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How can I register to vote?
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Do I need to bring ID with me to register to vote?
If you register in person at the Board of Elections office, you do not need to show identification. If you are registering by mail, you must include your driver’s license number or the last four digits of your social security number on the form.
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If I do not include the appropriate ID with my mailed in voter registration, will I still be able to vote?
Yes. When you go to the polls on Election Day, your signature block in the poll book will have been flagged with **ID REQUIRED**. Upon showing the poll worker the appropriate ID, you will be permitted to vote on the voting machine. If proper ID is not shown, you will still be permitted to vote by Provisional Ballot. You must them provide the proper ID to the Board of Elections within 48 hours of Election Day or your ballot will not be counted.
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Can I register my child to vote who is attending college?
You can forward the application to your child’s college address, but your child must complete the application, as his/her original signature is required.
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Can a voter application be mailed to my residence?
The application can be downloaded here. If you do not have printer capabilities to download the form from, you can email your address to the Board of Elections and request an application be sent to your home.
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How do I change or declare a political party affiliation?
You may download the party affiliation card or email your address to the Board of Elections and request a party affiliation card be sent to your home. Complete and sign the form and return it to the Board of Elections.
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How can I find my polling location?
You can find your polling location on our website and on the lower left hand corner of your sample ballot.
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How long are the polls open for voting on Election Day?
General and Primary Election: 6 am to 8 pm
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How do I become a poll worker?
You must fill out an application and return it the Board of Elections Office. You may either download a poll worker application from the Somerset County website or email your request complete with your address to the Board of Elections and an application will be mailed to your home.
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Do I have to be trained to be a poll worker?
Yes. Every poll worker must attend a training class once every two years to be eligible for full pay.
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As a poll worker, what time do I have to report for work on Election Day?
Poll workers must be at their assigned location at 5:15 am to prepare for the opening of the polls at 6:00 am for the primary and general elections. Poll workers must be at their assigned location at 1:15 pm to prepare for the opening of the polls at 2:00 pm for the school board elections.
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As a poll worker, will I get a lunch and/or dinner break?
Each poll worker is entitled to one (1) one-hour break between the hours of 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm.
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What do I do if I’ve been assigned to work a poll but something comes up last minute that prohibits me from working?
Please notify the Board of Elections as soon as possible so that a replacement poll worker may be found.
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What type of voting machine is used in Somerset County?
Somerset County uses the AVC Advantage, a direct recording, electronic (DRE) voting machine manufactured by Sequoia Pacific. The AVC Advantage is easy to use and offers the highest level of accuracy and security.
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Are the Somerset County voting machines suitable for handicapped individuals?
Yes. The AVC Advantage is completely wheelchair accessible with no election officer intervention.
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In the event of a power outage can the voting machines still operate?
Yes. A built-in 16+ hour battery provides uninterrupted use of the AVC Advantage. Power switches from AC to DC automatically in the event of a power failure.
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How are the voting machines tested?
Diagnostic testing occurs automatically every time the machine is turned on. Continual background testing verifies correct system operation and data integrity. Logic and Accuracy tests are performed prior to the current election and a record is placed in storage. Operator logs document all system activity during the pre-election, election and post-election cycle.
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How are recorded votes stored?
After a voter presses the cast vote button, the vote is processed using multiple independent data paths. Votes are randomized and stored three different ways to assure absolute secrecy of the vote, absolute accuracy in vote counting, and absolute verifiability of results.
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When voting, can I write in a candidate not shown on the ballot?
Yes. The AVC voting machine has a write-in keyboard that allows a voter to enter the name of a personal choice candidate.
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When voting, how can I confirm the selection I made on the voting machine?
The visual message display in the keyboard confirms the selection that you have made.
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Do I have to vote for the Party I am registered with?
In the Primary Election you may vote for the candidate(s) of your choice representing the party in which you are registered. NJ recognizes the Democrat and Republican parties. You may only vote for the number of candidate(s) permitted for the office that you are casting a vote for. Example – Senate - Vote for One- you may only vote for one. Voting for more than one creates an “Over Vote” which disqualifies the vote cast for that office. Please remember to check the back and any additional pages of your ballot to ensure that you have reviewed all offices up for election.
If you are an unaffiliated voter (a voter that has not declared a party) you may be eligible to vote in the Primary Election. You must declare a party when voting at your polling location or select one ballot, Democrat or Republican, if voting by mail.
In a General Election you do not have to vote for the candidate(s) of the same party.
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How can I check my voter registration status?
Voters can check their voter registration status on the "Am I Registered?" page on the New Jersey Voter Information Portal.
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Is there an early voting period in New Jersey?
Yes, there is an in-person (polling place/vote center) early voting period for both the Primary Election and the General Election.
Each NJ county will hold in-person machine voting. Each county, depending on its size will designate a minimum of 3 to 10 voting locations for early in-person voting purposes. Early voting polling locations will be open from at least 10 am to 8 pm on Mondays through Saturdays, and from at least 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays.
Voters will also be able to return their vote-by-mail ballots early at a secure ballot drop box, via mail, or in person to their Board of Elections office. Dropbox locations can be found here on the New Jersey Voter Information Portal.
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What is a provisional ballot?
A provisional ballot is cast by a voter whose eligibility to vote cannot be confirmed at the polls on Election Day or if they have applied for a vote-by-mail ballot. If, after the election, it is determined that the voter who cast the provisional ballot was eligible to vote, the ballot will be counted.
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What is considered an “Inactive” voter?
An Inactive voter is a voter whose address has come into question.
The main way the counties receive this information is via the sample ballots that are sent prior to each election. If a sample ballot is returned as undeliverable or indicates the voter has moved out of county/state, that voter is put into an “Inactive” status and is sent a confirmation notice informing them that they have until the second federal general election after the date of the notice to update their voting record or appear to vote and complete the necessary form or they will be removed from the voting rolls.
Inactive voters do not get sample ballots and are not eligible to receive a vote by mail ballot until they are put back into an Active status. To update your record to active status through the online voter registration or using a paper registration form.
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What is the Voter Registration Deadline?
The Voter Registration Deadline is 21 days before the election.
