New Jersey’s Primary elections are “closed,” which means that only registered voters affiliated with either the Democratic or Republican parties can participate in those primaries. It also means that voters who are registered as “Republican” will only be allowed to vote a ballot containing Republican candidates, and voters registered as “Democrat” will only be able to vote a ballot containing Democratic candidates. Voters cannot change parties on Election Day; the deadline to change your party affiliation for the Primary Election is 55 days prior to Election Day. If you are not sure of your party affiliation, don’t wait until Election Day to find out. Call  the County Board of Elections to confirm your registration status (973)579-0950.

If you plan to vote in this year’s General Election and you receive a Vote-By-Mail Ballot in the mail from your County Clerk’s Office, you should vote that ballot because once you’ve been issued a paper ballot you are no longer permitted to vote on the voting machines at your polling place.

Legislation signed in 2018 & 2019 by Governor Murphy mandates that County Clerk offices statewide send their voters a Vote By Mail Ballot for ALL future elections if the voter requested and received a Vote By Mail Ballot* in any election held in 2016, 2017 or 2018. 

*This includes paper ballots voted in person at your County Clerk’s Office.

For those voters who were placed on the “All Future Elections” list but who no longer want to automatically receive ballots by mail for every future election, you may opt out at any time by submitting your request in writing to our office. (Keep in mind, however, that if a ballot was already mailed to you for the current election, your “opt out” request will become effective for the next scheduled election; you should vote the mail-in ballot you received*.) For your convenience, COMPLETE & RETURN THIS FORM TO OPT-OUT if you no longer want to receive mail-in ballots for all future elections.  
*if you received a mail-in ballot, but go to your polling place to vote instead, the poll worker cannot permit you to vote on the voting machine, but will issue you a paper provisional ballot instead.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!  If you have questions about the new law and how it might affect your voting options, call our Election Office at 973-579-0900, ext. 1507.

To receive your ballot by mail, download a Mail-In Ballot Application and complete Sections 1-9* and mail your signed application to Sussex County Clerk’s Office, 83 Spring St., Suite 304, Newton, NJ  07860. In order to receive your ballot by mail, your application must be received in our office a minimum of seven (7) days prior to an election.  Any voter who fails to apply by the deadline may apply in person at our office up to 3:00 p.m. the day before the election. Voters should visit our website for updated information on extended hours offered for in-person/early voting the Saturday before a scheduled election.

*NOTES:

• If someone assisted you in completing your application, they should complete Section 10.
• Once you apply for a mail-in ballot, you will not be allowed to vote at your polling place in the same election.
• If you mail your voted ballot to the Board of Elections, you can register online to check to see when it’s been received: Has my voted ballot been received yet?

If you apply for a mail-in ballot, you will not be able to vote on the machine at your polling place on Election Day. Should there be a problem with your mail-in ballot (e.g., you misplace it or don’t receive it by the mailing deadline) and you go to your polling place to vote, the poll worker can issue you a Provisional paper ballot.

Any voter who fails to apply for a mail-in ballot by the deadline may apply in person at our office up until 3:00 p.m. the day before the election. Voters are welcome anytime Mon-Fri between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Voters should visit our website for updated information on extended hours for in-person/early voting as an election date draws near.

For those voters who cannot make it to the polls on Election Day, but who do not have enough time to apply by mail for a “Mail-In Ballot,” they may authorize a messenger to apply on their behalf, messenger them their ballot, and then deliver their voted ballot to the County Board of Elections.

Download a Vote By Mail Ballot Application. You must complete Sections 1-9 and 11 (complete Section 10 only if applicable). The voter authorizes a person to act as an authorized messenger by completing and signing Section 11 of the application. The authorized messenger will be required to present photo ID and apply his/her signature to Section 11 in front of the County Clerk or his designee at the time the application is submitted.

Note that an authorized messenger may not serve as a messenger for more than THREE qualified voters and, likewise, is limited to be the bearer of THREE voted ballots. The voted ballots must be delivered to the County Board of Elections, where the bearer will be required to present official identification before signing the mandated bearer log.

To qualify as an authorized messenger …

• Person must be a registered voter in the county or a family member of the qualified voter.
• Person CANNOT be a candidate in the election for which the voter is requesting a Mail-In Ballot.

Feel free to call the Clerk’s Office with any Early Voting questions you may have (973-579-0900, ext. 1507)

If you are currently overseas, you may complete an overseas ballot application, which will allow you to vote via regular mail, fax, or e-mail. This service is available to Sussex County residents (or former residents) who are living or working out of the United States, including military personnel and their dependents. Voters should apply to the County Clerk of the county in which they last resided prior to moving overseas.

Types of “Overseas” voters
U.S. citizens living permanently overseas may vote a Federal Overseas Ballot, which allows them to vote for Federal offices only, including President, U.S. Senate, and Congress; whereas U.S. citizens visiting or residing temporarily overseas are eligible to vote the complete ballot of their permanent address in the U.S.

Visit fvap.gov for more complete information on overseas voting.

Military servicemen and women who need to vote by absentee ballot should apply for their ballot using the Federal Postcard Application (FPCA). The following voters also can apply using the FPCA: dependents of military personnel, patients in veteran hospitals, and civilians attached to or serving in the military. For more information on voting absentee in the military and/or voting overseas, visit fvap.gov.

Note that voted ballots must be received by the County Board of Elections before the close of polls on Election Day.

Voters who wish to vote by mail in each and every future election may request that they be placed on a list to receive Vote By Mail ballots for ALL future elections by checking the ALL FUTURE ELECTIONS box in Section 1 of the Vote By Mail Application.

Once you submit an application requesting to receive Mail-In ballots for ALL future elections, you will not be permitted to vote on the voting machines at your polling place.

Mail the completed application to: Sussex County Clerk, 83 Spring St., Suite 304, Newton, NJ 07860.

Your voted ballot must be received by the County Board of Elections before the close of polls on Election Day, or if mailed to the Board, must be post-marked by Election Day and received no later than 48 hrs after the time of the closing of the polls.