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Assembly approves bill to publish full sample ballots earlier and centralize online access
Summary
The Assembly passed legislation requiring county boards to publish full sample ballots earlier (12 days before early voting) and to submit them to the State Board of Elections for centralized online access; the measure mandates security features and was passed 97–46.
The Assembly approved legislation to expand access to sample ballots and to require counties to provide full district ballots to the State Board of Elections for centralized online publication.
Assemblymember Simone (sponsor) said the bill would give voters earlier access to sample ballots — specifying a 12‑day timeline prior to early voting — and would require submission of the complete ballot for every election district to the state board so voters can find and review their exact ballot online. “The purpose of this bill is to provide voters access to the sample ballot before election day,” the sponsor said.
The bill includes permissive language allowing county boards to post sample ballots on their websites, and it also calls for an ‘‘embedded security tool’’ to prevent tampering and improper printing of sample ballots; the sponsor said the phrase was intentionally permissive and that counties unable to provide secure access could rely on the State Board’s website.
Members asked whether the new requirement would impose costs on county boards of elections and whether the timeline (given proximity to upcoming primaries) was achievable. The sponsor and other members responded that they expected county boards and the State Board of Elections could comply and that the provision is permissive in some respects.
The Assembly passed the bill on a recorded vote of 97–46.
