NJ Municipal Clerk's Test - All Courses 2023 with
complete solution
What is the statute for Elections?
N.J.S.A. 19
What is the statute for Non-Partisan Elections?
N.J.S.A. 40
What is the Statute for School Board Elections?
N.J.S.A. 18
Primary Election Date
1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in June (Partisan)
Municipal Election
2nd Tuesday in May
If adopted by Ord., 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday November (Non-Partisan)
General Election
1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November (Partisan)
Fire District Elections
3rd Saturday in February (Handled by District)
School Election
3rd Tuesday in April or 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November (Partisan/Non-
Partisan)
What are the core duties of the Municipal Clerk as it relates to elections?
1. Chief Administrative Officer of All Elections (responsible for entire process from start
to finish)
2. Chief Registrar of Voters (MC & office responsible for properly registering people to
vote)
Responsibilities of the Commissioner of Registration
- Superintendent of Elections
- has complete charge of registrations of all voters in County
- prepares Challenger list
- Accepts change forms (party, address, name)
Responsibilities of the County Clerk
- provides American Flag
- provides & receives applications for mail in ballots
- mails or hands out voter mail in ballot
- received petitions for county candidate & local independent candidate
Responsibilities of the County Board of Elections
- appoints district board workers
- selects polling places
- receives mail in ballots
- in counties w/out a superintendent of elections the secretary of the county board of
elections in the commissioner
Deadline to register to vote
21 days
Registration is permanent except:
,1. if you move to another county or state
2. death of a voter
3. removal under the HAVA Act
4. county prosecutor reports person convicted of a crime
5. convicted felon or person on parole
Another name for provisional voting
Fail Safe Voting
Define provisional voting
voting by "paper ballot" at the polls when there may be a questions regarding voter
eligibility; it allows confirmation of registrations, residency and eligibility before the vote
is counted
Identify the reasons a person would vote by Provisional Ballot
1. voter has moved within a municipality but into a different election district (votes at
new place by PB after completing an affirmation statement)
2. voter has moved within the county and failed to file an address change (votes at new
place by PB)
3. voter whose registrations information is missing may vote by PB after completing an
affirmation statement
4. first time voters in a Federal Election who registered but failed to submit required
identification at polls
The former name for Vote by Mail
absentee voting
Vote by Mail deadline
- must be sent to the County Clerk at least 7 days prior to the election if being mailed
- delivered in person by 3p.m. the day before election
Board Workers salary/stipend
$200, unless required training was not attended ($50)
$12.50 to pick-up, $12.50 to return
define emergency ballot
when a voting machine malfunctions, the Board workers contact the County for repairs,
if a mechanic has not arrived at the polling place and repaired the machine with 15
minutes of the discovery of the malfunction of the machine or opening of the polls,
whichever is later, and at the request of any vote in line, Emergency Ballots are used
define removed resident
a registered voter who moved out of the county in which they were registered to vote
and to another County or State and does not have sufficient time in their new residence
to qualify to register in the Presidential Election is entitled to vote for President and Vice
President
Appointment of Challengers
appointed by Chair of party the 2nd Tuesday before election to the County Board of
Elections
Types of Challengers
1. challengers for respective political parties
2. challengers for candidates
3. challengers for proponents or opponents for a public questions
Powers of Challengers
,- to challenge any person's right to vote
- may ask all necessary questions to determine right to vote
- may be present while votes cast are being counted
- challenge counting
Who furnished the challengers badges
County Board of Election
True or False: Every Challenger must wear a badge
True
What is indicated on a challengers badge?
The candidate or political party they represent
Define electioneering
the interference with the conduct of the election
What is the electioneering restriction?
no electioneering within 100ft outside the entrance to the polling place
Party Declaration Deadline
55 days prior to the election
Another name for poll workers
District Boards
Name the duties of district boards
1. report to polls 45min before opening
2. prepare place for voting
3. open/close polls at designated time
4. verify voters are registered
5. demonstrate voting process if required
6. maintain order at polls
7. display flag outside entrance
8. return all registrations books, tally sheets, & other materials to the Municipal Clerk
Deadline for filing Petitions for Independent Candidates
day of the primary to the County Clerk
Deadline for filing petitions for School Elections
50 days before election to the Secretary of the Board of Education
Deadline for filing petitions for Partisan Elections
64 days before election to the Municipal Clerk
What is the signature requirement for population over 14k?
50 signatures
What is the signature requirement for population under 14k?
25 signatures
Signature requirements for wards?
25 signatures
Signature requirements for districts?
not less than 1 or 5% of total votes cast
What is the number of words allowed in a independent candidates slogan?
3
What are the requirements of the partisan petitions?
, 1. candidates must be legally qualified and a member of a political party
2. name and address of candidate
3. consent to accept nomination if nominated
Date of drawing for a position on the ballot
53 days prior to the primary at 3pm
Who appoints vacancy spots when all or a majority of positions on the governing body
became vacant?
The Governor, within 30 days
What are the reasons that the office of the Mayor or governing body shall be declared
vacant?
1. judicial determination
2. death
3. violates residency requirement
4. refusal to serve
5. physically or mentally incapable
6. resignation
7. failure to attend 8 consecutive meetings
8. office is declared null and void
9. tie vote creates vacancy
What are the reasons for a Special Election?
1. to fill certain vacancies
2. recall elections
3. abandonment of present form of government
4. reversion to prior form
5. initiative or referendum
6. exceed budget cap
7. creation of fire districts
An election held in certain Faulkner Governments when the required number of
candidates does not receive a major of the votes cast
Run-off
The term used when candidates with common designation choose to be grouped
together on the ballot
bracketing
Another name for write-in ballot
irregular ballot
What agency supervises compliance with campaign contributions?
Election Law Enforcement Commission
Except for the office of the Governor, the limitation of time for the collection of
signatures on a recall petition, calculated from the date of the notice of intention
160 days
True or False: Polling places must be located within the Election district which they
serve.
False
True or False: A person who is 17 cannot register to vote
False, they can register vote, however, they must be 18 by the time of the next election
True or False: The term for a district board worker in one year.
complete solution
What is the statute for Elections?
N.J.S.A. 19
What is the statute for Non-Partisan Elections?
N.J.S.A. 40
What is the Statute for School Board Elections?
N.J.S.A. 18
Primary Election Date
1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in June (Partisan)
Municipal Election
2nd Tuesday in May
If adopted by Ord., 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday November (Non-Partisan)
General Election
1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November (Partisan)
Fire District Elections
3rd Saturday in February (Handled by District)
School Election
3rd Tuesday in April or 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday in November (Partisan/Non-
Partisan)
What are the core duties of the Municipal Clerk as it relates to elections?
1. Chief Administrative Officer of All Elections (responsible for entire process from start
to finish)
2. Chief Registrar of Voters (MC & office responsible for properly registering people to
vote)
Responsibilities of the Commissioner of Registration
- Superintendent of Elections
- has complete charge of registrations of all voters in County
- prepares Challenger list
- Accepts change forms (party, address, name)
Responsibilities of the County Clerk
- provides American Flag
- provides & receives applications for mail in ballots
- mails or hands out voter mail in ballot
- received petitions for county candidate & local independent candidate
Responsibilities of the County Board of Elections
- appoints district board workers
- selects polling places
- receives mail in ballots
- in counties w/out a superintendent of elections the secretary of the county board of
elections in the commissioner
Deadline to register to vote
21 days
Registration is permanent except:
,1. if you move to another county or state
2. death of a voter
3. removal under the HAVA Act
4. county prosecutor reports person convicted of a crime
5. convicted felon or person on parole
Another name for provisional voting
Fail Safe Voting
Define provisional voting
voting by "paper ballot" at the polls when there may be a questions regarding voter
eligibility; it allows confirmation of registrations, residency and eligibility before the vote
is counted
Identify the reasons a person would vote by Provisional Ballot
1. voter has moved within a municipality but into a different election district (votes at
new place by PB after completing an affirmation statement)
2. voter has moved within the county and failed to file an address change (votes at new
place by PB)
3. voter whose registrations information is missing may vote by PB after completing an
affirmation statement
4. first time voters in a Federal Election who registered but failed to submit required
identification at polls
The former name for Vote by Mail
absentee voting
Vote by Mail deadline
- must be sent to the County Clerk at least 7 days prior to the election if being mailed
- delivered in person by 3p.m. the day before election
Board Workers salary/stipend
$200, unless required training was not attended ($50)
$12.50 to pick-up, $12.50 to return
define emergency ballot
when a voting machine malfunctions, the Board workers contact the County for repairs,
if a mechanic has not arrived at the polling place and repaired the machine with 15
minutes of the discovery of the malfunction of the machine or opening of the polls,
whichever is later, and at the request of any vote in line, Emergency Ballots are used
define removed resident
a registered voter who moved out of the county in which they were registered to vote
and to another County or State and does not have sufficient time in their new residence
to qualify to register in the Presidential Election is entitled to vote for President and Vice
President
Appointment of Challengers
appointed by Chair of party the 2nd Tuesday before election to the County Board of
Elections
Types of Challengers
1. challengers for respective political parties
2. challengers for candidates
3. challengers for proponents or opponents for a public questions
Powers of Challengers
,- to challenge any person's right to vote
- may ask all necessary questions to determine right to vote
- may be present while votes cast are being counted
- challenge counting
Who furnished the challengers badges
County Board of Election
True or False: Every Challenger must wear a badge
True
What is indicated on a challengers badge?
The candidate or political party they represent
Define electioneering
the interference with the conduct of the election
What is the electioneering restriction?
no electioneering within 100ft outside the entrance to the polling place
Party Declaration Deadline
55 days prior to the election
Another name for poll workers
District Boards
Name the duties of district boards
1. report to polls 45min before opening
2. prepare place for voting
3. open/close polls at designated time
4. verify voters are registered
5. demonstrate voting process if required
6. maintain order at polls
7. display flag outside entrance
8. return all registrations books, tally sheets, & other materials to the Municipal Clerk
Deadline for filing Petitions for Independent Candidates
day of the primary to the County Clerk
Deadline for filing petitions for School Elections
50 days before election to the Secretary of the Board of Education
Deadline for filing petitions for Partisan Elections
64 days before election to the Municipal Clerk
What is the signature requirement for population over 14k?
50 signatures
What is the signature requirement for population under 14k?
25 signatures
Signature requirements for wards?
25 signatures
Signature requirements for districts?
not less than 1 or 5% of total votes cast
What is the number of words allowed in a independent candidates slogan?
3
What are the requirements of the partisan petitions?
, 1. candidates must be legally qualified and a member of a political party
2. name and address of candidate
3. consent to accept nomination if nominated
Date of drawing for a position on the ballot
53 days prior to the primary at 3pm
Who appoints vacancy spots when all or a majority of positions on the governing body
became vacant?
The Governor, within 30 days
What are the reasons that the office of the Mayor or governing body shall be declared
vacant?
1. judicial determination
2. death
3. violates residency requirement
4. refusal to serve
5. physically or mentally incapable
6. resignation
7. failure to attend 8 consecutive meetings
8. office is declared null and void
9. tie vote creates vacancy
What are the reasons for a Special Election?
1. to fill certain vacancies
2. recall elections
3. abandonment of present form of government
4. reversion to prior form
5. initiative or referendum
6. exceed budget cap
7. creation of fire districts
An election held in certain Faulkner Governments when the required number of
candidates does not receive a major of the votes cast
Run-off
The term used when candidates with common designation choose to be grouped
together on the ballot
bracketing
Another name for write-in ballot
irregular ballot
What agency supervises compliance with campaign contributions?
Election Law Enforcement Commission
Except for the office of the Governor, the limitation of time for the collection of
signatures on a recall petition, calculated from the date of the notice of intention
160 days
True or False: Polling places must be located within the Election district which they
serve.
False
True or False: A person who is 17 cannot register to vote
False, they can register vote, however, they must be 18 by the time of the next election
True or False: The term for a district board worker in one year.
