League of Women Voters Launches Make a Voting Plan for Primary Election

(Bergen County, New Jersey; May 14, 2021) — The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley (LWVNV) reminds all citizens New Jersey’s Primary Election takes place on Tuesday, June 8, 2021. To prepare voters in Bergen County for what they need to do for the Primary Election, the League launched a ‘Make a Voting Plan’ campaign.

The New Jersey Primary Election allows members of a political party to choose a candidate to represent them in the General Election in November.  In New Jersey, only voters who are registered members of a political party may participate in nominating that party’s candidates.  Unaffiliated voters can declare a party when voting in a primary up to and including Primary Election Day.  They may declare their affiliation in person at the polls on Primary Election Day or upon casting their mail-in ballot.  Currently, only the Republican and Democratic parties use a primary election system to select nominees.

Polling Sites

Unlike the elections held in 2020, local polling sites will be open for machine in-person voting for the Primary Election.  Voters may find their polling location online at www.lwvnj.org.  A polling location will also be shown on the sample ballot, which should be received about a week before Election Day.

Mail-In Ballots

Although New Jersey passed recently legislation implementing in-person early voting, this will not be in effect until the November General Election.  Voters may vote early using a mail-in ballot for the Primary Election.  Mail-in ballots are available to all registered voters after applying.  To receive a mail-in ballot, contact the Bergen County Clerk’s office by June 1, 2021. Voters may also apply in person at the Bergen County Clerk’s office up until 3:00 p.m. on June 7, 2021.

For information from the Bergen County Clerk’s office, visit their website, www.bergencountyclerk.org, or contact 201-336-7006 or countyclerk@co.bergen.nj.us.  Their office is located at One Bergen County Plaza, Room 380 in Hackensack, New Jersey 07601-9832.

Voters may return mail-in-ballots using a ballot drop box, through the U.S. postal system, or in-person at the Bergen County Board of Elections office.  For a list of drop box locations in Bergen County, check https://co.bergen.nj.us/bergen-county-board-of-elections/ballot-drop-box-locations.  Mail-in ballots may not be dropped off at polling locations.              The League encourages voters to return the mail-in ballot as soon as possible.  The postage-paid ballot must be postmarked by Election Day, June 8 and received by the Bergen County Board of Elections within 144 hours or six days after the polls close.  The ballot may also be brought in person to the Bergen County’s Board of Elections Office or to a secure ballot drop box location before polls close on Election Day.  The ballot can be tracked online at https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/vote-track-my-ballot.shtml

Voter Registration

To register to vote in New Jersey, a voter must meet the following requirements: be a United States citizen, at least 17-years-old and will reach age 18 by election day, a resident of Bergen County for 30 days before the election, and not currently serving a sentence of incarceration because of a felony conviction.   The voter registration deadline by mail or online for the June primary is Tuesday, May 18, 2021.  The voter registration form must be postmarked by this date.  Voter registration forms are available at www.lwvnj.org.  For questions about registering, contact the State of New Jersey at www.Elections.NJ.gov or call toll-free 1-877-NJVOTER (1-877-658-6837).

VOTE411

VOTE411.org, a “one-stop-shop” for election related information, provides nonpartisan information to the public with both general and state-specific information on the election process.  Find out about candidate debates and forums taking place in your municipality, including events moderated by the League of Women Voters, check regularly VOTE.411 for updates.  This handy tool will also publish voters guides electronically by the beginning of June.

To obtain additional information about the June primary, visit the League of Women Voters of New Jersey at www.lwvnj.org and www.VOTE411.org or contact mmarks@lwvnj.org.

The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley services 29 municipalities in Bergen County.  These municipalities include:  Alpine, Bergenfield, Cliffside Park, Closter, Cresskill, Demarest, Dumont, Edgewater, Emerson, Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Fort Lee, Hackensack, Harrington Park, Haworth, Hillsdale, Leonia, Montvale, New Milford, Northvale, Norwood, Old Tappan, Park Ridge, River Vale, Rockleigh, Tenafly, Washington Township, Westwood, and Woodcliff Lake.

For further information about the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley, to get involved in voters service activities, or to access membership details, contact Nike.Bach@gmail.com, lwvnblog@gmail.com, or lwvno.valley@gmail.com.  Learn more about the League on the organization’s website at bit.ly/LWVNVinformation and its blog at https://lwv-of-northern-valley.constantcontactsites.com/.

About League of Women Voters of Northern Valley

The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley, a chapter of the League of Women Voters (LWV), is a non-partisan, grassroots civic organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of public policy issues and influences public policy through education and advocacy.  The LWV was an outgrowth of the 19th Amendment passed in 1920 giving women the right to vote.  Today, the LWV operates at the state and local levels through more than 700 state and local Leagues in all 50 states and in Washington D.C., the Virgin Islands and Hong Kong.

The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley was founded in 1946 as the League of Women Voters of Closter.  By 1964, it included 11 municipalities in the Northern Valley and was renamed the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley.  Today, the chapter serves 29 municipalities.

The organization develops grassroots leadership and achieves widespread credibility because it is strictly nonpartisan.  Throughout the year, a range of voters services and programs are provided, including candidates’ forums, registration drives, dissemination of nonpartisan information about candidates and issues, and public meetings to discuss current issues.

For information, visit the chapter’s website at bit.ly/LWVNVinformation and its blog at https://lwv-of-northern-valley.constantcontactsites.com/.  For opportunities to get involved or join the organization, contact lwvno.valley@gmail.com, Nike.Bach@gmail.com, or  lwvnblog@gmail.com.  Follow the LWVNV on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.