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VOTER INFORMATION
VOTER ELIGIBILITY
- You must be a citizen of the United States.
- You must be 18 years of age on or before the next election.
- You must be a resident of your present address for at least 30 days
before the election.
- You must not be serving a sentence, on parole, or on probation as a
result of a conviction of an indictable offense under state or federal
law.
- You must not be adjudged mentally incompetent.
VOTER REGISTRATION
- You must complete a New Jersey Voter Registration Application form.
These forms may be obtained from the Division of Elections, Somerset
County Board of Elections Office, your Municipal Clerk’s office, or simply
downloaded from this website.
- You must provide an original signature. The form cannot be faxed or
electronically submitted.
- You must provide a valid ID in the form of a driver’s license number
or the last 4 digits of your social security number if you have one.
- You must return the completed form at least 21 days prior to the next
election to be eligible to vote in that election.
PARTY AFFILIATION
- You do not have to affiliate with a party when registering to vote. If
you do not choose a party, you will be classified as “UNAFFILIATED”.
- In order to vote in a Primary Election, you must declare the party you
wish to vote in. If you are “UNAFFILIATED”, you may declare your party
either by filling out a State of New Jersey Political Party Declaration
Form and submitting it to the Somerset County Board of Elections 55 days
prior to the election or simply by declaring your party at the polls on
the day of the election.
- If you have declared a party and wish to change that affiliation, you
must submit a State of New Jersey Political Party Affiliation Declaration
Form 55 days prior to the Primary Election.
MAIL-IN BALLOT VOTING
- You may now vote by Mail-in Ballot for any election. You do not need
a reason.
- You must apply for a Mail-in Ballot by completing a
Mail-in Ballot Application. You must mail this to the County Clerk’s Office up to 7 days
prior to the election. The County Clerk cannot accept faxed copies or
electronic submissions, as an original signature is required. You may
apply in person at the County Clerk’s office up to 3:00 PM on the day
before the election.
- Once your ballot is voted and sealed, it must be returned to the
Somerset County Board of Elections by 8:00 PM on the day of the election.
- If you have applied for an Mail-in Ballot and have decided not to
vote it and instead vote at the polls, you may now do so. However, you
must vote by provisional ballot.
VOTER INFORMATION CHANGES
- If you change your name due to marriage, divorce, or by judgment of
the court, you may notify the Somerset County Board of Elections in a
written statement with an original signature at least 21 days prior to the
election. If you do not notify the Board of Elections at least 21 days
prior to the election, you will be permitted to vote at the polls under
your original registration by signing both your registered name and your
new name before voting.
- If you move within Somerset County and do not notify the Somerset
County Board of Elections at least 21 days prior to the election, you will
be permitted to vote in your new district by provisional ballot.
- If you move out of Somerset County after the close of registration
date and are not eligible to vote in your new county, you may return to
your previous voting district to vote. You must then register to vote in
your new county.
VOTER ASSISTANCE
- Any voter who is blind, physically disabled, or illiterate is entitled
to assistance in the voting machine. The person assisting may be someone
of the voters choosing. These voters are now able to request to use Audio
Voting Process.
- If the voter is alone, two members of the board of opposite political
parties may assist. The voter has the right to have both or only one of
these board workers assisting them. It is the voter’s choice.
- You may not accept assistance from a representative of your employer
or union for federal elections.
- Any person providing assistance must sign the “Certificate of
Assistance” located in the front of the Voter Registration Book” before
entering the voting booth.
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