19:27A-8 Format of recall petition; requirements.

8. a. No signature appearing on any document other than a recall petition prepared in accordance with the provisions of this section shall be counted among the signatures required under section 5 of this act to determine whether a recall election shall be held.

b. A recall petition shall be prepared by the recall committee in accordance with a format, consistent with the provisions of this act, which shall have been approved for such purpose by the Secretary of State. A petition may consist of any number of separate sections which shall be identical except with respect to information required to be entered thereon by the signers and circulators and as otherwise provided herein. The size of the paper used in a recall petition and the number of pages included in each section thereof shall be determined by the recall committee. The back and the front of a piece of paper shall each constitute a page and signatures may be affixed to each such page.

c. Each page of each section of a recall petition shall be sequentially numbered and shall include, printed in bold letters in at least 10-point type, the heading "PETITION FOR THE RECALL OF (name of the official sought to be recalled) FROM THE OFFICE OF (name of the office)" and, where appropriate, the information required by subsection e. of this section. The first page of each section also shall bear, in type of uniform size but not less than 8-point type, (1) the information contained in the notice of intention, including any cost estimate prepared and the statement of the reasons for the recall, if one was provided, or a declaration that no such statement of reasons was provided, except that information on only three members of the recall committee need be listed; and (2) a copy of the answer provided by the official sought to be recalled, if one was provided, or a declaration that no such answer was provided, except that no such answer or declaration shall be included if a statement of the reasons for the recall was not provided.

d. Each page of a recall petition shall be arranged so that each signer of the petition shall personally affix the signer's signature; printed name and residence address, including street and number, or a designation of residence which is adequate to readily determine location; the municipality of residence; and the date on which the signer signed the petition. A space at least one inch wide shall be left blank after each name for use in verifying signatures when appropriate, as provided by this act. A box shall be provided after each name for the signer to indicate that the signer has had the opportunity to review the information on the first page of that section of the petition.

e. (1) Whenever the official sought to be recalled is the Governor or a United States Senator, separate sections of the petition shall be prepared for use by signers registered to vote in each county. Each page of a section shall bear in not less than 10-point type the name of the county in which that section is to be used and the statement, "Only eligible persons residing in ___________________.. (name of county) County shall sign this page." A signer shall not affix the signer's signature to any page of any section unless it bears the name of the county in which the signer is registered to vote.

(2) Whenever the official sought to be recalled is a member of the Legislature or a member of the United States House of Representatives and the official's jurisdiction includes parts of more than one county, separate sections of the petition shall be prepared for use by signers registered to vote in each county included within the member's jurisdiction. Each page of a section shall bear in not less than 10-point type the name of the county in which that section is to be used and the statement, "Only eligible persons residing in (name of county) County shall sign this page." A signer shall not affix the signer's signature to any page of any section unless it bears the name of the county in which the signer is registered to vote.

(3) The signature of any person to a page of a recall petition bearing the name of a county in which the person is not registered to vote shall be invalid, but the invalidity of such a signature shall not invalidate or otherwise impair the section wherein or page whereon that signature appears, nor shall it invalidate or otherwise impair any other signature to that or any other section of the petition.

f. Prior to use, the sections of a recall petition shall be reviewed by the recall election official for compliance with the provisions of this act. The recall election official shall complete the review of the petition within three business days of receipt. No section of a recall petition shall be used to solicit signatures unless it has been so approved and a statement of such approval, signed by the recall election official, has been printed on the first page of that section.

g. No obstruction shall be placed over any portion of a page of a petition section at the time that page is presented to a voter to be signed.

h. Every member of a recall committee circulating a recall petition shall sign the petition. If any member of the committee shall fail to sign the petition, the petition shall be deemed void. In the event that the signature to the petition of a member of the recall committee shall be deemed invalid, then notwithstanding the provisions of subsection e. of this section, the petition shall be deemed void. A circulator of a recall petition who is not a member of the recall committee shall not be required to sign, or to be qualified to sign, the recall petition in order to solicit signatures for the recall petition.

i. If a solicitation for signatures to a recall petition is presented to prospective petition signers by a paid print advertisement or paid mailing, or if a recall petition is presented to such a prospective signer by a paid circulator, the solicitation or petition, respectively, shall disclose prominently in a statement printed in at least 10-point type (1) the identity of the person paying for the printed or personal solicitation, and (2) that the circulator is paid. The Election Law Enforcement Commission shall promulgate such rules and regulations as are necessary to implement the provisions and effectuate the purposes of this subsection.

j. No person who is ineligible to sign a recall petition shall, with knowledge of that ineligibility, sign such a petition. No person shall offer to pay or pay another to sign or to refrain from signing a recall petition or to vote or to refrain from voting in a recall election. A person who violates any of the foregoing provisions of this subsection is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

L.1995, c.105, s.8; amended 2014, c.83, s.5.