December 31, 2024

Governor Signs Public Notices & Moving 2025 Primary Date Bills

On December 31, 2024, Governor Murphy signed into law legislation addressing public notices (A-5151/S-3957) and rescheduling the June 2025 Primary Election Date (A-5152/S-3965). Both took effect immediately.  

Public Notices: 

A-5151/S-3957 allows public bodies to continue using newspapers for required public notices and legal advertisements until March 1, 2025. The new law permits any newspaper used by a public body as the official newspaper from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024, to still meet the definition of a newspaper under the law regardless of physical or digital format of the newspaper’s publication from January 1, 2025, to March 1, 2025. The publication could be in print or electronic format. This temporary fix applies to all public notices including but not limited to meeting notices, solicitation of bids, and publication of ordinances.

The fee for publishing public notices cannot exceed the existing statutory rates. If electronic, newspapers cannot charge a fee or require registration to view the public or legal advertisements.  

We thank the Governor, legislative leaders, and legislators for quickly passing a temporary fix. The League of Municipalities joins the New Jersey Association of Counties (NJAC) and New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) in supporting a permanent fix and looks forward to working with legislators and stakeholders on a long-term solution.  

Moving 2025 Primary Election Date: 

A-5152/S-3965 moves the June 2025 Primary Election date from June 3 to June 10 due to the observance of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. 

The new law also requires the Secretary of State to make all necessary adjustments to all deadlines required to be met ahead of the Primary Election and publish a calendar with the adjusted dates. The deadlines for nominating petitions, drawing for ballot position, and mail-in ballot mailing will remain as if the Primary Election was to be held on June 3, 2025.

The Secretary of State will also be required to provide all county clerks, county boards of elections, superintendents of elections, municipal clerks, and members of the public with notice of the change no later than January 7, 2025.  

Contact: Lori Buckelew, Deputy Executive Director, 609-695-3481 ext. 112, lbuckelew@njlm.org