NEW JERSEY – In response to the growing demand for early in-person voting, the Senate Judiciary Committee advanced legislation sponsored by its Chair, Senator Brian Stack that will extend the early voting period for both presidential and nonpresidential primary elections.
This legislation seeks to enhance voter accessibility, reduce wait times, and accommodate increasing participation in early voting.
Under the bill, S-3990, the early voting period for both presidential and nonpresidential primary elections will now begin on the 7th day before the primary election, providing six days of early voting.
“This legislation is a transformative and necessary move toward expanding voter access and modernizing our electoral system,” said Stack (D-Hudson). “We will continue working with election officials to address any operational concerns and ensure a seamless transition to an extended early voting period. This is not just a step forward; it is a decisive action to strengthen our democracy by making it easier for every eligible citizen to cast their ballot.”
Currently, early voting for general elections lasts nine days, covering two weekends, while primary elections have a shorter period of four or six days, covering just one weekend. This bill standardizes early voting for all primaries at six days, increasing the early voting period for nonpresidential primaries from four days to six and for presidential primaries from 10 days to six. By doing so, the bill maintains a more uniform early voting period while still adding extra days for voter accessibility.
As early in-person voting continues to gain popularity, this bill will help modernize the election process and make voting more convenient for all eligible voters.
The bill advanced out of committee in a 7-1 vote.
