Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020. Do you know everything you need to about your voting options during the 2020 presidential election?
More than ever, the coronavirus global pandemic has prompted questions and some confusion amongst potential voters about the voting process. If we’re still quarantining, can we slap on a mask and go vote at our polling place? Is the by-mail ballot still an option {and a safe one, at that}? Can we drop off our by-mail ballots?
All of New Jersey’s approximately 6.2 million registered voters will receive mail-in ballots to vote in November’s election as the state continues to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, under an executive order Gov. Murphy signed Friday.
While coronavirus may have changed some of the answers to these questions, it’s still important for voters to stay informed. Keep reading to find out how coronavirus has impacted in-person voting, mail-in voting, and social distancing voting.
Looking for a drop-off mail-in ballot spot? CLICK HERE.
In-Person Voting
Despite COVID-19, in-person voting is still an option. Voters are required to wear a mask and if you have not voted in New Jersey before, bring an ID. If you have voted in NJ before, you do not need to show ID {but it’s recommended to bring one, regardless — as well as proof of residency}.
According to the ESRI, the social distancing practices that have now become standard during the age of COVID will be implemented during the in-person voting process as well. Social distance voting will require polling places to have room for the appropriate social distancing practice of maintaining six feet’s distance, a geographic information system {GIS}, and to form contingency plans to accommodate NJ’s vulnerable populations.
There will be machines only for those with disabilities. In-person voting only allows provisional ballots, which are cast by a voter whose eligibility to vote cannot be confirmed at the polls on Election Day. Provisional ballots are not counted until after all of the mail-in ones {to avoid duplicates}. If, after the election, it is determined that the voter who cast the provisional ballot was eligible to vote, the ballot will be counted.
If you are unsure of where your polling place is located, you can search your polling place online by inputting your first and last name and date of birth.
This will only work for voters who are already registered. If you are unsure if you are registered to vote in the State of New Jersey, you can check your voter registration status online.
The deadline for registering to vote in-person is Tuesday, October 13, 2020.
Voter registration is not available in New Jersey on Election Day.
Hoboken’s deadlines and polling locations can be found here.
Read More: The History of Women’s Suffrage Movement in New Jersey
Mail-In Voting
The deadline for applying for a mail-in ballot in New Jersey is Tuesday, October 13, 2020, BUT New Jersey has just announced mail-in voting will be available/sent to all registered voters in the state.
If you’re still not comfortable waiting for your mail-in ballot to come, just in case, you can request a mail-in ballot application online or request one at your local election office.
If you are concerned about potential delays with the post office, you have the option to fill out the VBM and return your ballot at the ballot drop-off location next to City Hall, at the Newark Street side of City Hall near Washington Street that Hoboken and the Board of Elections will offer.
Here is the link for all mail-in drop-off spots in Hudson County: CLICK HERE
Sign up to track your ballot here.
Here is the link for all mail-in drop-off spots in Hudson County: CLICK HERE
If you’re filling one out to be safe, the application should be filled out completely, then return it to the County Clerk. When you receive your ballot in the mail, it should be filled out in black ink only. Do not detach the flap from the certificate envelope; if detached, the vote will not count.
{Photo credit: Hudson County Clerk}
To vote, mark the ballot(s) for the candidates or questions you choose. Complete the Certificate of Mail-In Voter envelope and sign where designated. Insert the ballot(s) once it is complete in the Certificate of Mail-In Voter envelope. Seal it shut.
Insert the Certificate of Mail-In Voter envelope in the return envelope. Seal the Return Envelope. Complete the Return Envelope and affix appropriate postage if it’s going in the mail.
The ballot should be transported by you, the voter. If you are not the person transporting the ballot, the bearer portion of the ballot must be completed in front of the voter.
Drop-Off Ballot
If you request a ballot by mail, you also have the option to drop it off, rather than postmark it.
Drop-off ballots should be brought to your County Clerk’s Office.
The Hoboken City County Clerk’s office is located at 94 Washington Street at City Hall.
The Hudson County Clerk’s Office is located at 257 Cornelison Avenue, 4th Floor in Jersey City.
Additionally, you will be able to bring your ballot to drop-boxes at polling sites on Election Day.
How to Vote Early
Voters in New Jersey can request to vote early, as in before Election Day. To do this, you can request a ballot by mail through the County Clerk’s office, though as we mentioned, NJ residents registered to vote should be receiving a mail-in ballot per Governor Murphy.
After filling out the ballot in black ink only, return it to the Board of Elections. For more information on voting early, contact your County Clerk’s Office.
The Jersey City County Clerk’s Office can be reached at (201) 369-3470; the Hoboken City County Clerk’s Office can be reached at (201) 420-2230 and Press 6.
See More: What’s the NJ Real ID? Plus What You Need to Know About Obtaining One and If It’s Compliant
Important Voting Deadlines
Election Day is November 3, 2020, but there are a few other important deadlines you need to know about before the big day.
- — Deadline for registering by mail to vote: Must be postmarked by Tuesday, October 13, 2020.
- — Deadline for registering in person to vote: Tuesday, October 13, 2020.
- — Deadline for requesting a ballot by mail to vote: Must be received by Tuesday, October 27, 2020.
- — The early voting period to vote: Saturday, September 19, 2020, to Monday, November 2, 2020.
For more information on voting in 2020, visit the Hudson County Clerk’s Office online.
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