New Jersey Democrats Expand Early Voting
WASHINGTON, D.C. — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (D) signed voting rights legislation into law today that establishes permanent, in-person early voting in the Garden State. The bill, S. 3203, makes New Jersey the 25th state to allow voters to cast ballots in person before Election Day and significantly expands voting access thanks to Democratic control of the state’s Legislature and governorship. Stacey Abrams joined Murphy for the bill’s signing in a special video conference earlier today to celebrate the achievement. The bill passed the state Legislature last Thursday, the same day that Georgia Republicans passed the state’s first major voter suppression legislation this year.
Included in the New Jersey legislation are nine days of early voting before a general election, including two weekends, and slightly shorter early voting periods before primaries. Weekend voting allows for voters with unreliable or inflexible work schedules to still have their voices heard even if they do not have time on a workday to go and vote.