Summary#
S-4852, “Requires candidate contact information to be provided on certain forms filed with ELEC,” would amend New Jersey’s P.L.1973, c.83. Its stated change is to require contact details on forms filed under that law; the bill does not state a broader goal or guarantee a result.
- A candidate or joint candidates’ name, phone number, and email address must be included on statements, reports, and other forms required under the amended section.
- The requirement applies to forms filed with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) under that section—not necessarily every form filed with ELEC.
- The bill does not change contribution limits, reporting deadlines, or the other reporting requirements shown in the amended text.
- It would take effect on January 1 following enactment. It is introduced and is not law.
What it means for you#
- Candidates and joint candidates: Their name, phone number, and email address would have to appear on the relevant forms filed for them.
- Candidate committees and joint candidates committees: When filing forms covered by the section, they would have to include the candidate’s contact details.
- Other residents: The bill does not directly change your taxes, benefits, voting rights, or access to elections.
Money#
No publicly available information on costs is included in the supplied material.
- The bill does not specify a budget, staffing, fees, or fines.
- ELEC may need to account for the new information on the relevant forms, but the bill does not state what changes or costs that would involve.
What is unclear#
- The parent Act was not supplied separately, so I could not independently verify what information these forms require under current law.
- The bill does not say whether the contact details would be publicly displayed, how they would be handled, or whether a candidate could provide different contact details for different filings.
- It does not set out a process for correcting missing or outdated details, or specify a penalty for leaving them off.
- The bill’s effective date depends on when it is enacted.
Case for#
- A possible argument for the bill is that contact details on campaign reports could make it easier for ELEC or others to contact a candidate about information in a filing.
- Putting the details on the filing itself could make them easier to find than relying on a separate source.
Case against#
- The bill does not explain whether the phone numbers and email addresses would be available to the public, leaving candidates uncertain about how the information would be used or shared.
- Candidates or committees may have to provide the details on multiple filings; the bill does not say whether one submission could cover later forms.
- The bill gives little detail on how missing or outdated information would be handled.