Vote-by-Mail applications are now available for the June 7th Primary Election in New Jersey and may be requested by mail until May 31st, 2016 by mail. Voters may also complete vote-by-mail ballots by visiting the County Clerk’s Election Office at 240 West State Street, 7th Floor, Trenton, and obtain a ballot there, until June 6th at 3pm.
In New Jersey, any registered voter can vote by mail for any reason. Voters do not have to be sick, working, or out of town to request a ballot.
At present, there are very few voters taking advantage of the fact that they can vote by mail in this election for the upcoming June 7th Primary election. What voters may not know is that if they are on the “permanent” vote by mail list, they will not automatically receive a vote by mail ballot for the Primary election. A voter will only receive a vote by mail ballot if he or she has either filed an application for the upcoming June 7th Primary election, or if he or she filed an application this year for all ballots in the current “calendar year.”
“The law is a bit complicated in this regard,” stated County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello.
“Many people believe that if they file to be on the permanent list, it makes them eligible for all elections.” The permanent list only makes them eligible to receive ballots for the “General Elections” held every November. Consequently, she added, “I felt it was important to inform County voters that they would need to apply for a vote by mail ballot if they do not wish to visit the polls to vote in June.”
On the ballot this June are primary races ranging from President of the U.S., to County, to local races as well as County Committee district races.
A registered voter may apply for a ballot by completing and mailing an easy Vote-By-Mail application. After the mail-in deadline, a voter may apply for a ballot, in person, at the Mercer County Clerk’s Office until 3pm, the day before the election.
To request a Vote-by-Mail application, voters can call 609-989-6494. Vote-by-Mail applications also are available on the web at www.mercercounty.org/countyclerk in both English and Spanish. The State Division of Elections website also offers vote-by-mail ballots in Indian, Korean and Chinese languages. That website is http://www.njelections.org/voting-information-vote-by-mail.html.
