Elections Flashcards
Statutory Titles from NJSA involving the election process
N.J.S.A 19 - Duties and responsibilities as regards the conduct of elections
N.J.S.A 40:45 - Non-partisan elections
N.J.S.A 18A - School Board Elections
another name for County Board of Elections
Commissioner of Registration
Another name for pollworker
District Board Worker
who are district board workers appointed by?
Board of Elections
Voter Registration Guidelines
18
US Citizen
State & County at least 30 days before the election
Registration Deadline
21 days before and election
Move within the County, what do you do and/or how do you vote?
Change of Address; if not then provisional/Fail Safe
Voter is NOT eligible if
A State may remove a voter does not respond to a notice sent by the applicable registrar to confirm their current address
Death
On parole, in prison
Registering for the first time
nj driver’s license OR
last four of SSN with valid photo id, utility bill/bank statement/ gov check or pay chek, docu w/ name and address
If none of these are supplied, the voter will be asked for proof of identification at the poll
Registration Forms may be obtained from the:
Municipal Clerks Office County Board of Elections Commissioner of Registration Division of Worker’s Compensation Division of Employment Services Division of Unemployment and Temporary Disability Division of Taxation Public Libraries Any office or commercial establishment where State licenses or permits are available to the public National Guard NJ Transit Public Institution of Higher Education Any institution receiving financial assistance, aid or grants from State funds
list of 5 differences between the election process in a partisan election and in a non-partisan election
non-partisan are in municipal elections
non-partisan can have run-off elections
non-partisan do not have primaries - partisan have primaries
partisan have party affiliations on the ballot
Each petition signature must be on separate sheet of paper
5 Election Day Duties of a municipal Clerk
Open the polls at no later than 6am, close no earlier than 8pm
Remain open from opening of the polls to the closing of the polls and all district workers have delivered their returns
Provide election supplies for each district (pens, needle and string, signs, flag)
district sample ballots, voting machine keys, payroll vouchers, voting authority slips, voter registration duplicate books
Transmit results to the County Clerk and the County Superintendent of Elections
Duties of County Board of Elections
- appoints board workers
- selects polling places
- prepares and maintains voting district maps
- readjust boundary lines of viting districts if necessary because of voter turn out
- provides voting and voter registration instructions to be dislayed at each polling place
- receives vote by mail ballots
- receives presidential ballots from removed residents
- furnishes proper polling place equipment
- publishes in newspaper public notices regarding details about upcoming partisan election dates and voting procedure
- publishes in newspaper public notice explaining procedure for challenging of votes
Duties of Commissioner of Registration
- superintendent of elections if one exists
- prepares challenge list
- receives the Statement of Election Results
- receives change of address forms
- accepts change in party affiliation cards
- accepts change in name notification
- supt of elections handles delivery of, and storage of, voting machines
- handles emergency ballot and emergency ballot equipment
- mails sample ballots
Duties of County Clerk
- receives applications for vote by mail ballots
- receives applications for Overseas Federal Election Voters
- prepares application forms for removed residents
4 provides american flags for use at polling places - receives statement of election results
- receives petition for independent candidate for local public office
7.receives peitions for candidates at county level - advertises vote by mail ballot req
- prepares sample ballots
- proves list of registered voters
- forwards to municipal clerk certifications and notices officers to be elected on the county level
- Provide list of elected municipal (County) committee members by party, ward and district within 8 days after the primary
filling a vacancy when incumbent was a nominee of a political party
- before September 1 then General election 2. If on or after September 1 of the next to the last year, then filled by appointment
Vacancy within 15 days after occurrence (muni ctm) presents 3 names to governing body
Vacancy within 30 days after occurrence, the Gov Body shall appont one of the nominees
If Gov Body fails to appoint within 30 days then Muni Ctm shall appoint within 15 or 45 days
If Muni Ctm fails to submit names within 15 days, the Gov Body shall appoint within the next 15 days or 30 days total
Filling a vacancy If incumbent was not a nominee of political party
A If not elected to office as political party, Gov Body may appoint within 30 days w/o regard to party
B If Gov Body fails to or declines to fill vacancy, then remains vacant for remainder of term
True or False: Governor may fill vacancies after municipal clerk or remaining member of governing body certifies to governor that vacancies have occurred.
True
Power of Initiative vs Power of Referendum
INITIATIVE
the power of voters to create laws themselves
REFERENDUM
the power of the voters to approve or reject / (reacting) to something the governing body has done is about to do.
List at least 2 requirements/elements of a recall election
Petitioner
Letter of intent, 200 words, submit petition
List at least 2 requirements/elements of a recall election of an Election Official
acknowledge receipt, 200 word response, run on the ballot
acknowledge receipt, 200 word response, run on the ballot
List at least 2 requirements/elements of a recall election of a Recall Election Official
review letter of intent, petition, advertise, certify results
At least 2 types of Challengers
Authorized challenger for political party
Authorized challenger for a candidate
proponents or opponents of a public question
Powers of Challengers
power to challenge the right to vote of any person
may ask all ncessary questions to determine the right to vote
may be present while votes cast are being counted
power to challenge the counting
At least 4 Situations where a Special Election would be required
to fill certain vacancies recall elections exceed budget cap creation of fire districts Initiative or Referendum Abandonment of present form of government Reversion to prior form
Voter Registration Deadline
30 days
Filing petition for running for elected office in primary
64 days
Deadline of Certification of Suggested polling places
april 1
Deadline of Appointment of District Board (Poll Workers)
april 1
Deadline of Drawing for position on Ballot in Partisan Election
55 days
Deadline for change of Party Affiliation
55 days
Deadline for Civilian Vote by mail ballot submitted in person
election day
General Election Day
1st tuesday after the first monday
School Election
3rd tuesday in April
municipal election
2nd Tuesday in May
primary day
1st tuesday after 1st monday in june
Identify 2 duties of a District Board worker on Election Day
maintain order at the polls,
verify voters are registered
prepare the polling place for voting
place a flag outside of polling location
report to the polls at least 45 minutes before the polls open
Identify 2 options by which a member of the military may vote
At the polls
Overseas Federal Election voter ballot
Federal Absentee Ballot
List and Define at least four out of nine types of ballots identified by the course instruct during the class presentation
Official Ballot - The actual ballot used for voting on election day
Provisional - Fail Safe Voting
Sample - used to help voters become familiar with the ballot they will see on election day, are mandatory for partisan elections; not required for Regular Municipal Elections
Civilian Main In Ballot - A computer Sof
Spoiled - cases where a ballot is torn or otherwise unable to be cast,
Uniformed and Overseas Citizen Absentee
Emergency - a ballot used when for any reason a voting machine fails to operate
Presidential -
Irregular - A write in vote
Elements of a Recall Election, required from each of the following participants:
the Petitioner, Elected official , and the Recall Election Official
Petitioner: letter of intent, 200 words, submit petition
Elected Official: acknowledge receipt, 200 words response, run on the ballot
Recall Election Official: review letter of intent, review petition, advertise, certify results
Reg no longer valid
dead,
dont respond to a written overture
move from out of county
How to change to a Faulkner Act
Charter Study or Direct Petition
Explain Charter Study
5 people, 9 months to get the study done study the form of government compare it with other available forms determine if it would strengthen and be more responsive more economical or efficient
Findings: may report that a referendum shall be held to decide one of the forms of gov the gov body shall petition the gov body the form of gov remain unchanged the charter adopted under the form says you should go with a different form
Explain Direct Petition
towns that already know what they want as a form of government and they place it directly on the ballot
ordinance
Four Optional forms of Gov under Faulkner Act
- Mayor-Council Plan - its all about the mayor
- Council-Manager Plan - with the Council and the mayor is ceremonial. they hire the manager to run the town.
- small municipality - under 12,000 population
- Mayor-Council Administrator
Fire district election
3rd saturday in february
