Union County voters who wish to deliver their vote-by-mail ballots by hand can use any of five official drop-off boxes at secure locations throughout the county. Pictured is an official drop-off box located at the entrance to the Union County Administration Building at 10 Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth.
UNION COUNTY, NJ — Union County residents who wish to hand-deliver their vote-by-mail ballots can use any of five secure, official ballot drop-off boxes installed and overseen by the Union County Board of Elections. By order of Gov. Phil Murphy, the July 7 election is being conducted primarily by vote-by-mail ballot.
Five boxes were installed in Union County at the end of June. Their locations are Cranford Community Center, 220 Walnut Ave. in Cranford; Union County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza in Elizabeth; Plainfield City Hall Parking Lot, 515 Watchung Ave. in Plainfield; Union Township Municipal Building, 1976 Morris Avenue in Union, via the rear entrance; and the Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Ave. East in Westfield.
“The ballot drop-off boxes provide voters with an additional, convenient way to participate in the July 7 primary,” Board of Elections Administrator Nicole DiRado said.
The drop-off boxes are available on a 24/7 basis. Voters may deposit their ballots in the drop-off boxes any time day or night, up to 8 p.m. on July 7.
All of the drop-off locations are ADA accessible and are under constant camera surveillance.
Ballots will be picked up and brought to the Board of Elections daily.
Voters using a drop-off box may bear their own ballot and ballots of up to three other voters. Ballot bearers must sign the bearer portion of the outside envelope in the presence of each voter whose ballot they are bearing.
Voters who wish to hand-deliver their ballots can also bring them to the Board of Elections office at 271 N. Broad St. in Elizabeth. As with the drop-off boxes, they may bear their own ballot and ballots of up to three other voters. Voters choosing to drop off their ballot at the Board of Elections office are reminded that they must sign a register and produce a New Jersey driver’s license or New Jersey–issued identification.
In addition to regular weekday hours between now and July 6, the office will be open to voters for ballot return on Saturday, July 4, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. On July 7, the office will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Visitors to the Board of Elections office must wear masks and observe social distance.
Voters may also send their ballots to the Board of Elections by U.S. mail. Each ballot comes with prepaid postage. Ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the Board of Elections by July 14, seven days after Election Day.
All voters wishing to use a polling location on Election Day will be required to complete a paper provisional ballot. Voters who cannot vote on a paper ballot will be afforded the opportunity to vote on a machine, after they have certified that they cannot vote on a paper ballot.
For information on all Board of Elections services, visit ucnj.org/boe, email [email protected] or leave a phone message at 908-527-4121.