New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District
A dated list of changes to how Americans vote: district maps, polling places and drop boxes, voting laws and rules, and courts and election officials. Each entry says who did what and when, shows what became of it, and links to the page it rests on. Attempts that failed are listed as failed. Entries that rest on a news report name the outlet.
This is the district view: events tagged to this congressional district, then events that apply across New Jersey, then national events. An event is tagged to a district only when its source names that congressional district. See all of New Jersey.
In New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District
No events have been tagged to New Jersey's 2nd Congressional District yet. District events are added over time. The state and national events below also apply here.
Across New Jersey
2019
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Governor signs bill restoring voting rights to people on probation or parole
On December 18, 2019, Governor Phil Murphy signed a bill restoring the right to vote to more than 80,000 New Jersey residents who are on probation or parole, according to NPR.
- New Jersey Legislature, P.L. 2019, c.270 (A5823), an act concerning the right to vote by persons convicted of an indictable offense who are on parole or probation: Approved December 18, 2019 ↗
- NPR, "New Jersey Governor Signs Bills Restoring Voting Rights To More Than 80,000 People" (Dec. 18, 2019) ↗ News report, NPR
Source last checked Oct 21, 2026
2018
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Automatic voter registration begins at New Jersey motor vehicle agencies
A November 1, 2018 release from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission said automatic voter registration "is now a reality" at motor vehicle agencies, meeting a deadline set when Governor Murphy signed the enabling bill in April 2018. Customers are registered unless they select the option declining registration.
Source last checked Oct 20, 2026
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Governor Murphy signs automatic voter registration law (A2014)
On April 17, 2018, Governor Phil Murphy "signed into law one of the most expansive Automatic Voter Registration policies in the nation," according to his office. The legislation, A2014, "requires the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to automatically register to vote any eligible person who applies for a permit, license, or ID card unless the applicant declines the automatic voter registration," and lets other state agencies that collect proof of voter eligibility adopt it with the Secretary of State's approval.
- Office of Governor Phil Murphy press release, Apr. 17, 2018 (archived copy) ↗
- New Jersey Legislature: P.L. 2018, c. 6 (A2014), text of the law, approved April 17, 2018 ↗
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
2011
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Redistricting Commission adopts New Jersey's congressional map for 2012-2021
The New Jersey Congressional Redistricting Commission's website states that "On December 23, 2011, the Redistricting Commission adopted the 'New Jersey Congressional Districts: 2012-2021' map, and filed it with the Secretary of State." The commission had scheduled the meeting to vote on a plan for congressional districts to be in effect for the next ten years.
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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Superior Court dismisses challenge to New Jersey's 2011 legislative map
On August 31, 2011, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division, Mercer County, decided Gonzalez v. Apportionment Commission, No. MER-L-1173-11, brought by Tea Party group members and other voters who claimed the commission and its map violated the federal and New Jersey constitutions. The court wrote: "For the reasons stated above, the court dismisses the complaint in its entirety."
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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Apportionment Commission adopts New Jersey's 2011 legislative district map by a 6-5 vote
The Apportionment Commission's website states that on April 3, 2011 the commission "adopted the 'New Jersey Legislative Districts: 2011-2020' map, and filed it with the Secretary of State." A Superior Court opinion in a later challenge records that the map was approved 6-5: five commissioners and the eleventh member voted for it and the other five commissioners voted against.
- New Jersey Apportionment Commission: 2011 Adopted Map ↗
- Gonzalez v. Apportionment Commission, No. MER-L-1173-11 (N.J. Super. Ct. Law Div. Aug. 31, 2011), opinion (copy hosted by Loyola Law School Redistricting Project) ↗
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
Nationwide
2019
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House passes Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019; no Senate vote follows
On December 6, 2019, the House passed H.R. 4, the Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019, by 228 to 187 (Roll no. 654). It was received in the Senate on December 9, 2019 and referred to the Judiciary Committee; the bill record lists no Senate vote, and it did not become law.
Source last checked Oct 20, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Department of Commerce v. New York, on a census citizenship question
On June 27, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court decided a challenge to the Commerce Secretary's decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census. The syllabus says "The Enumeration Clause permits Congress, and by extension the Secretary, to inquire about citizenship on the census questionnaire," and the judgment was "affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Rucho v. Common Cause
On June 27, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court decided cases from North Carolina and Maryland in which voters challenged congressional maps as partisan. The Court held that such claims present "political questions beyond the reach of the federal courts."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
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House passes For the People Act of 2019; no Senate vote follows
On March 8, 2019, the House passed H.R. 1, the For the People Act of 2019, by 234 to 193 (Roll no. 118). The bill was received in the Senate on March 12, 2019 and placed on the Senate calendar; the bill record lists no Senate vote on passage, and it did not become law.
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
2018
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President signs Executive Order 13848 on foreign interference in U.S. elections
Executive Order 13848, dated September 12, 2018, imposes sanctions authority in the event of foreign interference in a U.S. election. The order says "there has been no evidence of a foreign power altering the outcome or vote tabulation in any United States election" and declares a national emergency over the threat of interference.
Source last checked Oct 20, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Gill v. Whitford
On June 18, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed a challenge to Wisconsin's state legislative map as a partisan one. The Court held that "The plaintiffs have failed to demonstrate Article III standing."
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute
On June 11, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court held that "The process that Ohio uses to remove voters on change-of-residence grounds does not violate the Failure-to-Vote Clause or any other part of the NVRA."
- Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute, 584 U.S. 756 (2018), U.S. Reports, Volume 584 (Supreme Court) ↗
- Husted v. A. Philip Randolph Institute, No. 16-980 (U.S. June 11, 2018), syllabus and opinions (Cornell Legal Information Institute copy) ↗
Source last checked Oct 22, 2026
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President terminates the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity
Executive Order 13820, dated January 3, 2018 and published January 8, 2018, revoked Executive Order 13799 and states that "the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity is accordingly terminated."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
2017
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Supreme Court decides Cooper v. Harris
On May 22, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court reviewed North Carolina's congressional Districts 1 and 12. The syllabus says the lower court "did not err in concluding that race furnished the predominant rationale for District 1's redesign and that the State's interest in complying with the VRA could not justify that consideration of race."
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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President establishes the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity
Executive Order 13799, dated May 11, 2017 and published May 16, 2017, established the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, chaired by the Vice President, to "study the registration and voting processes used in Federal elections."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
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Homeland Security designates election infrastructure as critical infrastructure
On January 6, 2017, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said he had determined "that election infrastructure in this country should be designated as a subsector of the existing Government Facilities critical infrastructure sector." The statement defines election infrastructure as including "storage facilities, polling places, and centralized vote tabulations locations" and voter registration databases and voting machines.
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
2016
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Supreme Court decides Evenwel v. Abbott
On April 4, 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court held that "a State or locality may draw its legislative districts based on total population," according to its syllabus.
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
2013
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Supreme Court decides Shelby County v. Holder
On June 25, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court held that Section 4 of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional and that its formula can no longer be used as a basis for requiring places to get federal approval ("preclearance") before changing voting procedures.
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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Supreme Court decides Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Arizona
On June 17, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court held that "Arizona's evidence-of-citizenship requirement, as applied to Federal Form applicants, is pre-empted by the NVRA's mandate that States 'accept and use' the Federal Form."
Source last checked Oct 23, 2026
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President establishes the Presidential Commission on Election Administration
Executive Order 13639, dated March 28, 2013 and published April 3, 2013, established the Presidential Commission on Election Administration. The order says the commission "shall identify best practices and otherwise make recommendations to promote the efficient administration of elections."
Source last checked Oct 29, 2026
How this timeline is built
Every entry rests on at least one source that was opened and read, and that source states the date and the fact. Courts, legislatures, election offices, the Justice Department, the Census Bureau, the Federal Register and Congress.gov come first. A news report is used only when no official page states the fact, and it is labeled with the outlet's name. Encyclopedias are not used as sources. History starts in 1965 with the Voting Rights Act. County names come from the Census Bureau's 2024 Gazetteer. Congressional district numbers are those in use for the 2026 election; an event is tagged to a district only when its source names that congressional district.
When a later event changes an earlier one, such as a law later struck down, both entries are listed and point to each other. This page does not predict outcomes or say which party a change helps. U.S. House maps for 2026 · Back to the 2026 voting center.