Atlantic County Clerk Explains How to Vote in November: Key Deadlines, Early Voting Locations and Mail Ballots

ATLANTIC COUNTY, N.J. — Atlantic County residents preparing for New Jersey's Nov. 3 general election have several ways to cast their ballots, but important registration and mail voting deadlines are approaching.

Atlantic County Clerk Joe Giralo outlined the county's voting procedures during a Sept. 21 appearance on Off The Press with Scott Cronick on News Talk 1400 and 92.3 WOND, with Assemblyman Don Guardian serving as guest host.

Giralo explained how residents can register, vote early, request a mail ballot and find their Election Day polling locations.

The county will again offer seven early voting centers, allowing registered voters to cast their ballots in person before Election Day.

Residents who prefer to vote by mail can request a ballot through the county clerk's office.

Election Day Is Tuesday, Nov. 3

Polls throughout Atlantic County will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Giralo said the county will have 145 Election Day polling locations.

Voters should check their sample ballots to determine their assigned polling locations.

"Your voting location will be on your sample ballot," Giralo said.

The county clerk's office expects sample ballots to be mailed by Oct. 21.

Residents can also find election information and sample ballots through the county clerk's website at www.atlanticcountyclerk.org.

Oct. 13 Is the Deadline to Register

Residents who are not yet registered to vote must complete their registration by Tuesday, Oct. 13, to participate in the November general election.

Giralo emphasized that residents cannot simply appear at a polling place on Election Day and register to vote.

"Voter registration will take place until October the 13th," he said.

Residents can register online through the New Jersey Division of Elections or obtain registration information through the Atlantic County Clerk's Office.

To register online, visit https://voter.svrs.nj.gov/register .

Residents who are unsure whether they are registered can check their status through the state's voter information system at https://voter.svrs.nj.gov/registration-check .

Early Voting Runs Oct. 24 Through Nov. 1

Atlantic County will offer nine consecutive days of in-person early voting beginning Saturday, Oct. 24, and continuing through Sunday, Nov. 1.

Early voting hours are:

Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Giralo said voters can use any of the county's seven early voting centers, regardless of which Atlantic County municipality they live in.

"You can go to any one of the seven locations in Atlantic County and vote," he said.

For example, a Hamilton Township resident can vote at an early voting center in Buena Vista Township rather than traveling to a location closer to home.

Electronic poll books allow election workers to identify the voter and provide the appropriate ballot for that person's voting district.

Atlantic County's Seven Early Voting Locations

The county's early voting centers are:

Atlantic City

Quaremba Hall

15 N. Georgia Ave.

Atlantic City, NJ 08401

Buena Vista Township

Martin Luther King Building

661 Jackson Road

Newtonville, NJ 08346

Egg Harbor Township

Atlantic County Library

1 Swift Ave.

Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234

Galloway Township

Galloway Library

306 E. Jimmie Leeds Road

Galloway Township, NJ 08205

Hamilton Township

Mays Landing Library

40 Farragut Ave.

Mays Landing, NJ 08330

Hammonton

Hammonton Family Success Center

310 Bellevue Ave.

Hammonton, NJ 08037

Northfield

Shoreview Building

101 Shore Road

Northfield, NJ 08225

No appointment is necessary for early voting.

Residents who have already requested or are scheduled to receive a mail ballot should be aware that different rules apply.

An active vote-by-mail voter generally cannot cast a regular ballot on a voting machine during the same election unless the voter completed the required opt-out process at least 60 days before Election Day.

Those voters may still be eligible to cast a provisional ballot at a polling location if they do not return their mail ballot.

Complete early voting information is available at https://www.atlanticcountyclerk.org/elections-2/early-voting/ .

How to Request a Mail Ballot

Registered voters who prefer to vote by mail can request a ballot through the Atlantic County Clerk's Office.

Giralo said residents who want their ballot mailed to them must submit their application by Oct. 27.

"You can request a vote by mail ballot up until seven days before, and that's October the 27th," he said.

The application must be received by the county clerk by that deadline.

Residents who miss the deadline for requesting a ballot by mail may apply in person at the county clerk's office until 3 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, the day before the election.

Giralo also explained that residents who previously voted by mail should check whether they requested ballots for all future elections or only a specific election.

"If you marked all future elections, it'll be all future elections," he said.

"If you didn't mark all future elections and you marked one election, then you're going to get the ballot for just the election that you requested."

Residents who are uncertain about their mail ballot status can contact the county clerk's office at 609-625-4011.

Mail ballot information and application forms are available at https://www.atlanticcountyclerk.org/elections-2/vote-by-mail-ballot-info/ .

Three Ways to Return a Completed Mail Ballot

Giralo outlined three options for returning completed mail ballots.

1. Return the ballot by mail.

Voters can place their completed ballots in the mail using the return envelope provided.

Giralo said Atlantic County is providing prepaid return postage for the November election.

Mail ballots must be postmarked no later than Election Day and received by the county Board of Elections within six days after the election.

Residents should follow the instructions included with their ballots and mail them as early as possible.

2. Use one of the county's 20 ballot drop boxes.

Atlantic County has 20 secure ballot drop boxes located throughout the county.

Giralo said the boxes are locked, monitored by cameras and emptied by bipartisan teams.

Completed ballots must be placed in an official ballot drop box no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day.

A list of drop box locations is available through the county's election information website at https://www.atlanticcountynj.gov/government/government-information/election-services-information .

3. Deliver the ballot directly to the Board of Elections.

Voters can hand-deliver completed mail ballots to the Atlantic County Board of Elections at:

5903 Main St.

Mays Landing, NJ 08330

Hand-delivered ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Voters should follow all ballot instructions, including signing the required certificate, to avoid delays or problems with their ballots.

What If You Requested a Mail Ballot but Want to Vote in Person?

Residents who have already requested a mail ballot generally cannot cast a regular ballot on a voting machine in the same election.

If they have not returned their mail ballot, they may vote using a provisional ballot at their polling location.

Election officials will review provisional ballots to determine whether they can be counted.

Giralo encouraged residents who are uncertain about their voting status to contact his office before Election Day.

Where to Get Help

Atlantic County residents can obtain election information through the following official resources:

Atlantic County Clerk's Office

Phone: 609-625-4011

Website: https://www.atlanticcountyclerk.org 

New Jersey Division of Elections

Website: https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/ 

Atlantic County Election Services

Website: https://www.atlanticcountynj.gov/government/government-information/election-services-information 

With the registration deadline approaching and early voting beginning in October, Giralo encouraged eligible residents to review their options and make arrangements to cast their ballots.

The county clerk said election officials are available to answer questions about registration, mail ballots and polling locations.