New Jersey S 1369: Requires sample ballots to be watermarked as sample ballots.

Bill Text

S1369 

SENATE, No. 1369 

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

� 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2026 SESSION

Sponsored by:

Senator JOSEPH A. LAGANA

District 38 (Bergen)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires sample ballots to be watermarked as sample 
ballots.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT 

���� Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative 
Counsel.

�� 

An Act concerning the preparation of sample ballots and 
amending R.S.19:14-22 and R.S.19:23-31.

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

���� 1.� R.S.19:14-22 is amended to 
read as follows:

���� 19:14-22.� The official 
general election sample ballots shall be as nearly as possible facsimiles of 
the official general election ballot to be voted at such election and shall 
have printed thereon, after the words which indicate the number of the election 
district for which such sample ballots are printed, the name of the school 
district, when appropriate, the number or name and municipality or 
municipalities of the fire district, when appropriate, the street address or 
location of the polling place in the election district, and the hours between 
which the polls shall be open.� Such sample ballots shall be printed on paper 
different in color from the official general election ballot, contain a 
watermark clearly identifying the sample ballot as a sample ballot,� and 
have the following words printed in large type at the top: "This ballot 
cannot be voted.� It is a sample copy of the official general election ballot 
used on election day."� The sample ballot shall also state clearly the 
days, hours and places at which early voting shall be available in the county.

(cf: P.L.2021, c.40, s.11)

���� 2.� R.S.19:23-31 is amended to 
read as follows:

���� 19:23-31.� The official 
primary sample ballot shall be, as nearly as possible, a facsimile of the 
official primary ballot to be voted at the primary election and shall contain 
a watermark clearly identifying the sample ballot as a sample ballot and shall 
be printed on paper different in color from the official primary ballot, so 
that the same may be readily distinguished from the official primary ballot.� 
It shall state clearly the days, hours, and places at which early voting shall 
be available in the county.� The official primary sample ballot shall have 
printed at the top in large type the words:� "This official primary sample 
ballot is an exact copy of the official primary ballot to be used on primary 
election day.� This ballot cannot be voted."� The official primary sample 
ballot shall also have printed thereon, following the words which indicate the 
election district, the following words: "The polling place for this 
election district is

���� (Stating the location of said 
polling place)."

(cf: P.L.2021, c.40, s.14)

���� 3.� This act shall take effect 
immediately. 

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires official 
general election sample ballots and official primary election sample ballots to 
contain a watermark clearly identifying the sample ballots as sample ballots.