Section 19:6-15.1 - Uniforms and exposed weapons forbidden; penaltya. No person who is employed as a police officer, either full-time or part-time, by the State or an instrumentality thereof, or by a political subdivision of the State or an instrumentality thereof, including a person appointed as a police officer by an institution of higher education pursuant to P.L. 1970, c.211 (C.18A:6-4.2 et seq.), shall serve as a member of a district board of elections, unless the person is off-duty, or serve as a duly authorized challenger for a political party or a candidate or on a public question in the municipality in which that person is employed, or if employed by an institution of higher education, any municipality in which the institution is physically located, or if employed by a county or the State, in the county in which that person is employed or stationed, respectively, or wear a police officer's uniform or carry an exposed weapon at any time, including at a polling place on an election day. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit a police officer who is a candidate for an office and whose name appears upon the ballot to be voted for an election from acting as a challenger during that election as may be permitted by another provision of law for a candidate to act as a challenger.b. No person employed as a police officer as described in subsection a. of this section, whether on or off-duty or whether in or out of uniform, shall remain or stand within 100 feet of a polling place during the conduct of an election unless present at the location in response to a request for assistance in accordance with R.S. 19:6-16 or as otherwise provided herein or pursuant to this act, P.L. 2021 c. 459.c. Nothing herein shall be interpreted to prohibit a police officer or law enforcement officer from: traveling to and from, or remaining within, their personal residence if that residence is within 100 feet of a polling place;
voting at that polling place in a personal capacity; or
escorting to or from, or both, a polling place a person who may require assistance of the officer.
Amended by L. 2021, c. 459, s. 2, eff. 1/18/2022.