Election integrity bill advances in Assembly, pulled from Senate vote

With less than two weeks until Election Day, legislation restricting federal law enforcement officers and military personnel near New Jersey polling places appears unlikely to become law before voters go to the polls after Senate Democratic leaders pulled the measure from Thursday’s voting session.

The Election Integrity and Voter Protection Act (A-5641) cleared an Assembly committee along party lines, with Republicans Don Guardian (R-Atlantic City) and Erik Simonsen (R-Lower Township) casting the only votes against it.

The bill had been expected to come before the full Senate during its 2 p.m. voting session, but Democratic leaders removed it from the agenda without explanation. Senate leadership was unavailable for comment, and it was unclear when the measure might return for consideration.

Sponsored by Assemblywomen Carmen Morales (D-Belleville) and Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D-Trenton) and Assemblyman Avi Schnall (D-Lakewood), the legislation would expand existing restrictions on law enforcement officers near polling places and ballot drop boxes to include federal officers, active-duty military personnel and members of the New Jersey National Guard.

Those personnel would generally be prohibited from remaining within 100 feet of polling places or ballot drop boxes during elections, with exceptions for emergencies, voting, assisting voters who need help and other specified circumstances.

“The focus of this bill [is] to allow and ensure that every eligible voter has the ability not to be scared, not to be intimidated,” Schnall said during the committee vote.

Schnall pointed to mistrust of law enforcement in his home community of Lakewood, citing an incident in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested a legal citizen who was praying on the Sabbath.

He argued that encounters with law enforcement could discourage people from voting.

New Jersey already prohibits certain law enforcement officers from remaining within 100 feet of polling places and ballot drop boxes during elections, with exceptions for emergencies and disturbances. The legislation would extend those restrictions to federal officers and active-duty military personnel.

The measure would also authorize the governor to deploy New Jersey National Guard members to polling places or ballot drop box locations in response to threats to obstruct voter access. The attorney general could seek court injunctions against violations.

Attorney General Jennifer Davenport said this week that her office is preparing for potential federal interference in New Jersey’s elections.

Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D-Linden) and Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark) sponsor the Senate version, S-4863.

With Election Day less than two weeks away, pulling the bill from Thursday’s Senate agenda leaves little time for lawmakers to enact additional protections before voters go to the polls.