§ 19:23-8 — Numbers of signers to petitions.

19:23-8. a. The petitions for candidates to be voted for by the voters of a political party throughout the entire State shall in the aggregate be signed by at least 2,500 of such voters; in the case of candidates to be voted for by the voters of a political party throughout a congressional district by at least 500 of such voters; and in the case of candidates for the Senate and General Assembly at least 250 of such voters. b. The petitions for candidates to be voted for by the voters of a political party throughout a county or any county election district shall in the aggregate be signed by at least one percent in number of the total votes cast by the voters of that political party at the last preceding primary election held for the election of that party's candidates for the General Assembly or at least 300 of such voters, whichever is less, but in no case shall the petition be signed by fewer than 150 of such voters. c. The petitions for candidates to be voted for by the voters of a political party throughout a municipality shall in the aggregate be signed by a number of such voters based upon the population of the municipality or ward as ascertained by the last Federal census as follows: (1) at least 100 of such voters in municipalities or wards having a population in excess of 50,000; (2) at least 75 of such voters in municipalities or wards having a population in excess of 25,000 and up to 50,000; (3) at least 50 of such voters in municipalities or wards having a population in excess of 10,000 and up to 25,000; (4) at least 25 of such voters, or five percent in number of the total votes cast by the voters of that political party at the last preceding primary election held for the election of that party's candidates for the General Assembly, whichever is less, in municipalities or wards having a population in excess of 5,000 and up to 10,000; (5) at least 10 of such voters, or five percent in number of the total votes cast by the voters of that political party at the last preceding primary election held for the election of that party's candidates for the General Assembly, whichever is less, in municipalities or wards having a population in excess of 2,500 and up to 5,000; and (6) at least five of such voters or five percent in number of the total votes cast by the voters of that political party at the last preceding primary election held for the election of that party's candidates for the General Assembly, whichever is less, in municipalities or wards having a population up to 2,500. d. The petitions for candidates to be voted for by the voters of a political party within a single election district shall in the aggregate be signed by at least 10 of such voters or five percent in number of the total votes cast by the voters of that political party at the last preceding primary election held for the election of that party's candidates for the General Assembly, whichever is less. e. In no case shall there be fewer than one signer of any such petition. f. For a person to be nominated for any office or elected to any political party position at the primary election by having the person's name written or pasted upon the primary election ballot, that person shall receive a number of votes at least equal to the number of signatures required on a candidate nominating petition pursuant to this section. Amended by L.1945, c. 285, p. 836, s. 1; L.1948, c. 438, p. 1699, s. 8; L.1967, c. 22, s. 3, eff. March 23, 1967; L.1975, c. 43, s. 3, eff. April 3, 1975; L.1981, c. 164, s. 1; 2023, c.288; 2025, c.20, s.2.