March 24, 2026 Story by: Editor
In a significant move to fortify local democratic processes, the New Jersey General Assembly passed a landmark piece of legislation on Monday aimed at establishing a state-level version of the federal Voting Rights Act.
Known as the John R. Lewis Voter Empowerment Act of New Jersey, the bill (A1715) passed the lower chamber in a 53-20 party-line vote, marking a major milestone for civil rights advocates in the Garden State.
“At a time when we are seeing federal voting protections dismantled, New Jersey is stepping up and leading the way,” said Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D-Mercer), the bill’s sponsor and chair of the Legislative Black Caucus.
Restoring Preclearance Protections
The centerpiece of the legislation is the restoration of “preclearance” requirements—a mechanism that was a staple of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 until the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision rendered it inoperative at the federal level.
Under the new state rules, New Jersey municipalities and counties with a documented history of voting discrimination or civil rights violations must seek prior approval from a newly created state authority before making changes to election logistics. This includes moving polling places, changing district boundaries, or altering voter registration procedures. By implementing this at the state level, lawmakers aim to prevent discriminatory practices before they can impact an election, rather than forcing advocates to file costly lawsuits after the damage is done.
The New Jersey legislation would place counties or municipalities under preclearance if they become subject to a court order or administrative action under the state or federal Voting Rights Acts, or the 14th and 15th Amendments. Those party to a consent decree or a final determination by the civil rights division could also become subject to preclearance.
Expanded Language Access and Data Transparency
The bill also significantly lowers the threshold for language assistance. Currently, federal law requires election materials to be translated if 10% of a municipality’s population or at least 10,000 people speak a specific language and have limited English proficiency
New Jersey’s new Act would trigger these protections if:
- At least 2% of residents (minimum of 100 people) speak the language.
- In larger cities, the requirement activates if more than 4,000 residents share a language.
Additionally, the legislation mandates the creation of a centralized, publicly accessible database for election results, polling site locations, and redistricting plans to ensure maximum transparency.
A response to “SAVE Act” and National trends
The bill’s primary sponsor, Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson (D-Mercer), framed the legislation as a necessary defense against recent federal actions, specifically citing the “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility” (SAVE) Act recently advanced by Republicans in the U.S. House.
Since 2013, the Supreme Court has significantly weakened the Voting Rights Act of 1965, but here in New Jersey, we are doing the right thing,” Reynolds-Jackson said.
She argued that while federal efforts have focused on restrictive measures like mandatory proof-of-citizenship for registration, New Jersey’s priority is “encouraging maximum participation among eligible voters.”
Partisan Debate Over “Voter Apathy” vs. “Suppression”
The vote followed a sharp debate on the Assembly floor. Republican members questioned the necessity of the bill, characterizing it as bureaucratic overreach. Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger (R-Monmouth) described the Act as “a solution in search of a problem,” arguing that the real issue facing the state is voter apathy rather than suppression.Republicans countered the proposal by calling for stricter voter ID laws and more frequent purges of ineligible voters from state rolls to ensure “election integrity.”
Democratic leadership, however, pointed to the state’s diversity and historical barriers faced by marginalized communities as justification for the added layers of protection.
Next Steps
While the bill has now cleared the Assembly, its future in the State Senate remains the final hurdle. Advocates from the ACLU of New Jersey and the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice have called on Senate leaders to take swift action to get the bill to Governor Mikie Sherrill’s desk. If signed into law, New Jersey would join a growing list of states—including New York, Connecticut, and Virginia—that have enacted their own voting rights acts in response to the weakening of federal oversight.
Source: News From The States / New Jersey Legislature / New Jersey Monitor
