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Can I vote by mail in New Jersey?
Yes. Anyone can request a mail ballot.
Any registered voter can request a mail (absentee) ballot, no reason needed. There's a deadline, so request early.
- Voter registrationTue, Oct 13Passed
- NextAsk for your mail ballot. Your request must arrive byTue, Oct 272 days
Ask now: a request on the last day leaves no time to mail the ballot back.
Request it on the official site ↗Track my ballot ↗
Missed the request deadline?
- Any voter, through an Authorized Messenger (a family member or a registered voter of your county, not a candidate) who applies and picks up the ballot in person at the county clerk. Deadline: Mon, Nov 2, 3 p.m.. Fill in the Messenger section of the Vote-by-Mail application; the messenger signs it, shows photo ID to the county clerk, and brings the ballot to you. source
- Mail it byTue, Oct 272 days
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tue, Nov 3; mailing earlier avoids a late postmark. Or use a drop box.
- Returning it:
Postmarked by Election Day and received by 8 p.m. Nov. 9 (6 days after); a ballot with no postmark still counts if it arrives within 48 hours. Drop box or county office by 8 p.m. Election Day.
Dropping it off? Drop boxes are widely available here, and using one skips the mail entirely. New Jersey drop box locations.
Who can return it for you: Anyone you choose may return it. Anyone may act as a 'Bearer' and carry your ballot to the county Board of Elections or a secure drop box (not a polling place): up to 3 ballots per election from outside their household, or 5 if the voters are immediate family living with them. The bearer signs the Bearer Portion of the outer envelope in front of you and shows ID at the Board. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 39 days
If your ballot gets flaggedDeadline: Sat, Nov 14 · 20 days
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- Return the Cure Form from the county board's letter in person, by fax, email or mail so it arrives by Nov. 14, 11 days after the election. The board also tries to phone you. Deadline: Sat, Nov 14 · 20 days
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Good to know in New Jersey Counties start mailing ballots 45 days before the election. Vote-by-mail list available.
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in New Jersey?
Will your ballot count in New Jersey?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in New Jersey, and how to avoid it
- Sign the envelope the way you signed your voter registration or driver's license. Your state compares them.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Your state goes by the postmark. Automated postmarks can lag a day, so hand it to a clerk at the post office counter and ask for a manual postmark (free).
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Open now through Sun, Nov 1. Locations and hours
You don't need to show ID to vote in person. Exception: if you registered by mail and this is your first federal election in the state, federal law says bring ID the first time.
Accepted: No ID for most voters. Only a voter who registered by mail for the first time in the county and never supplied a NJ driver's license number / last 4 SSN or a copy of a photo ID, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document with name and address is asked for one of those documents at the polls. Without one: Registered voters sign the poll book and vote normally; a first-time-by-mail registrant who lacks ID may vote a provisional ballot.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
New Jersey has a vote-by-mail list for any voter. Sign up once and you won't have to request again. Check 'ALL FUTURE ELECTIONS' on the application; stop it with a written request to the county clerk.
New Jersey can start processing mail ballots 5 days before Election Day, so most results come in on election night. Results are certified Mon, Nov 23.
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
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Verified against the official page 2026-09-25. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.