Per Governor Phil Murphy’s announcement today, the November 3 General Election will be conducted primarily by mail-in ballots. This is similar to the way the July 7 Primary Election was held, and is to help reduce the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Mercer County Clerk’s Office is preparing to send mail-in ballots to all registered voters in the County.
Before the election, all voters, regardless of party affiliation, will receive a mail-in ballot, where they will be able to fill in their choices. Only blue or black ink will be allowed; red ink or pencil cannot be accepted. Postage on all ballots is paid. In addition to mailing in their ballots, voters will have the option of placing their ballots in one of the secure drop boxes throughout the County. There will be more drop boxes available than during the Primary Election. There will also be at least one polling place per municipality that will be open on Election Day for voters who prefer to vote at the polls. Further details, including polling place and drop box locations, will be determined by the Mercer County Board of Elections.
Also, for those unregistered to vote, an online system will be launched on September 4 to assist those people who need to be registered. More details about this system will be available as the weeks progress.
“The July 7 Election provided us a template on how to perform our Election duties in the midst of a crisis,” said Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello. “The fact is, we all must continue to do our part to reduce the risk that COVID-19 poses to the public. For those who want to vote at the polls, they can still do so by provisional ballot.”
The earliest ballots will be mailed out in late September and early October. The deadline to register to vote in time for the General Election remains unchanged; that day is October 13. All ballots sent in must be postmarked no later than November 3 and received by the Board of Elections no later than November 10, one week after the Election. Alternatively, voters may return their ballots personally to poll workers. These do not need to be postmarked, but received within 48 hours of polls closing.
Submitted by the Mercer County Clerk. For more information on the November 3 General Election, please visit the website for the Mercer County Clerk at http://www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk/elections. You may also call the Elections department at 609-989-6494.
