19:63-9 Delivery of mail-in ballots.
9. a. Starting on or before the 45th day before the day an election is held, each county clerk shall forward mail-in ballots by first-class postage or hand delivery to each mail-in voter whose request therefor has been approved. Mail-in ballots that have been approved before the 45th day before an election shall be forwarded or delivered at least 45 days before the day of the election. Hand delivery of a mail-in ballot shall be made by the county clerk or the clerk's designee only to the voter, or the voter's authorized messenger, who must appear in person. No person shall serve as an authorized messenger for more than three qualified voters in an election, but a person may serve as such for up to five qualified voters in an election if those voters are immediate family members residing in the same household as the messenger. Ballots that have not been hand delivered shall be addressed to the voter at the forwarding address given in the application.
b. (1) Whenever the clerk forwards a mail-in ballot by mail to a mail-in voter between the 45th day and the 13th day before the day of an election, the ballot shall be transmitted within three business days of the receipt of the application.
(2) Whenever the clerk forwards a mail-in ballot by mail to a mail-in voter between the 12th day and the seventh day before the day of an election, the ballot shall be transmitted within two business days of the receipt of the application.
The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to: (a) annual school elections and special school elections in those school districts holding such elections, pursuant to P.L.1995, c.278 (C.19:60-1 et seq.); (b) any municipality in which elections are conducted by mail, pursuant to P.L.2005, c.148 (C.19:62-1 et seq.); (c) annual elections for members of the boards of fire district commissions, pursuant to N.J.S.40A:14-72, when such elections are held at a time other than the time of the general election; and (d) the vote on any public question submitted to the voters of a local unit to increase the amount to be raised by taxation by more than the allowable adjusted tax levy, pursuant to section 11 of P.L.2007, c.62 (C.40A:4-45.46).
c. (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2011, c.37).
L.2009, c.79, s.9; amended 2011, c.37, s.31; 2015, c.84, s.3; 2017, c.206, s.8; 2020, c.71, s.9.