OCEAN COUNTY – Can’t make it to the polls for the Primary Election? Not to worry, the Ocean County Clerk and the Board of Elections are offering additional voting opportunities.
For those who won’t be able to cast their ballot at the polls on June 4, the County Clerk is offering Vote by Mail ballots. On June 1, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., you can apply for a Vote by Mail ballot, vote and return it to the Board of Election staff that same day.
Vote by Mail applicants can do this at the Board of Elections Office, in the basement of 129 Hooper Ave. Free parking is available in the Ocean County Parking Garage adjacent to the Board of Elections office.
While May 28 was the cutoff for Vote by Mail applications via US mail, there is still time.
“After that date voters must apply for a Vote by Mail ballot in person. They have until 3 p.m., Monday, June 3 to do so,” said County Clerk Scott M. Colabella. “We set aside Saturday, June 1 to give voters the opportunity on a weekend day to vote using a Vote by Mail ballot. They can fill it out and leave it right at the Board of Elections.
“We have been providing this opportunity for a number of years and encourage voters to take advantage of it,” he added.
You can apply in person for a Vote by Mail Ballot in the Toms River office of the County Clerk at 118 Washington St., or at the Southern Service Center, 179 South Main St., Manahawkin, until Friday, May 31, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Voters do not need a reason to use the Vote by Mail option in New Jersey.
According to Ocean County Freeholder Gary Quinn, liaison to the County Clerk, it is important to practice our “fundamental right” to vote.
“Our County Clerk and Election Board closely work to assist our voters by providing them with the opportunity to cast a ballot even if they can’t get to the polls on Election Day,” he said.
The deadline for all Vote by Mail ballots in person is June 3, 3 p.m. After this deadline, voters must obtain a court order from a judge allowing them to apply for a Vote by Mail Ballot.
If you haven’t applied for your Vote by Mail ballot, now is the time!
As of May 28, 29,055 Vote by Mail Ballots have already been issued in Ocean County for the upcoming June 4 Primary Election. Of the ballots issued, 11,665 have been issued to registered Republicans; 7,975 ballots have been issued to registered Democrats and 9,415 ballots have been issued to unaffiliated voters.
There are 136,710 registered Republican voters in Ocean County, 86,176 registered Democrats, and 179,339 unaffiliated or undeclared voters.
For more information, contact the County Clerk’s Election Office at 732-929-2153. A copy of the official sample ballot and polling location addresses for all 33 municipalities are available at oceancountyclerk.com.
