Considering the tight schedule college students often face while balancing work and school, making time to go to a physical poll location and vote is often a challenge.
However, New Jersey is one of 28 states to allow absentee voting, or voting with a mail-in ballot, without requiring an excuse. Here’s how to apply for and send a mail-in ballot.
After you have checked that you’re registered to vote, the first step of voting by mail is requesting a ballot to be sent to you. Any registered voter can apply for a mail-in ballot by filling out an application online and returning it to the County Clerk in their area. The return deadline for vote-by-mail ballots in New Jersey is Oct. 29.
After registering to vote by mail, you can check online if you are registered to do so using the New Jersey Department of Elections Track My Ballot site. If you then decide you want to vote early in-person instead, you must opt out of vote by mail by contacting your County Clerk.
Once you have received your ballot and ensured the envelope contains a certificate and mailing envelope, fill the oval next to each of your selections in blue or black ink only. Then, sign the certificate and place it into the mailing envelope.
Once you have filled out your ballot, you can return it in three ways: by mailing it back to its return address, placing it in a Secure Ballot Drop Box (like the one in front of Machuga Heights), or returning it to your County Board of Elections office.
Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by Election Day, Nov. 5, and received by the Board of Elections by or before Nov. 11. To keep track of the status of your ballot, use the Track My Ballot feature on the NJ Elections website. It is important to note that you cannot return your vote-by-mail ballot to poll locations where in-person voting occurs.
What if you can’t get off work or find time to go to the polls on Election Day, but you still want to vote in person? Luckily, in-person early voting still allows prospective voters to cast their ballots before Election Day, so you can beat those long lines and traffic while still doing your civic duty.
While Montclair State does not have a polling location on campus, there are plenty in the area. Your polling location depends on the county you reside in. You can find your polling location on the Department of Elections website. Early voting takes place between Saturday, Oct. 26, and Sunday, Nov. 3. Early voting hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, and there is no appointment necessary.
Register to vote before the deadline, Oct. 15, online, to take part in the upcoming election.
