New Jersey's Primary Election: What You Need to Know (LWV of NJ)

The July 7 Primary Election is quickly approaching. Don’t wait to cast your ballot. Remember, this election will be held primarily by vote-by-mail ballot with limited in-person polling locations available. Individuals that vote at polling places will vote using paper provisional ballots unless they require an ADA-accessible machine.  

The League of Women Voters of New Jersey has all the information you need to make a plan and vote. Visit our COVID-19 Voting Information and Resources page, which includes:

If you are an active registered Republican or Democratic voter, you should have received a vote-by-mail ballot already. If you don't have your vote-by-mail ballot, but believe you should have received one automatically, call your county clerk to ask about the status of your ballot - contact information here. 

If you are an unaffiliated voter or an inactive Republican or Democratic voter, you should have received a vote-by-mail application already. The deadline to apply for a ballot through the mail has passed but you can still apply at your County Clerk’s office in-person. The deadline to apply in-person is July 7th, prior to 8pm and you will receive your ballot in-person. If you don’t have a vote-by-mail application, your county’s vote-by-mail application can be found here.  

Once you have filled out your vote-by-mail ballot, there are several ways you may return it. If you choose to use a secure ballot drop box, you must return the ballot to a drop box on or before July 7 by 8 PM. If you choose to return the ballot through mail, the ballot must be postmarked on or before July 7 and received by the board of elections by 8 PM on July 14 to be considered valid. You can also bring the vote-by-mail ballot in person to your Board of Elections office on July 7, prior to 8 PM. 

The New Jersey Division of Elections provides a tool for voters to track their vote-by-mail ballots. If your ballot is temporarily rejected for missing signature or mismatch signature you will be notified through the mail. The notification will include a form that you must complete to fix the signature issue and return it in person, by fax, email, or mail by 2pm on July 23. If the form is mailed it must be received - not postmarked - by the Board of Elections by the close of business on July 23.

If you decide to vote in-person, keep in mind that polling locations will be limited and you might not be voting at your normal polling location. Voters who vote at their polling location will vote using a paper provisional ballot. Voters with disabilities may vote on ADA-accessible voting machines. Polls are open on July 7, 6 am - 8 pm. 

If you have any questions or encounter any problems, please contact the League of Women Voters of New Jersey at jburns@lwvnj.org, 1-800-792-VOTE (8683), or through social media on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 

Thank you,

 Jesse Burns, Executive Director

Susan Meltsner