a voter, a bearer can deliver a limited number of voter ballots back to a ballot drop box, regular mailbox, or to the county board of elections.
The bill, S-2947 would make it a criminal act to be paid or receive gifts, goods, or services to be a messenger or bearer of ballots in New Jersey.
The bill passed in a 30-8 vote.