Responsive Gov’s Grade TL;DR

Unfortunately, the New Jersey State Legislature failed to take action on any significant pro-voter reforms, including a bipartisan bill to adopt same-day voter registration and upgrading its automatic voter registration system to a more secure, efficient, and improved system. While the Legislature passed some reforms to improve participation by young voters, due to lack of movement on critical pro-voter reforms, New Jersey received a B on this year’s progress report.

Looking Back

Where New Jersey Started at the Beginning of 2023

• Automatic Voter Registration: Partial AVR
• Online Voter Registration: Open to all Eligible
• Same-Day Registration: No
• Restoration of Rights: Felon Disenfranchisement
• Vote by Mail: No-Excuse
• Electronic Registration Information Center Member: Yes
• Early Voting Opportunities: In-Person Absentee
• ID Requirements: No Document Required

Relying on the Cost of Voting Index for New Jersey as of 2022, we considered the state a top tier state for pre-existing voting policy and compared its 2023 activity against other top tier states.

How Our Tier Compares

• COVI (2022): 13th
• EPI Score (2020): 43rd
• CLC State Scorecard (2022): 8/10
• MAP Democracy Rating (2022): MEDIUM

2023: This Past Year

Legislative Action

The Legislature passed one pro-voter bill late in the 2023 session:

• A 3690 allows a 17 year old to participate in the primaries if they will be 18 by the general election.
• Unfortunately, the Legislature failed to take action on a bipartisan bill to adopt same-day voter registration, due to opposition from the state Senate president. The Legislature also failed to upgrade the state’s existing automatic voter registration system to a more effective Secure AVR system that has been adopted in 10 states and Washington, DC.