Home » Another voting option comes to NJ: early voting will be available for the general election

Another voting option comes to NJ: early voting will be available for the general election

by Community Contributor

Earlier this year, a law was passed permitting in-person early voting in New Jersey. All registered voters can now cast their ballot in person, using a voting machine during a nine-day period prior to Election Day. You can choose to vote when it’s most convenient for your schedule. Starting on Saturday, October 23 through Sunday October 31, no matter where you live in Mercer County you can vote at any of our County’s designated in-person early voting locations.

To handle the anticipated influx of voters who may elect to have their vote counted early, there will be eight designated polling locations throughout Mercer County. Both the Governor and Legislature felt the implementation of early voting in New Jersey needed to begin because of the the convenience factor it presents our voters with, coupled with the fact that it will allow all of the eligible voters in Mercer County to plan ahead and choose an option that is easiest and most convenient. After the unexpected year Covid-19 presented us with, lawmakers felt as though having another option for voters was imperative. As citizens are ever evolving and dealing with uncertainty in our daily lives, this new option provides us with one less thing to worry about in terms of physically making it to the polls to cast a vote.

The use of early voting is extremely popular in the US because it eases Election Day congestion, leading to shorter lines and overall improved poll-worker performance as it lessens crowds of voters. Also, this process will free up election officials to correct any registration errors that arise and fix any voting system glitches earlier. Early voting is another measure we are taking to ensure that all of our eligible voters have their voices heard and their vote counted. I believe by allowing this new method of voting, we should see the number of participants in the General Election rise. In turn, this will provide us with a much broader electorate than ever before.

If you have always voted by mail, but now instead want to vote early, in person, instead, be aware that you must first opt-out of Vote by Mail with your county clerk by September 1st. You can do so by filling out a form on our website www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk. Of course, you still have a choice to vote by mail or vote in person at your regular polling location on Election Day, November 2, 2021. By implementing early voting opportunities throughout New Jersey it will ensure that the voting process becomes more convenient for citizens, thereby increasing turnout and diversifying the electorate. Lastly, I would like to remind everyone to keep checking our website at www.mercercounty.org/countyclerk for updated details when on this process when they become available.

The following are the designated Early Voting Centers that will be available for all registered voters in Mercer County, NJ:

All locations will be open Monday-Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. and Sunday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m, October 23 through Sunday October 31.

TRENTON – Cure Arena – 81 Hamilton Ave, Trenton. Gate C 

HAMILTON – Courtyard Marriott – 530 Route 130, Hamilton 

EAST WINDSOR – Mercer County Library – 138 Hickory Corner Road, East Windsor 

EWING – Element Ewing Princeton – 1000 Sam Weinroth Rd East, Ewing  

LAWRENCE – Mercer County Library – 2751 Brunswick Pike at Darrah Lane, Lawrence 

PENNINGTON – Pennington Fire Department – 120 Broemel Pl, Pennington 

PRINCETON – Princeton Shopping Center, 301 N Harrison St, Princeton 

WEST WINDSOR – Mercer County Community College – 1200 Old Trenton Rd, Conference Center, West Windsor 

Submitted by Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello

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