Title 19, ELECTIONS

19:4A-13 Covered policy subject to preclearance, Attorney General. 13. a. To ensure that the right to vote is not denied or abridged on account of membership in a protected class, the enactment or implementation of a covered policy by a covered entity, as defined in this section,…

19:4A-14 Process for obtaining preclearance, covered policy. 14. a. A local elections office for a corresponding covered entity may obtain preclearance for a covered policy from the Attorney General pursuant to the following process: (1) The local elections office for the covered…

19:4A-15 Certain acts interfering with voters, election workers prohibited. 15. a. No person, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, shall engage in acts of intimidation, deception, violence or restraint, or obstruction that affects the right of voters to vote or the per…

19:4A-16 Aggrieved parties, action filed in Superior Court of county where alleged violation occurred; liability of violators. 16. a. Any aggrieved persons or organization whose membership includes aggrieved persons or members of a protected class or who have otherwise been given…

19:4A-17 Authority of Attorney General, enforcement of voter empowerment act. 17. a. In any action or investigation to enforce any provision of this act, P.L.2026, c.31 (C.19:4A-1 et seq.), the Attorney General shall have the authority to take proof and determine relevant facts a…

19:4A-18 Public education, voting rights. 18. a. The Attorney General may, subject to available funding, engage in public education efforts as necessary to inform the voting eligible population about their voting rights under this act, P.L.2026, c.31 (C.19:4A-1 et seq.), includin…

19:4A-19 Internet database, centralized source of election information, data available to the public. 19. a. The Division of Elections within the Department of State shall establish and maintain a publicly accessible Internet database that serves as a centralized source of electi…

19:4A-2 Equal opportunity, voting rights. 2. a. In recognition of the protections for the right to vote provided by the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of New Jersey, and under the laws of New Jersey, and in conjunction with the constitutional gua…

19:4A-20 Racial, ethnic identity, information delivered to Secretary of State. 20. In reporting information to the Secretary of State pursuant to paragraph (4) of subsection a. of section 2 of P.L.2019, c.385 (C.52:4-1.2), the Department of Corrections shall give each individual'…

19:4A-21 Applicability, elections within State, political subdivision. 21. The provisions of this act, P.L.2026, c.31 (C.19:4A-1 et seq.), shall apply to all elections for any elected public office or electoral choice within the State or any political subdivision. To ensure voter…

19:4A-22 Severability. 22. The provisions of this act, P.L.2026, c.31 (C.19:4A-1 et seq.), shall be severable and if any section, subsection, paragraph, subparagraph, sentence, or other portion of this act is for any reason held or declared by any court of competent jurisdiction …

19:4A-3 Definitions. 3. As used in this act, P.L.2026, c.31 (C.19:4A-1 et seq.): “Covered entity” means any political subdivision subject to the preclearance program as determined by the criteria established in subsection c. of section 13 of this act, P.L.2026, c.31 (C.19:4A-13),…

19:4A-4 Responsibility of enforcement, John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey. 4. a. The Attorney General of New Jersey shall be responsible for enforcing the provisions of this act, P.L.2026, c.31 (C.19:4A-1 et seq.), and shall designate the Division on Civil Rights t…

19:4A-5 Prohibition against motions resulting in abridgement of right to vote, protected class. 5. a. Concerning voter suppression, no voting qualification, prerequisite to voting, law, ordinance, standard, practice, procedure, regulation, or policy shall be enacted or implemente…

19:4A-6 Prohibition against motions resulting in election dilution. 6. a. Concerning vote dilution, no local election office or political subdivision shall employ any method of election for any office that has the effect, or is motivated in part by the intent, of impairing the eq…

19:4A-7 Factors to be considered to determine violation of voter empowerment. 7. a. In determining whether, under the totality of the circumstances, a violation of sections 5 and 6 of this act, P.L.2026, c.31 (C.19:4A-5 and C.19:4A-6), has occurred, factors that may be considered…

19:4A-8 Violation of provisions, remedies ordered. 8. Upon a finding of a violation of any of the provisions of this act, P.L.2026, c.31 (C.19:4A-1 et seq.), a court shall order any remedy which may be appropriate under the circumstances, and, if necessary to cure a violation of …

19:4A-9 Burdens on the right to vote based on disability, sex, orientation, expression prohibited, exceptions. 9. a. Voting qualifications, prerequisites to voting, laws, ordinances, standards, practices, procedures, regulations, or policies that burden the right to vote, includi…