The New Jersey Senate has approved legislation sponsored by Senate President Nick Scutari and Senator James Beach aimed at helping voters better understand how mail-in ballots are processed and counted.
The bill would require the New Jersey Secretary of State to launch a public awareness campaign explaining U.S. Postal Service postmark procedures and how they can impact mail-in ballots. Officials say the effort is intended to reduce voter confusion and help ensure ballots are counted properly.
Under current New Jersey law, mail-in ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by county election officials within six days after the election to be considered valid. The legislation comes after the U.S. Postal Service finalized rules in December 2025 clarifying that a ballot’s postmark date may sometimes differ from the date it was placed in the mail.
The proposed campaign would encourage voters to take additional steps to ensure their ballots are counted, including requesting a manual postmark at a post office or utilizing one of New Jersey’s secure ballot drop boxes.
The bill also directs the Secretary of State, in partnership with county election officials, to review the placement and usage of ballot drop boxes across the state and provide recommendations for improving voter access.
According to state data, New Jersey currently has 453 ballot drop boxes statewide, with approximately 4.7 million residents living within one mile of a drop box. Nearly half of all voters who return mail-in ballots use a drop box.
The legislation includes a $100,000 appropriation to fund the voter education campaign and related initiatives. The measure now advances for further consideration.
