Voter Information
Who Can Register to Vote
Any person may register to vote who is:
- a U.S. citizen
- 18 years of age by election day
- a resident of the state and county at least 30 days prior to the election
(NJSA 19:4-1, 19:31-5)
Deadlines for Registering
You may register to vote at any time, but to be eligible to vote in a particular election, you must be registered 21 days prior to that election. All registration forms postmarked on the 21st day preceding that election will be accepted.
(NJSA 19:31-6.1, 19:31-6.3)
How and Where to Register
To register, a person must fill out a Voter Registration Application. Voter registrations are maintained by the County Commissioner of Registration. You may register in person at that office, use the above referenced form, register at your municipal clerk's office, or at any one of the following state offices.
- Division of Elections
- Division of Motor Vehicles
- Division of Worker's Compensation
- Division of Employment Services
- Division of Unemployment and Temporary Disability
Voting in the Primaries
To vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary elections, you must be a member of that party or never have voted in a primary before. By voting in either party's primary, you become a member of that party. To change your party affiliation, you must file a Party Declaration Form with your County Commissioner of Registration or Municipal Clerk at least 50 days before a primary election.
Voter Assistance at Polls
Any voter who needs assistance to vote by reason of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write, may be given assistance by a person of the voter's choice, other than the voter's employer or agent of that employer of officer or agent of the voter's union.
Voters may also be aided, jointly, by two members of the polling location's district board who represent opposite political parties.
Absentee Voting Facts
Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot after applying to the County Clerk .
Your written request for an absentee ballot must be signed by you and state your voting residence and the address (if different) to which the absentee ballot should be sent, and the permissible reason for which your ballot is requested.
If you identify yourself as totally and permanently disabled on your absentee ballot application, you will automatically receive ballot applications for all future elections.
Voters who wish to vote by absentee ballot in ALL GENERAL ELECTIONS may elect to do so, and they will be mailed an absentee ballot for “ ANY GENERAL ELECTIONS until they request otherwise .”
Your written request for an absentee ballot must be signed by you and state your voting residence and the address (if different) to which the absentee ballot should be sent, and the permissible reason for which your ballot is requested.
If you identify yourself as totally and permanently disabled on your absentee ballot application, you will automatically receive ballot applications for all future elections.
County Clerk's Office will mail you an absentee ballot if your request is received at least 7 days before an election. In-person requests can be made at any time up until 3 p.m. the day before an election.
If a voter is sick or confined, he/she may authorize a messenger to obtain an absentee ballot for them during this same time frame (7 days before the election, until 3 p.m. the day before the election). After this time, Clerks can only provide absentee ballots upon receipt of a Superior Court Order.
Military absentee ballots are available to a person, whether registered or not, who is:
- in the military service
- a spouse or dependent of someone in the military service
- a patient in a veteran's hospital
- civilians attached to the armed forces and their spouse or dependent
Any military service voter, or any friend or relative acting on behalf of a military service voter, may apply to the County Clerk for an absentee ballot.
