Paterson, NJ- The State of New Jersey recently enacted P.L. 2009 ch. 79, the “Vote by Mail Law”. This law supplants the absentee ballot law. The word “absentee” has now been replaced with the term “mail-in”. “By educating the public as to the changes in the law, we can ensure that all voters who wish to vote by mail can, and that no voters are disenfranchised,” said Karen Brown, Passaic County Clerk.

The law provides for two new options:

1. Any voter can now request, with one application, to receive ballots for all elections in one calendar year. Prior to the new law, this option was only available to voters who were permanently disabled.
2. Any voter can request, with one application, a ballot for all general elections, until the voter requests the County Clerk to discontinue sending of such ballots.

The new law also amends the authorized messenger provisions. Now, any voter can apply for, and obtain a mail-in ballot by way of authorized messenger. Use of an authorized messenger is no longer limited to “sick or confined” voters. An authorized messenger can only apply for, and obtain, mail-in ballots for TEN voters for an election. No person who is a candidate in the election for which the voter requests a mail-in ballot may provide any assistance in the completion of the ballot or may serve as an authorized messenger or bearer.

In addition, the law adds another category of voters eligible to vote by provisional ballot at the polling place. If a voter requests and receives a mail-in ballot but does not deliver the ballot to the county board of election, he or she can vote by provisional ballot at the polling place.

Prior to the new law, only if a voter claimed he or she did not apply for a mail-in ballot, or applied for, but did not receive such ballot, could he or she vote by provisional ballot at the polling place. As a result of the new law, the Passaic County Clerk’s Office has printed and published new “Vote by Mail” applications. The applications are available at the Clerk’s Office or by logging on to the County Clerk Election Division at www.passaiccountynj.org.

For more information, you may contact the Passaic County Clerk’s Election Division at (973) 225-3632 ext. 500.

Who can register to vote information

Vote by Mail Ballot (English) 383 Kb

Voto por Correo (Espanol) 331 Kb