New Jersey lawmakers pass measure updating vote-by-mail law

(NJ State House Tours)

New Jersey lawmakers have passed legislation aimed at eliminating confusion surrounding the state's 2018 vote-by-mail law.

The Democrat-led Assembly passed the measure Tuesday, sending it to Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy. The Democrat-controlled Senate approved the bill Monday. 

Murphy's office says he intends to sign the bill.

The measure updates a 2018 law that mandated that voters who signed up for and got mail-in ballots for the 2016 general election would continue to get those ballots for future elections, unless they opt out.

Lawmakers say that the law, however, failed to address those who requested 2017 and 2018 mail-in ballots. 

The new measure requires that those voters also get mail-in ballots unless they opt out. 

The bill also sets aside $2 million for counties to implement the law.