Voting in New Jersey
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Contents
- 1 Voter registration
- 2 Voting in elections
- 3 Absentee voting
- 4 Early voting
- 5 Convicted felons' voting rights
- 6 Election administration costs
- 7 Noteworthy events
- 8 Election agencies
- 9 Election policy ballot measures
- 10 Election policy legislation
- 11 Recent news
- 12 See also
- 13 External links
- 14 Footnotes
Voting policies are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which American citizens cast their ballots in their individual states.
This page includes the following:
- Voter registration details, including methods of registering and requirements
- Details on voting in elections, including identification requirements, poll times, and primary election type
- Absentee/mail-in voting rules[1]
- Early voting rules
- Convicted felons' voting rights
- Election administration costs report
- Election agencies list
- Election policy ballot measures list
- Election policy legislation list
See Election governance in New Jersey for more detailed information about election and voting policy in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, and post-election auditing practices.
Voter registration
To register to vote in New Jersey, each applicant must be a citizen of the United States and a resident of the county in which they are registering for at least 30 days prior to the election. Seventeen-year-olds may register to vote, although they may not vote until they have turned 18. Individuals serving a felony sentence or on probation or parole because of a felony may not register to vote.[2] The voter registration deadline is 21 days before the next election. Registration applications can be downloaded from the state website and mailed to the county commissioner of registration or superintendent of elections.[2] Registration applications are also available at various county offices and state agencies, such as the Division of Elections and Division of Motor Vehicle offices.[3]
Automatic registration
New Jersey enacted automatic voter registration in 2018.[4]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
New Jersey has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
New Jersey does not allow same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
In order to register to vote in New Jersey, applicants must be a resident of the county in which they are registering for at least 30 days prior to the election.
Verification of citizenship
New Jersey does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration.
Verifying your registration
The New Jersey Secretary of State’s Office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.
Voting in elections
Voter identification
- See also: Voter identification laws by state
New Jersey does not require voters to present identification while voting, in most cases. However, if a voter does not provide valid identification at the time of registration, he or she must show identification at the polling place.[5]
Voters can present the following forms of identification:
- New Jersey driver's license
- Military or other government ID
- Student or job ID
- Store membership card
- United States Passport,
- Bank statement
- Car registration
- Government check or document
- Non-photo NJ driver's license
- Rent receipt
- Sample Ballot
- Utility bill
- Any other official document
Background
As of April 2021, 35 states enforced (or were scheduled to begin enforcing) voter identification requirements. A total of 21 states required voters to present photo identification at the polls; the remainder accepted other forms of identification. Valid forms of identification differ by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.[6][7]
Poll times
- See also: State poll opening and closing times
In New Jersey, all polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[8]
Primary election type
- See also: Primary elections in New Jersey
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. New Jersey utilizes a semi-closed primary process, in which the selection of a party's candidates in an election is generally limited to registered party members. Unaffiliated voters can register as party members at the polls on primary election day. Otherwise, a voter must indicate his or her party preference (e.g., via an updated voter registration) no later than the 55th day preceding the primary in order to vote in that party's primary.[9][10][11][12]
Absentee voting
- See also: Absentee voting
All voters are eligible to vote absentee in New Jersey. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.[13]
To vote absentee, an application must be received by county election officials at least seven days prior to the election if returned by mail. It can also be submitted in person to county election officials until 3 p.m. on the day before the election. A returned absentee ballot must then be received by election officials by the time the polls close on Election Day.[14]
Early voting
- See also: Early voting
New Jersey permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
As of April 2021, 38 states and the District of Columbia permitted early voting. Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on election day. States that do not permit early voting still permit some or all citizens to vote early by mail—often known as absentee voting. Some states allow no-excuse absentee voting, while others require an excuse. States that allow in-person absentee voting without an excuse are counted among early voting states. Click here for early voting laws by state.[15]
Convicted felons' voting rights
- See also: Voting rights for convicted felons
In New Jersey, those convicted of felonies automatically regain their voting rights and may re-register to vote once they have completed their prison sentences. On December 18, 2019, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy (D) signed into law A5823, legislation restoring voting rights to convicted felons once they have completed their prison sentences. The law was scheduled to take effect on March 17, 2020. Previously, state law barred felons from voting until completion of their full sentences, including prison time, probation, and parole.[16]
Voting rights for convicted felons vary from state to state. In the majority of states, convicted felons cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[17][18][19]
Election administration costs
National Conference of State Legislatures report, 2018
On February 14, 2018, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) released a report on the costs of election administration in the states: "The Price of Democracy: Splitting the Bill for Elections." The report's authors noted that "no one knows how much [states] spend on elections ... [because] good research on election costs is slim." Generally, local units of government (most often counties, but sometimes cities and towns) are primarily responsible for election administration costs, though states and the federal government may also contribute. The report identified the states listed in the table below as assuming financial responsibility for at least some aspects of election administration.[20]
To access the complete NCSL report, click here.
| Election administration costs assumed by state | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| State pays all expenses for federal or state elections | State bears a portion of election costs | State pays for statewide special elections or statewide elections that don’t coincide with regularly scheduled elections | State pays for primary elections (statewide, presidential, or both) |
| Alaska Delaware |
Alabama Colorado Hawaii Kentucky Louisiana Rhode Island |
Arkansas Florida Iowa Michigan Missouri New Jersey North Dakota Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Tennessee Washington West Virginia |
Arizona Arkansas Idaho Kansas Michigan Minnesota Missouri South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia Washington |
| Note: If a state is not listed above, it was not included in the report. Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, "The Price of Democracy: Splitting the Bill for Elections," February 14, 2018 | |||
Noteworthy events
2021
On March 30, 2021, Governor Phil Murphy (D) signed S3203 into law, establishing in-person early voting as follows for certain primary and general elections:[21]
- Non-presidential primary election: Beginning on the fourth calendar day before the primary and ending on the second calendar day before the primary.
- Presidential primary election: Beginning on the sixth calendar day before the primary and ending on the second calendar day before the primary.
- General election: Beginning on the tenth calendar day before the election and ending on the second calendar day before the election.
S3203, which took immediate effect, established that early voting polling places must be open on Monday through Saturday from at least 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sunday from at least 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. [22]
2018
On April 12, 2018, the New Jersey General Assembly adopted A2014, a bill providing for automatic voter registration of eligible residents who apply for driver's licenses, examination permits, probationary licenses, or non-driver identification cards. The Assembly voted 50 to 23 to approve the legislation. The New Jersey State Senate followed suit the same day, approving the bill by a vote of 24 to 13. On April 17, 2018, Governor Phil Murphy (D) signed the bill into law, making New Jersey the 12th state to enact an automatic voter registration policy.[23][24]
Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D), one of the bill's sponsors, said, "This bill is designed to encourage participation in the democratic process by integrating voter registration with the process of driver registration. This simple move will hopefully encourage more young people to register to vote and make it easier for residents to fulfill their civic duty." Senator Kristin Corrado (R), a former Passaic County Clerk who voted against A2014, said, "I am very concerned that mandating automatic voter registration without safeguards or penalties for the bad actors will compromise the integrity of future elections. We cannot allow that to happen."[25][26][27]
2015
On November 9, 2015, Governor Chris Christie (R) vetoed AB 4613, which, according to Bloomberg, "would have expanded early voting, created online registration and automatically enrolled people applying for a driver's license unless they opted out." Chris said, "New Jersey taxpayers deserve better than to have their hard-earned tax dollars spent on thinly-veiled political gamesmanship and the state must ensure that every eligible citizen’s vote counts and is not stolen by fraud." New Jersey State Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D), one of the bill's sponsors, said, "The governor never ceases to disappoint. I will confer with my fellow legislative leaders and sponsors to decide the next step, even if that means taking these reforms directly to the voters for approval."[28][29]
Election agencies
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in New Jersey can contact the following state and federal agencies.
New Jersey Secretary of State
- 225 West State Street, 5th Floor
- Trenton, New Jersey 08608
- Telephone: 609-292-3760
- Fax: 609-777-1280
- Email: njelections@sos.state.nj.us
U.S. Election Assistance Commission
- 1335 East West Highway, Suite 4300
- Silver Spring, Maryland 20910
- Telephone: 866-747-1471
Election policy ballot measures
Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in New Jersey.
- New Jersey Election of Comptroller and Elimination of Auditor Amendment (2014)
- New Jersey Public Question No. 1 (1957)
- New Jersey Public Question No. 1 (1970)
- New Jersey Public Question No. 2 (1969)
- New Jersey Public Question No. 2 (1974)
- New Jersey Public Question No. 4 (1963)
- New Jersey Supreme Court Elections and Tenure Amendment (2014)
Election policy legislation
The following is a list of recent election bills that have been introduced in or passed by the New Jersey state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.
Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms New Jersey voting. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
Elections in New Jersey
- New Jersey elections, 2022
- New Jersey elections, 2021
- New Jersey elections, 2020
- New Jersey elections, 2019
- New Jersey elections, 2018
- New Jersey elections, 2017
- New Jersey elections, 2016
- New Jersey elections, 2015
- New Jersey elections, 2014
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ We use the term "absentee/mail-in voting" to describe systems in which requests or applications are required. We use the term "all-mail voting" to denote systems where the ballots themselves are sent automatically to all voters. We use the hyphenate term for absentee voting because some states use “mail voting” (or a similar alternative) to describe what has traditionally been called "absentee voting."
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 New Jersey Division of Elections, “Register to Vote!,” accessed October 3, 2019
- ↑ New Jersey Division of Elections, “Where to Register in Person,” accessed October 3, 2019
- ↑ New Jersey Legislature, “Assembly Committee Substitute for Assembly, No. 2014,” April 13, 2018
- ↑ New Jersey Department of State, "Vote at Your Designated Polling Location," accessed October 7, 2019
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Voter Identification Requirements|Voter ID Laws," June 5, 2017
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Do I need an ID to vote? A look at the laws in all 50 states," October 27, 2014
- ↑ New Jersey Department of State, “Election laws - NJSA - 19:2-1,” accessed October 17, 2019
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed October 25, 2019
- ↑ FairVote, "Primaries," accessed October 25, 2019
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ Department of State New Jersey Division of Elections, "2019 Election Information," accessed October 25, 2019
- ↑ New Jersey Department of State, "Vote by Mail Applications," accessed December 16, 2013
- ↑ New Jersey Department of State, "Voter Registration - Frequently Asked Questions," accessed December 16, 2013
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Laws Governing Early Voting," August 2, 2019
- ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy Signs Bill to Restore Voting Rights to People on Probation and Parole," December 18, 2019
- ↑ NJ.gov, "Voter Restoration Handbook," accessed October 20, 2019
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," accessed July 15, 2014
- ↑ American Civil Liberties Union, "State Criminal Re-enfranchisement Laws," accessed September 13, 2019
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "The Price of Democracy: Splitting the Bill for Elections," February 14, 2018
- ↑ New Jersey Legislature, "Senate, No. 3203," accessed April 7, 2021
- ↑ New Jersey Legislature, "Senate, No. 3203," accessed April 7, 2021
- ↑ New Jersey Legislature, "A2014," accessed April 16, 2018
- ↑ The Hill, "New Jersey governor signs automatic voter registration bill," April 17, 2018
- ↑ NJ.com, "N.J. Democrats just took a big step to vastly increase voter rolls," April 13, 2018
- ↑ WBGO.org, "NJ Legislature Approves Automatic Voter Registration Bill," April 12, 2018
- ↑ Brennan Center for Justice, "A Chorus of Voices Supporting New Jersey's AVR Bill," April 12, 2018
- ↑ Bloomberg, "Christie Vetoes Measure to Expand Early Voting in New Jersey," November 9, 2015
- ↑ Ballot Access News, "New Jersey Governor Vetoes Bill for Automatic Voter Registration," November 9, 2015
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