reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-8 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-8 - Verification of voter's signature for issuance of mail-in ballot; actions upon disapproval.

19:63-8 Verification of voter's signature for issuance of mail-in ballot; actions upon disapproval.  8. Upon receipt of a request for a mail-in ballot, the county clerk shall, with the cooperation of the commissioner of registration, cause the signature of the applicant to be compared with the signature of the person appearing on the permanent registration form, or the digitalized image of the voter's signature stored in the Statewide voter registration system, to determine from such examination, and any other available information, if the applicant is a voter qualified to cast a ballot in the election in which the voter wants to vote, and determine in case of a primary election the political party primary in which the voter is entitled to vote. The commissioner of registration, or the superintendent of elections in counties having a superintendent of elections may, at the request of the county clerk, investigate any application or request for a mail-in ballot. If, after such examination, the county clerk is satisfied that the applicant is entitled to a ballot, the clerk shall mark on the application "Approved." If, after such examination the county clerk determines that the applicant is not entitled to a ballot, the clerk shall mark on the application "Disapproved" and shall so notify the applicant, stating the reason therefor, as required by section 5 of P.L.2004, c.88 (C.19:61-5). Notification to the applicant shall be made in writing within 24 hours of the determination of disapproval and shall state the specific reason, or reasons, for the disapproval and inform the applicant of the opportunity to challenge the disapproval by contacting the county clerk's office. The county clerk shall provide every disapproved applicant with the opportunity to (1) submit evidence either in person or via fax, postal mail or electronic mail, (2) submit a voter registration application to update signature or change name, address, or party affiliation, (3) submit a new application to vote by mail, or (4) in the case of an application disapproved for a reason related to signature verification, sign an affidavit in the presence of the county clerk, or designee, after presenting current and valid photo identification. L.2009, c.79, s.8; amended 2020, c.71, s.8.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-9 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-9 - Delivery of mail-in ballots.

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.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-10 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-10 - Forwarding of requests to county board of elections, lists of requests kept.

19:63-10 Forwarding of requests to county board of elections, lists of requests kept.  10. a. Each county clerk, after processing the applications for mail-in ballots requiring approval under section 8 of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-8) and furnishing the applicants with a mail-in ballot pursuant to that act, shall forward such requests, including those disapproved, to the county board of elections. Each clerk shall also keep one list of the requests received by the clerk and another list of the applicants whose applications were approved and sent mail-in ballots. Each list shall include the name and street address of each person requesting or receiving a mail-in ballot. The clerk shall update the lists each business day and they shall be made available to the public and transmitted to all election officials charged with the duty of administering this act. b. Each county board of elections shall keep a list of the name and street address of each person who returns a voted mail-in ballot and the name and street address of each person who delivers the ballot personally to the board. The board shall update the list each business day and it shall be accessible to the public and transmitted to all elections officials charged with the duty of administering this act. The county clerk and the county board of elections shall keep the lists required by this section starting no later than the 14th day before the day of the election and continue to do so until the day of the election. L.2009, c.79, s.10.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-14 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-14 - Certification by county clerk.

19:63-14 Certification by county clerk.  14. Each county clerk shall, from time to time and prior to each election, certify in writing under oath to the commissioner of registration of the county, the names and addresses of the persons to whom mail-in ballots to be voted at such election have been delivered or forwarded pursuant to this act. L.2009, c.79, s.14.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-15 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-15 - Marking of applicant's record.

19:63-15 Marking of applicant's record.  15. The commissioner of registration upon receipt of the information from the county clerk required by section 14 of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-14) shall mark the applicant's record in the Statewide voter registration system and duplicate voting record appearing on the signature copy registers as follows. Whenever the commissioner of registration receives from the county clerk notice that a mail-in ballot has been forwarded to a voter during the time when the signature copy registers are in the custody of other election officials pursuant to current law, or are in transit to or from such officials, the commissioner shall, prior to the opening of the polls on election day, forward to each polling place a list of all such voters to whom ballots have been sent but whose duplicate voting record has not been marked in the manner herein prescribed. Such lists may be prepared in the same manner as a challenge sheet and may be included therein together with other causes for challenge. Any person whose name appears on any list or notice furnished by the commissioner of registration to the effect that such voter has received a mail-in ballot, but who wishes nevertheless to vote at the polls on the day of an election, shall be permitted to vote by provisional ballot after completing the affirmation statement attached to the envelope provided with the provisional ballot pursuant to section 7 of P.L.1999, c.232 (C.19:53C-1).  Whenever a mail-in ballot has been delivered to a voter less than seven days before an election and up to 3 p.m. of the day before the election, and the signature copy registers are in the custody of other election officials, or in transit to or from such officials, the county clerk shall prepare a master list of all such ballots, and the list shall be transmitted to the commissioner of registration in sufficient time to permit the commissioner to notify the appropriate municipal clerk. The clerk shall notify the judge of the polling place to mark the voter's record accordingly. L.2009, c.79, s.15.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-17.1 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-17.1 - Determination of validity of mail-in ballot.

19:63-17.1 Determination of validity of mail-in ballot.  4. a. Following the attempt to cure any alleged deficiencies in a mail-in ballot pursuant to section 17 of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-17), the county board of elections shall make a final determination about whether or not the mail-in ballot alleged to be deficient shall be counted. The failure or alleged failure of any voter to cure alleged deficiencies in the voter's mail-in ballot shall not create a presumption that the vote is improper or invalid, nor shall it be considered evidence that the vote is improper or invalid. b. Following final determination under subsection a. of this section, disputes about the qualifications of a voter to vote, or about whether or not or how any mail-in ballot shall be counted in that election, shall be referred to the Superior Court for determination. L.2020, c.70, s.4.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-17.2 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-17.2 - Educational materials for "evaluators."

19:63-17.2 Educational materials for "evaluators."  5. a. The Secretary of State shall prepare educational materials regarding the provisions of section 17 of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-17) that all county boards of elections persons handling ballots shall be required to read or view prior to the election. The materials shall provide clear information regarding the standards for acceptance and rejection of mail-in ballots and the safe holding of all materials in the case of rejection. b. Prior to each election, the Secretary of State shall direct all county boards of elections and their members, agents, employees, and representatives, who shall be collectively known as the "evaluators," and who are responsible for authenticating or verifying mail-in ballots pursuant to section 17 of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-17), or authenticating or verifying provisional ballots pursuant to section 19 of P.L.1999, c.232 (C.19:53C-13), to comply with the provisions of subsection c. of this section. c. The Secretary of State and each county board of elections shall ensure that all evaluators receive, and are directed to comply with, written guidance stating as follows: (1) when verifying signatures, evaluators shall keep in mind that everyone writes differently, and no one signs their name exactly the same way twice; (2) some variation in signatures is to be expected; (3) many factors can lead to signature variance, including, but not limited to, age, disability, underlying health conditions, writing implement or surface, level of concentration, and educational background; (4) according to studies, evaluators are more likely to declare genuine signatures to be non-genuine than they are to accept a non-genuine signature as genuine, and the goal is to prevent these errors in signature verification; and  (5) evaluators shall presume that the documents were signed by the same person and shall accept a signature as valid unless there is a clear discrepancy that cannot be reasonably explained. d. The Secretary of State shall, not later than 14 days prior to the election, publish the signature matching guidelines required under subsection c. of this section which each evaluator shall be required to follow in determining if mail-in voter signatures match. e. The Secretary of State shall, at least 30 days prior to the election, conduct a voter education campaign to inform voters about the signature matching and ballot curing provisions established by this act, P.L.2020, c.70, which campaign shall also exhort voters to update their contact information with their respective county board of elections, including their email address and telephone number, to enable the county board to contact the voter in case the need arises for the voter to cure their ballot. L.2020, c.70, s.5.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-19 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-19 - Mail-in ballot deemed valid.

19:63-19 Mail-in ballot deemed valid.  19. No mail-in ballot shall be rejected or declared invalid because it does not contain all of the names of the candidates or all of the public questions to be voted for in the election district in the election in which it is to be counted. A mail-in ballot shall be counted in determining the result of the election as to any office or public question, if the designation of the office and the name of the candidate for election to the office or the answer to such public question are indicated thereon to demonstrate the voter's choice. L.2009, c.79, s.19.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-20 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-20 - Mail-in voters, certain, not permitted to vote in person.

19:63-20 Mail-in voters, certain, not permitted to vote in person.  20. a. Any person who has applied for a mail-in ballot and has had the mail-in ballot either delivered in person or forwarded by mail, and voted and returned the voted ballot to the county board, shall not be permitted to vote in person at the polling place in the voter's election district on the day of the election. b. Any person who: (1) has applied for a mail-in ballot and not received either the ballot or an explanation for not receiving such a ballot pursuant to notification by the county clerk or from the free-access system established pursuant to section 5 of P.L.2004, c.88 (C.19:61-5) to provide such information; (2) has applied for and received a mail-in ballot and has not transmitted it to the county board of elections or given it to a bearer for delivery to the county board before the time for the opening of the polls on the day of an election; or (3) has applied for and received a mail-in ballot and has not transmitted it to the county board of elections or given it to the bearer for delivery to the county board, but appears at the polling place without the ballot and wishes to vote, shall be permitted to vote in person by provisional ballot at the polling place in the voter's election district on the day of the election.  L.2009, c.79, s.20; amended 2018, c.72, s.7.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-21 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-21 - Rejection of ballot mailed in by voter subsequently deceased.

19:63-21 Rejection of ballot mailed in by voter subsequently deceased.  21. Whenever the county board receives evidence that a mail-in voter who has marked and forwarded a mail-in ballot has died before the opening of the polls on the day of the election, the ballot shall be rejected by the board and retained by it in the same manner as provided by this act for other rejected ballots. L.2009, c.79, s.21.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-22 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-22 - Opening of mail-in ballot.

19:63-22 Opening of mail-in ballot.  22. On the day of each election each county board of elections shall open in the presence of the commissioner of registration, or the designee thereof, the inner envelopes that contain the mail-in ballots with the votes cast for the election. The inner envelopes containing the ballots that the board or the Superior Court has rejected shall not be so opened, but shall be retained as provided for by this act. The board shall then proceed to canvass the votes cast on the mail-in ballots, but no such ballot shall be counted in any primary election for the general election if the ballot of the political party marked for voting thereon differs from the designation of the political party in the primary election of which such ballot is intended to be voted as marked on the envelope by the county board of elections. Every mail-in ballot that bears a postmark date before or of the day of the election and that is received by the county board within 144 hours after the time of the closing of the polls for the election that the ballot was prepared shall be considered valid and shall be canvassed. Every mail-in ballot that does not bear a postmark date but that is received by the county board by delivery of the United States Postal Service before, or within 48 hours after, the time of the closing of the polls for the election for which the ballot was prepared shall be considered valid and shall be canvassed.  Immediately after the canvass is completed, the respective county boards of election shall certify the result of the canvass to the county clerk or the municipal or district clerk or other appropriate officer, as the case may be, showing the result of the canvass by municipality and ward. The votes thus canvassed shall be counted in determining the result of the election. The county board of elections shall, immediately after the canvass is completed for any primary election, certify the results of the votes cast for members of the county committees to the respective municipal clerks, and those votes shall be counted in determining the result of the election. L.2009, c.22, s.22; amended 2011, c.134, s.56; 2018, c.72, s.8; 2020, c.71, s.13.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-23 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-23 - Marking in voting records of information relative to mail-in ballots.

19:63-23 Marking in voting records of information relative to mail-in ballots.  23. On an ongoing basis as each action is completed, the county clerk shall mark in the Statewide voter registration system, which will be shared with the free-access system, to show that mail-in ballots were delivered or forwarded to the respective registered voters. For each mail-in ballot that has been voted, received and counted, the board of elections shall also, by reference to the certificates removed from the inner envelopes of such ballots, place the word "Voted" in the space provided in the Statewide voter registration system and duplicate voting record for recording the ballot number of the voter's ballot in the election. For each mail-in ballot that has been voted, received and rejected pursuant to section 17 of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-17), the board of elections shall mark as "Rejected" in the Statewide voter registration system, which will be shared with the free-access system. For each of the rejected mail-in ballots where the voter provided a cure and therefore were accepted, the board of elections shall provide an additional input as "Accepted" in the Statewide voter registration system, which will be shared with the free access system. In the case of the primary election for the general election, the board shall also cause to be noted in the proper space of the Statewide voter registration system or other record of voting form the first three letters of the name of the political party primary in which such ballot was voted. The record contained in the Statewide voter registration system and of voting forms in the original permanent registration binders shall be conformed to the foregoing entries in the duplicate forms. L.2009, c.79, s.23; amended 2011, c.134, s.57; 2020, c.70, s.6.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-24 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-24 - Board of elections to keep voted mail-in ballots and certifications for two years.

19:63-24 Board of elections to keep voted mail-in ballots and certifications for two years.  24. The county board of elections shall keep, for two years, all of the requests and applications for mail-in ballots, all voted mail-in ballots, and all of the certificates that have been detached or separated by them from the inner envelopes. All inner envelopes together with their certificates, and the contents of those envelopes not opened by order of the county board or Superior Court, shall also be retained for the same period by the board. The superintendent of elections in counties having a superintendent of elections and the prosecutor in all other counties shall have the authority to impound all mail-in ballots whenever the superintendent or prosecutor, as may be appropriate, shall deem such action to be necessary.  L.2009, c.79, s.24.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-25 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-25 - Powers exercised over mail-in voting.

19:63-25 Powers exercised over mail-in voting.  25. The county board of elections, the county clerk, the superintendent of elections and the commissioner of registration shall exercise the same powers over mail-in voting as over other voting in elections, except as otherwise provided by law. L.2009, c.79, s.25.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-26 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-26 - No election held invalid due to mail-in ballots.

19:63-26 No election held invalid due to mail-in ballots.  26. No election shall be held to be invalid due to any irregularity or failure in the preparation or forwarding of any mail-in ballots prepared or forwarded pursuant to the provisions of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-1 et al.). L.2009, c.79, s.26.
NJ Rev Stat § 19:63-27 (2021)
2021 New Jersey Revised Statutes|Title 19 - Elections|Section 19:63-27 - Ballot required to be sealed before delivery.

19:63-27 Ballot required to be sealed before delivery.  27. No person shall take a mail-in ballot from a voter or other person having custody of it for the purpose of delivering it to the county board of elections or to a postal box or post office, nor shall any voter permit any person to do so, unless the ballot is sealed in the outer envelope and the person who transports or delivers it first signs and prints his or her name on the outer envelope. No other person shall attempt to do any of the foregoing. L.2009, c.79, s.27.