FAQs
Voting by Mail in 2020
Voting by mail is simple, secure and reliable. This year, voting by mail is the best way to keep you, your family, and your community safe. Team Mikie encourages you to return your ballot by mailing it back or putting it in a secure ballot drop box as soon as you receive it. If you show up at the polls on Election Day without the ballot that you received in the mail, you will be asked to fill out a paper provisional ballot, unless you are disabled in which case you will be able to vote using an ADA compliant machine. To track the status of your mail ballot, sign up here.
Starting October 5th, if you have a question about voting by mail, contact our voter protection hotline by emailing [email protected] or calling 973-370-2253.
FAQs
Q: When is Election Day?
November 3rd, 2020
Q: How can I register to vote?
To register to vote, click here.
Q: How do I know if I’m an active, registered voter?
You can confirm your voter registration record here.
Q: How will I get a ballot for the 2020 general election?
All active, registered voters in the state of New Jersey will receive a ballot in the mail for the 2020 general election. Ballots will be mailed to voters by October 5th. The ballot you receive in the mail is the one you should use to vote this year. If you show up at the polls on Election Day without the ballot that you received in the mail, you will be asked to fill out a paper provisional ballot unless you are disabled in which case you will be able to vote using an ADA compliant machine. If you are not an active, registered voter, you can register to vote here and you can apply to receive a mail ballot using the links below:
Q: How can I return my ballot?
Ballots should be returned to your county’s Board of Elections — NOT your county clerk. The best way to return your ballot is to mail it back using the envelope provided — which comes with prepaid first class postage and is correctly addressed — or deposit it in a secure ballot drop box in your county.
For a list of all secure ballot drop boxes in your county look below:
Passaic: http://bit.ly/passaicdropbox
Essex: http://bit.ly/EssexDropBox
Morris: http://bit.ly/MorrisDropBox
Sussex: http://bit.ly/SussexDropBox
If you show up at the polls on Election Day without the ballot that you received in the mail, you will be asked to fill out a paper provisional ballot, unless you are disabled in which case you will be able to vote using an ADA compliant machine. If you show up to a polling location on Election Day with the ballot that you received in the mail, you can hand it to a poll worker and it will be counted.
Q: How can I make sure that my ballot is counted?
To ensure that your ballot is counted, follow these steps:
1. Once you have filled out your ballot completely, place your ballot in the certificate envelope and seal it. Do not detach the certificate.
2. Print your name and address where indicated and sign the certification.
3. Put the certificate envelope in the outer envelope—the one with the return postage on it—and seal that.
4. If it’s close to Election Day, return your ballot by depositing it in a secure ballot drop box rather than by mail so you can be sure it’ll get to the Board of Elections on time. Otherwise, you can just put it in the mail.
5. Sign up to track the status of your ballot here.
Q: Where will my polling location be?
This year, voting by mail is the best way to keep you, your family, and your community safe. Team Mikie strongly encourages you to mail back your ballot or deposit it in a secure ballot drop box as soon as you receive it. If you show up at the polls on Election Day without the ballot that you received in the mail, you will be asked to fill out a paper provisional ballot, unless you are disabled in which case you will be able to vote using an ADA compliant machine.
If you show up to a polling location on Election Day with the ballot that you received in the mail, you can hand it to a poll worker and it will be counted. Many polling locations that are normally open will be closed this year. Check back here in October for an up to date list of polling locations that will be open.
Q: What should I do if I haven’t received my ballot?
All ballots must be mailed out to active, registered voters by October 5th. If you are an active, registered voter and it is after October 12th and you have still not received your ballot, please contact your county clerk using the information below:
Essex Clerk: [email protected]
Morris Clerk: 973-285-6120
Passaic Clerk: (973) 225-3690
Sussex Clerk: (973) 579-0900
Q: What should I do if my ballot arrives damaged?
If your ballot arrives damaged, you should contact your county clerk who can get you a new ballot. Contact info for your county clerk can be found below:
Essex Clerk: [email protected]
Morris Clerk: 973-285-6120
Passaic Clerk: (973) 225-3690
Sussex Clerk: (973) 579-0900