Union County Board of Elections Provides Extra Days for Vote-by-Mail Ballot Drop-off

Union County, NJ — Union County Board of Elections Administrator Nicole DiRado advises voters that Vote-by-Mail ballots may be dropped off in person at the Board of Elections office at 271 North Broad Street in Elizabeth. In addition to regular weekday hours, the office will be open for ballot return on Saturday June 20, Saturday June 27, and Saturday July 4, from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. each day.

While visiting the Board of Elections office, voters must wear masks and observe social distance.

“We are offering the additional Saturday hours to help ensure that every voter who wishes to hand-deliver their ballot has the opportunity to do so,” said Ms. DiRado.

Voters choosing to drop off their ballot in person are reminded that they must sign a register, and produce a New Jersey Driver’s License or New Jersey Issued Identification.

In addition, voters may bear their own ballot and ballots of three other voters.  It is important that bearers sign the bearer portion of the outside envelope in the presence of the voter.

Voters may also send their ballots to the Board of Elections by U.S. mail. Each ballot comes with prepaid postage.  Ballots must be postmarked on or before election day and received by the Board of Elections by July 14, seven days after election day.

The July 7 Primary Election is being conducted primarily through by Vote-by-Mail, by order of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.  All voters wishing to go to a polling location on Election Day will be required to complete a paper provisional ballot.  The only exception is for voters who cannot vote on a paper ballot will be afforded the opportunity to vote on a machine, after they have certified that they cannot vote on a paper ballot.

For instructions on completing a Vote-by-Mail ballot correctly, please review the flyer prepared by the Election Board which can be found at ucnj.org/boe/make-sure-your-vote-by-mail-ballot-is-counted-2.

For information on all Board of Elections services visit ucnj.org/boe, email ucboe@ucnj.org, or leave a phone message at 908-527-4121. All email and phone messages will be returned.

For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak,  including guidance on the Union County Drive-Through Test Center at Kean University, visit 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 nj.gov/health.