ELIZABETH, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi will open her office in the County Courthouse at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth on Saturday, June 4, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for voters seeking last-minute mail-in ballots. The office will be open as a public service for those voters who choose the Vote By Mail option for the Primary Election to be held on Tuesday, June 7.
“Every voter should have the opportunity to cast his or her ballot in the primary election for state, county and municipal offices,” Rajoppi said. “We want to ensure that even those who have a last-minute change of plans can have a chance to vote.”
Walk-in applications are accepted up to 3:00 p.m. on Monday, June 6, the day before the primary election.
“By opening the Elizabeth office on the Saturday before the primary election, as we have done for the past 15 years, we hope to assist those citizens whose working hours or other commitments keep them from applying during the work week,” Rajoppi said.
Voters will be able to drop off their completed mail-in ballot, formerly known as an absentee ballot, at the Union County Clerk’s office in Elizabeth. This option allows voters to pick up their ballots, vote in privacy and deposit them in a secured lockbox – all at the same office through 3:00 p.m. on Monday, June 6.
“Voters used to pick up absentee ballots at the Clerk’s office and then had to drive across town to deliver them to the Board of Elections,” Rajoppi said. “This option makes voting more accessible, particularly for senior citizens.”
Completed ballots will be kept in a secure lockbox under the control of the Union County Board of Elections, who will collect them for counting.
The Clerk’s office has processed more than 1,300 mail-in ballots to date for the Primary Election and expects the number to exceed 3,000 by Primary Day, Tuesday, June 7.
To obtain an application, voters may download the form at the Clerk’s website:https://ucnj.org/government/county-clerk/vote-by-mail, but they must bring the completed application to the County Clerk’s Office on Saturday, June 4, between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., or Monday, June 6, before 3:00 p.m. For more information, contact the County Clerk’s office at 908-527-4996.
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