Proposed law in NJ to outlaw paper ballots

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ASSEMBLY, No. 2448
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
212th LEGISLATURE
INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 6, 2006

Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RICHARD A. MERKT
District 25 (Morris)

SYNOPSIS
Requires use of electronic voting machines in elections; reimburses certain
counties for funds spent on election equipment.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.

An Act requiring electronic voting machines be used in elections in this
State, supplementing Title 19 of the Revised Statutes, and making an
appropriation.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. a. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary, only
electronic voting machines having the following characteristics shall be
used in any election conducted in this State:

(1) an LCD screen which displays the ballot to the voter;

(2) touch-screen selection of the voter's choices;

(3) a clearly visible electronic mark which indicates each of the voter's
selections;

(4) scroll buttons which allow the voter to move through the ballot's pages;

(5) a "cast-vote" button to record the voter's selections;

(6) a print-out and an electronic cartridge which indicate the results of
balloting when the polls close; and

(7) to the extent applicable, the criteria set forth in R.S.19:48-1 as
determined by the Attorney General.

b. The use of mechanical voting machines, electronic systems using ballot
cards, or paper ballots in any election is prohibited, except that paper
ballots may continue to be used as emergency ballots, provisional ballots,
or absentee ballots.

2. a. Each county which purchases electronic voting machines in order to
comply with the provisions of this act shall be reimbursed by the Attorney
General for the cost thereof; and

b. a county that has appropriated and expended county funds for the purpose
of upgrading election equipment at any time during the five-year period
immediately preceeding the effective date of this act may apply for an
amount of State funds equal to the county funds appropriated and expended
for that purpose.

3. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Law and
Public Safety such amounts as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of
section 2 of this act, as certified by the Director of the Division of
Budget and Accounting.

4. This act shall take effect 180 days after enactment.

STATEMENT
This bill prohibits the use of mechanical voting machines, punch card
electronic systems using ballot cards, and paper ballots and provides that
only electronic voting machines will be used in elections in this State. All
other types of voting machines would be prohibited, except that paper
ballots could continue to be used as emergency ballots, provisional ballots
or absentee ballots.

Under the bill, the Attorney General would reimburse counties for the cost
of purchasing the new machines, and any county that has spent county funds
for the purpose of upgrading election equipment during the five-year period
immediately preceeding the effective date of the bill may apply for an
amount of State funds equal to the county funds spent for that purpose.