Vote By Mail
Vote By Mail
Open to all registered voters, Vote By Mail gives voters the options to mail their ballot using USPS, deposit it at a secure ballot drop box, or deliver it in person at official designated locations such as the Board of Elections.
What is Vote By Mail?
Vote By Mail FACTS:
- “Vote By Mail” is a misnomer. You can cast your vote using this paper ballot and mail it, deposit it, or deliver it. It simply is voting early using a hand-marked paper ballot. Vote By Mail was previously referred to as “Absentee Voting”. No excuses are required to Vote By Mail.
- Vote By Mail is also referred to as “VBM” and “voting from home.”
- Voters who opt to vote by mail, “VBM voters”, receive their paper ballots in their mailboxes starting 45 days prior to Election Day and can cast their ballots as soon as they are received.
- VBM voters can change their mind and not use their paper ballot to vote. Instead, they can show up on Election Day and vote in person using a paper ballot provided to them called a “Provisional Ballot”. This security process ensures that voters do not vote more than once in any election.
How do I know if I'm getting a ballot in the mail?
You can always contact your County Clerk’s office to be 100% sure, but a quick way to check is to log into, or sign up for a My Voter Record account to check your status online. Once you have logged into your account, click on the Mail-in Ballot History link:
Next, take a look at what it says under “Ballot request type”. If it shows a record for the Primary and says “Annual Mail-in Elections” you are signed up to automatically receive a ballot in the mail. Look also for the “Ballot issued date” to make sure it is in the mail and track the receipt date from your account.
If instead, you only see a record from the general election that says “Single Election,” you need to either vote in person, or apply for vote by mail to receive a mail-in ballot.
Requirements for Vote by Mail
Requirements:
- You must be a registered voter with New Jersey
- You must apply to Vote By Mail using either of these two forms (absent an Executive Order):
- Application for Vote By Mail Ballot. (We recommend using this form.) Stamp required.
- Box 1 and Box 14 of the Voter Registration Application (no stamp needed)
- Original signatures are needed. No faxed or emailed copies will be permissible, except for Military and Overseas voters.
Deadlines:
- To receive the ballot by mail, the County Clerk must receive your form at least 7 days before election day.
- You can also apply in person at your County Clerk’s office before 3pm the day before election day. After applying, you will be provided with a paper ballot and you can cast your ballot and submit it right away to the county Board of Elections.
How to Apply for Vote by Mail
We recommend using the Application for Vote By Mail Ballot
- It requires a first-class stamp to mail.
- Box 5 provides areas to give your current contact information. Providing your contact info allows the county Board of Elections to contact you in case of a ballot rejection that the law allows you to fix.
Sample Sign-up Using Application For Vote By Mail Ballot
You can also apply to Vote By Mail using the New Jersey Voter Registration Application.
- The form has pre-paid postage so it does NOT require a first-class stamp to mail. Just drop it in any mailbox.
- Use Box 1 and Box 14 as shown in the sample below.
Sample Vote By Mail Sign-Up Using the Voter Registration Application
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