Bramnick bill allows voters to choose how they vote

Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick has introduced legislation (A6085) to repeal the law requiring county clerks to automatically send mail-in ballots to those who voted by mail in any election since 2016.

“No one expects to become a permanent voter by mail forever,” said Bramnick (R-Union). “Too many people were showing up at the polls who were placed on this list. Voters have the right to choose how they vote.”

Twice the Democrat legislature passed, and Gov. Phil Murphy signed, bills just weeks before elections requiring counties to send mail-in ballots to hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents who did not request them. Anyone who asked for an absentee or vote-by-mail ballot in three previous years got one whether they wanted it or not.

This sudden flood of mail-in ballots caused errors and chaos in the election process, and cost counties at least $3 million.

Bramnick’s bill requires voters who wish to vote by mail to complete an application for a mail-in ballot each calendar year.