Voting Guide
General Election - Important Dates
October 15 – Deadline for Voter Registration
October 26 – November 3 – Early Voting Period
October 29 – Deadline to apply for a Mail-In Ballot by Mail for General Election
November 1 – Deadline for Application to Receive General Election Mail-In Ballots by Electronic Means for Qualified Overseas Civilian and Military Voters
November 4 – by 3:00 p.m. – Deadline for In-Person Mail-In Ballot Applications for General Election
November 5 – General Election Day
- Deadline for Post Office Receipt of Mail-In Ballots from the General Election
- Deadline for In-Person Submission of General Election Mail-In Ballots to County Boards of Election and to Authorized Ballot Drop Boxes
Voter Eligibility
To register in New Jersey, you must be:
- A United States citizen
- At least 17 years old, though you may not vote until you have reached the age of 18
- A resident of the county for 30 days before the election
- A person not serving a sentence of incarceration as the result of a conviction of any indictable offense under the laws of this or another state or of the United States.
Voter Registration
Check to see if you are registered to vote at https://voter.svrs.nj.gov/registration-check.
Registering to Vote
Online
To register online, you will need your date of birth and one of the following forms of identification:
OR
By Mail
An ID is not required for mail-in registration, but you must provide the following:
- Driver’s license number or Motor Vehicle Commission Non-driver ID number, OR
- Last four digits of Social Security number.
If you do not provide the information listed above, or the information cannot be verified, you will be asked to provide:
- A COPY of a current and valid photo ID, OR
- a document with your name and current address on it to avoid having to provide identification at the polling place.
Download and print the application form below.
Use the included envelope to mail voter application.
Student Registration & Voting
If you are in college, you have the option to register from your college address or your parent’s address. There are good reasons for registering and voting at either residence, but keep in mind, the final choice is yours. Find out more about student voter registration and voting here.
Military & Overseas Voting
For more information on how to vote in the General Election as a military or overseas voter, look here.
3 Ways to Vote
1. Vote in Person
When: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5
Vote in person at your polling place. Accommodations will be made for voters with disabilities.
2. In-Person Early Voting
When: Saturday, October 26 through Sunday, November 3
This new option enables all registered voters to cast their ballot in person, using a voting machine, during in-person early voting period prior to Election Day. You can now choose to vote, in person, when it’s most convenient for your schedule.
No matter where you live in the county, you can vote your specific ballot at any of your county’s designated in-person early voting locations.
In-Person Early Voting for both the Primary Election and the General Election. Early voting locations will be open from at least 10 am to 8 pm on Mondays through Saturdays, and from at least 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays. No appointment is necessary. Accommodations will be made for voters with disabilities.
Essex County Early Voting Locations
*EVC-East Orange City
EAST ORANGE CITY HALL (LOBBY), 44 CITY HALL PLAZA EAST ORANGE, NJ 07018
*EVC-Irvington Township
IRVINGTON MUNICIPAL BUILDING, 1 CIVIC SQ W IRVINGTON, NJ 07111
*EVC-Verona Township
VERONA COMMUNITY CENTER, 880 BLOOMFIELD AVE VERONA, NJ 07044
*EVC-West Orange
Township RICHARD J. CODEY ARENA, 560 NORTHFIELD AVE WEST ORANGE, NJ 07052
*EVC-Newark City
WEST SIDE PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, 600 SOUTH 17TH STREET, NEWARK NJ
*EVC-Newark City
ESSEX COUNTY COMPLEX PARKING GARAGE, WEST MARKET STREET ENTRANCE
*EVC-Newark City
WEEQUAHIC PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, MEEKER AND ELIZABETH AVE.
3. By Mail
Any voter may apply for vote-by-mail by completing the Application for Vote-By-Mail Ballot and returning the application to their County Clerk.
Essex County – County Clerk
Christopher J. Durkin
Address: Hall of Records, 495 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Suite 130, Newark, NJ 07102
(For regular mail delivery use P.O. Box 690, Newark, NJ 07101-0690)
Office Hours: 8:00am-4:00pm
973-621-4922
(FAX) 973-621-4919
Website: www.essexclerk.com
Then, VOTE and RETURN your ballot one of the following ways…
Send by Mail
Your vote-by-mail ballot MUST be postmarked on or before 8:00 p.m. on Election Day and be received by your county’s Board of Elections on or before the sixth day after the close of the polls.
Drop at a Secure Ballot Drop Box
Place your vote-by-mail ballot in one of your county’s secure ballot drop boxes by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Deliver to Board of Elections Office
Deliver your vote-by-mail ballot in person to your county’s Board of Elections Office by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Essex County Board of Elections
Address: 465 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Dr. Martin Luther King Justice Building, Room 145, Newark, NJ 07102
Office Hours: 8:30am – 4:00pm
973-621-5071
(FAX) 973-621-2540
Website: www.essexboardofelections.com
Voting Information Resources
The following tools will help you learn more about the upcoming election, including candidate positions.
Ballotopedia Voter Toolkit
Sample Ballot Lookup
View the elections you will be voting in with this sample ballot lookup tool, including detailed information about the candidates.
LWV – What you need to know about misinformation and disinformation
LWV – Voter Protection Hotline
If you are having any trouble casting your ballot call the League of Women Voters of New Jersey’s voter protection hotline for assistance. Our staff and volunteers will be available to answer your questions and ensure you have the information you need to cast your vote. Call 1-800-792-VOTE(8683) for help.
ALA’s Government Documents Round Table State Voting & Election Toolkits
Learn more about candidates running for office in your community, based on your address.