ASSEMBLY OVERSIGHT, REFORM AND FEDERAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 5641

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 22, 2026

      The Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 5641.

      As reported by the committee, this bill, designated as the “Election Integrity and Voter Protection Act,” restricts the presence of active duty military and certain law enforcement near polling places and ballot drop boxes in this State. 

      Under current law, State and local law enforcement officers are restricted from standing or remaining within 100 feet of a polling place or a ballot drop box during the conduct of an election.  This bill additionally restricts federal law enforcement officers and active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States or of the New Jersey National Guard from standing or remaining within 100 feet of a polling place or ballot drop box during the conduct of an election.  Current law provides certain exceptions to when State and local law enforcement officers may stand or remain within 100 feet of a polling place or a ballot drop box.  The bill applies those same exceptions to federal law enforcement officers and active duty members of the Armed Forces of the United States or of the New Jersey National Guard.  The bill adds an exception for when members of the New Jersey National Guard are called upon by the Governor to protect voter access to polling places and ballot drop boxes.

      The bill also allows the Attorney General to bring a civil action in the appropriate Superior Court for injunctive relief to prevent violations of the bill’s provisions.

      The bill defines “law enforcement officer” to mean a member of any federal, State, county, or municipal law enforcement agency, department, or division of those governments who is statutorily empowered to act for the detection, investigation, arrest, conviction, detention, or rehabilitation of persons violating the laws of this State or of the United States.