- Home
- Government
- Departments
- Clerk’s Office, Voting & Licenses
- Voting: Election 2020
Voting: Election 2020
Election 2020 is Vote-By-Mail in NJ
Due to COVID-19, Governor Phil Murphy has signed Executive Order 177 stating that voting in the November general election in New Jersey will be done primarily by mail.
2020 Ballots
All active registered voters in New Jersey will automatically receive a mail-in ballot for the November 3rd election.
If you never received a ballot or accidentally discarded it, you must complete the Second Ballot Request Form (PDF) and return it to the Essex County Clerk's Office to receive a new ballot.
Download and print the form, complete and sign it, and then either email the completed form to votebymail@clerk.essexcountynj.org or fax it to 973-621-5178.
The deadline to submit a Second Ballot Request is Friday, October 23, 2020.
Polling Places
Livingston will have 2 polling places open on November 3:
- Livingston Senior/Community Center – 204 Hillside Avenue, Lower Level, Tahaney Rooms 2 & 3
- Livingston Town Hall – 357 S. Livingston Avenue, First Floor
In addition to collecting VBM ballots hand-delivered directly by the voter on Election Day, these two polling places will only provide:
- ADA-compliant visually impaired audio voting
- Provisional paper ballots
Please note that the Provisional Paper Ballot is similar to a VBM Ballot.
All are urged to use their VBM Ballot. Provisional Ballots are counted last and must be checked against the VBM Ballots that have already been cast before they are accepted and canvassed.
See below for information on the options for returning your mail-in ballot.
Watch: How to Vote by Mail (Essex County)
Returning Your VBM Ballot
VBM Ballots can be mailed at the Post Office, placed in a standard mailbox, brought to the polling place on Election Day, delivered to the Essex County Board of Elections Office, placed in an Essex County Mail-In Ballot Drop-Off Box. See information below for each option.
Returning your VBM ballot: | Instructions: |
---|---|
by USPS Mail | Ballot must be postmarked on or before Nov. 3 and be received by the Essex Board of Elections on or before Nov. 10. |
to your polling place | Bring your ballot to your polling place by 8:00 pm on Election Day, November 3, 2020. PLEASE NOTE: Only you, the voter, can bring your ballot to your polling place on Election Day. |
to the Essex County Board of Elections Office (465 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. Room 411 Newark, NJ 07102) | Ballot must be delivered by 8:00 pm on November 3, 2020. |
to a Secure Ballot Box Location in Essex County (View locations here) | Ballot must be in the drop-box by 8:00 pm on November 3, 2020. |
The Secure Ballot Box in Livingston is located outside the rear entrance of Livingston Town Hall, 357 S. Livingston Avenue.
If you are mailing or presenting a vote by mail ballot on behalf of someone else, or plan to have someone deliver your ballot, please read this important notice (PDF) from Essex County.
By State law, any person serving as a ballot bearer may only submit up to three (3) mail-in ballots on behalf of other qualified voters for each election. Remember, only the voter can hand-deliver his/her own ballot to the polling location on Election Day.
Voters Needing Transportation to Drop Off a Ballot
Uber and Lyft have programs that offer rides to people wanting to drop off their ballots or who need to vote in person.
Watch: Voting by Mail in Essex County
Important Election Dates & Deadlines
Party Affiliation Change
An affiliation change must be made at least 55 days prior to Primary Election date. Access the NJ State Political Party Affiliation Form (PDF).
Voter Registration
Voters must register at least 21 days before the Election date. A New Jersey resident who is at least 17 years of age may pre-register to vote, but cannot vote until reaching the age of 18.
Evening Registration
The Clerk’s office holds a nighttime voter registration until 9 p.m. on the 21st day before the election.
Vote by Mail Ballots (formerly known as Absentee Ballots)
An Application to Vote by Mail (PDF) must be received by the Essex County Clerk not less than 7 days before the Election by mail, or by 3 p.m. in person, the day before the Election. Only the person applying to Vote by Mail can pick up the ballot in person. In case of illness, a messenger can obtain a Vote by Mail ballot from the County Clerk’s office upon presentation of a request signed by the voter. Once a person applies for the Vote By Mail ballot, they cannot vote in person at the polls.
Contact the Essex County Clerk
Physical Address:
Essex County Hall of Records
465 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Newark, NJ 07102
Phone: 973-621-4921
Email
-
Clerk's Office, Voting & Licenses
Physical Address
357 S Livingston Avenue
Livingston, NJ 07039
Phone: 973-992-5000, ext. #5400