UNION COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS ADVISES RESIDENTS ON ADDITIONAL VOTE-BY-MAIL OPTIONS FOR GENERAL ELECTION
Press Release
For Immediate Release: August 17, 2020
Union County Board of Elections Advises Residents on Additional Vote-by-Mail Options for General Election
More drop boxes will be available; voters can also hand-deliver their ballots to polling places on Election Day.
Union County, NJ - Union County Board of Elections Administrator Nicole DiRado advises voters in Union County that there will be additional opportunities to cast Vote-by-Mail ballots prior to and on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, under new statewide rules established by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy's Executive Order 177.
"The measures outlined in the new Executive Order will provide more options for Union County voters to cast a Vote-by-Mail ballot in this important presidential election, while protecting themselves and the Union County community against infection by the COVID-19 virus," said Ms. DiRado.
Under the new Executive Order, which was signed by Governor Murphy on Friday, August 14, 2020, all active, registered voters will automatically receive a Vote-by-Mail ballot in advance of Election Day.
Voters are strongly advised to fill out their Vote-by-Mail ballot as soon as they receive it, and return it prior to Election Day by any of these methods:
- Use the postage-paid ballot return envelope to mail the ballot to the Board of Elections through the U.S. Postal Service. Voters who choose this method are especially urged to fill out and mail their ballot promptly, to account for any unforeseen delays in mail delivery. Note: ballots postmarked on or before November 3 will be counted if they are received by the Board of Elections by November 10. Ballots without a postmark will also be counted, but only if they are received by November 5.
- Drop off the ballot at a designated, secure drop box. Union County had five drop boxes for the Primary Election and will add at least five more for the General Election, for a total of at least 10. Each drop box will be located at a facility that is under 24/7 surveillance. Further, ballots deposited in a drop box are picked up daily by a bipartisan team of employees of the Union County Board of Elections.
- Deliver the ballot by hand to the Union County Board of Elections office in Elizabeth, at 271 North Broad Street. Ballots may also be hand delivered to the Union County Clerk's Office at either 2 Broad Street, Room 113, Elizabeth or 300 North Avenue East, Westfield. Voters wishing to hand deliver their ballots must present either a NJ Driver's License or a NJ-issued Identification Card, pursuant to existing statutes.
- Designate a person to deliver your ballot for you (follow the instructions on the Vote-by-Mail ballot to designate a ballot bearer; by law, one ballot bearer may deliver up to three ballots for other voters).
On Election Day, Tuesday November 3, the Union County Election Board, and the ballot drop boxes will remain open until 8:00 p.m.
Voters can also drop off their Vote-by-Mail ballots at their designated polling place on Election Day. A full list of polling place and drop box locations will be available by September 15, 2020 https://ucnj.org/boe/
Voters without a Vote-by-Mail ballot can vote in person at their designated polling place on Election Day. All in-person voters will be required to fill out a provisional paper ballot at their polling place. ADA-compliant voting machines will be available only for people with disabilities who cannot use a provisional paper ballot.
For additional instructions and reminders on filling out a Vote-by-Mail ballot, visit the Board of Elections online.
To contact the Board of Elections, call (908) 527-4123 or email ucboe@ucnj.org.
For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including guidance for using the Drive-Through Test Center at Kean University and a list of locations for walk-up tests, visit https://ucnj.org/coronavirus-update/.
For general information about COVID-19 and phone contacts for 24/7 assistance with questions, visit the New Jersey Department of Health at https://www.nj.gov/health/.
