Early voting for May municipal elections will extend after the governor signed a bill Monday.
This legislation authorizes municipalities that hold nonpartisan elections in May to start eight days before Election Day, extending the early voting window by four days.
Early voting still will end two days before the election, giving voters a total of seven days to vote early.
"As President Trump attempts to undermine elections and make voting harder through his unconstitutional Executive Order, we will take every step to protect the integrity of our elections and ensure they are more accessible for New Jerseyans," Gov. Mikie Sherrill said. "This bill will allow municipalities to expand early voting and ensure the people of our state have their voices heard at the local level, where these decisions will shape our neighborhoods, our schools, and our daily lives.”
This extension will give voters additional opportunities to vote early in non-partisan municipal elections and bring the early voting period for these elections into closer alignment with the period for state and federal elections, news release from the Governor's Office explained.
"I'd like to thank Gov. Sherrill for signing this important legislation, as I strongly believe in enhancing voter accessibility,” Sen. Brian Stack, D-33, said. "As many residents know, I often communicate about the importance of making it to the polls. This bill offers additional days to vote and I’m hopeful that even more residents will participate in our sacred election process."
Assemblyman Larry Wainstein, D-33, also backed the move.
"Early voting isn’t a privilege, it's a necessity," Wainstein said. "Not everyone works a traditional 9 to 5, Monday through Friday work week. By increasing the number of days for early voting, we are allowing more people the opportunity to participate in our electoral process. I want to thank Gov. Sherrill for signing this important bill into law. It is another shining example of how she always puts the best interests of the people first."
