N.J. campaigns brace for voter data shutdown under new law

Key Points:

• New Jersey's new data privacy law, signed on June 30, imposes steep registration fees and penalties on data companies, creating uncertainty over the legality of selling voter data used in political campaigns, potentially halting data-driven campaign efforts.
• The law lacks explicit exemptions for political campaigns or voter data, raising concerns among political data vendors about the risk of severe civil penalties for sharing sensitive data such as race, ethnicity, and religion, which are commonly used in voter targeting.
• The legislation was rushed through the state legislature as a revenue measure to balance the budget, with fees up to $1.5 million annually and penalties up to $50,000 per record sold unlawfully, far exceeding fees and penalties in other states like California and Texas.
• Political campaigns, including high-profile races such as New Jersey’s 7th congressional district, face disruption due to the ambiguity and immediate enforcement of the law, with some vendors considering suspending data sales until regulations clarify compliance.
• Lawmakers and experts criticize the lack of a political data carve-out and the law’s rushed passage, warning of unintended consequences that could severely impact political speech and campaign operations ahead of upcoming elections.