SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

SENATE, No. 420

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  MARCH 19, 2026

      The Senate Judiciary Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate Bill No. 420.

      As amended by the committee, this bill concerns the early voting period for regular municipal elections in May.

      This bill allows a municipality to pass an ordinance to begin the early voting period for a regular municipal election in May on the eighth calendar day before the regular municipal election.  Currently, the early voting period must begin on the 4th calendar day prior to the election and end on the second calendar day before that regular municipal election, providing three days of early voting.  The bill allows municipalities to expand the early voting period to 7 days for regular municipal elections in May in those nonpartisan municipalities that have adopted early voting.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments allow nonpartisan municipalities that have adopted early voting to extend early voting to begin on the eighth calendar day before a regular municipal election.