N.J. Stat. tit. 19, ch. 18

in effect

N.J. Stat. § 19:18-1 Election records placed in ballot box.

19:18-1. As soon as the election shall be finished and the votes canvassed and the statements made and certified by the district board as herein required, all ballots which have been cast, whether the same have been canvassed and counted or rejected for any cause, and one tally sheet, spoiled and unused ballots, shall be carefully collected and deposited in the ballot box. In all municipalities the signature copy registers shall not be placed in the ballot box but shall be delivered immediately by the district board to the commissioner of registration. In order to carry out his duties, any superintendent of elections in counties having a superintendent of elections shall have access and be permitted to inspect and examine any and all signature copy registers for said county for any election which may have been or shall be held in said county and any official or person having possession or custody of same who shall refuse to deliver said signature copy registers to the office of said superintendent of elections forthwith upon demand having been made upon him by said superintendent of elections as aforesaid shall be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. Unless the said official having custody or possession of said signature copy registers shall forthwith produce the same at the office of the superintendent of elections when demanded by him so to do, the said superintendent of elections may apply to a judge of the Superior Court assigned to the county and such judge shall forthwith make an order directing the official having possession or custody of the said signature copy registers to produce them at once in the court in which said judge may be sitting, and upon their being produced said judge shall deliver the same to the superintendent of elections. Amended 1940, c.196; 1947, c.168, s.7; 1953, c.19, s.22; 1991, c.91, s.244; 2005, c.154, s.5.

N.J. Stat. § 19:18-2 Ballot boxes delivered to municipal clerks

The ballot box, after being locked and bound with tape and sealed, shall in all municipalities be immediately taken in charge by 2 members of the district board. It shall then be delivered to the office of the clerk of the municipality in which the election may be held, by said members or by said members with the assistance of an officer or officers to be designated by the governing body thereof, by the most direct route and without delay, and such members or officers shall not stop at any place between the polls and the municipal clerk's office. When the municipal governing body designates an officer or officers to assist said members in transmitting the ballot boxes it shall provide for suitable transportation. Amended by L.1967, c. 170, s. 1, eff. July 25, 1967.

N.J. Stat. § 19:18-3 Municipal clerk's office open until all ballot boxes delivered; record of times of delivery

The clerk of the municipality shall attend at his office on election day, or appoint one of the clerks in his office to act for him, and keep his office open from the time the polls shall be closed until all the ballot boxes used at the various polls in the municipality at such election shall have been delivered at his office. The clerk of the municipality or his subordinate whom he may have appointed to act in his stead shall enter in a book to be kept for that purpose the exact time when each ballot box may be delivered at such office, the district whence it was brought, names of the members of the district board delivering it, and the name of the police officer or other witness who may accompany them, and any other particulars he may deem important; such book shall be filed in the office of the municipal clerk and be preserved by him for two years.

N.J. Stat. § 19:18-4 Preservation of ballot boxes and contents

19:18-4. Every municipal clerk to whom the ballot boxes shall be delivered shall thereupon keep the same, with their contents, but shall not have the keys thereof in his possession until required for the next ensuing election, and shall not open or permit to be taken or opened any ballot box for the space of three months after the same has been so deposited, except when he shall be called upon by some court or other tribunal authorized to try the merits of such election or to take testimony regarding the same; and after such trial or investigation the clerk shall have such box or boxes returned to be held for any purpose within the time that same are required to remain in his custody. After the space of three months the municipal clerk may remove the contents thereof and preserve the same for two years, and permit the ballot boxes to be used at any election, unless an order shall have been made directing a recount of the ballots contained therein, or a petition filed contesting any nomination or election necessitating the use of the ballots contained in such boxes, within the time limited by law. When any election is required to be held for any purpose within such three months, the judge of the Superior Court assigned to the county, upon application of the governing body of any municipality, may direct that the contents of such ballot boxes be removed and preserved for two years and that these ballot boxes be used at such election. Amended 1953, c.19, s.23; 1991,c.91,s.245.

N.J. Stat. § 19:18-5 Register of voters in municipalities not having permanent registration filed with county clerk

Not later than noon of the day following the canvass of the votes cast at the general election the register of voters, kept and checked by the district boards in municipalities not having permanent registration, shall be filed by the boards with the county clerk.

N.J. Stat. § 19:18-6 Ballot box keys deposited with county clerk

Not later than noon of the day following the canvass of the votes the keys of each ballot box shall be deposited by a member of the district board with the county clerk.

N.J. Stat. § 19:18-7 Preservation of records; sale as waste paper

All registry books and statements of results of elections required to be filed with the Secretary of State, the superintendent of elections, the county clerks of the various counties and the municipal clerks of the various municipalities shall be preserved by such officials for a period of five years after the holding of any election at which they were used, and all ballots, used or unused, for any election shall be preserved by such officials for a period of two years after the holding of any election, and thereafter shall be sold by such officials as waste paper, the proceeds to be paid into the State, county and municipal treasuries, respectively. The several county and municipal clerks may also sell all registry books which have been on file in their office for a period of five years, the proceeds to be paid into the county and municipal treasury, respectively. Amended by L.1945, c. 76, p. 408, s. 3.

N.J. Stat. § 19:18-8 Inspection of ballot boxes, books and documents by Superior Court

A judge of the Superior Court may at any time for satisfactory reasons shown, and when he deems it necessary, issue an order for the opening of any ballot box or boxes and the removal of the contents thereof and for the removal from the file of any municipal or county office of any documents and books for any necessary purpose, which order shall also set forth the return of such contents to the ballot box or boxes and their return together with the documents and books to the files of the office from which the same were removed. Amended by L.1953, c. 19, p. 338, s. 24.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislative-activity/statutesFetched: 10/17/2026