County of Union, New Jersey

Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi advises residents that the new application form for Vote by Mail ballots in New Jersey now provides an option for voters to receive their ballots automatically, for every election as well as any special elections.

“The new option eliminates the need to keep repeating the application step, so it is a convenience for voters who plan to use Vote by Mail every year, for both the Primary and General elections,” said Ms. Rajoppi. “However, it is still important to know how the process works, and choose the option that works best for you.”

The new option was signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy on August 10 and is now in effect starting with the 2018 General Election in November.

All voters who plan to use a Vote by Mail ballot in the 2018 General Election must first submit an application form as usual, in order to receive their ballot. Section 1 of the new application lists the available options.

Applicants who wish to opt into the new system and receive ballots for all elections automatically, every year, must check the box for “ALL FUTURE ELECTIONS.”

Applicants who only want a ballot for the upcoming General Election on Tuesday, November 6, must check the box for “General (November).”

Vote by Mail application forms are now available for view or download in English or Spanish at the Union County Clerk’s elections website, unioncountyvotes.com.

Voters who wish to receive an application by mail can request one by using the online form at unioncountyvotes.com, emailing ucvote@ucnj.org or calling the County Clerk’s Elections Division at 908-527-4996.

Application forms are also available from the New Jersey State Division of Elections at njelections.org.

For all Union County Clerk programs and services visit ucnj.org/county-clerk.org or call 908-527-4787.

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Tickets for the 2018 Hayrides and Campfires event presented by the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders and the Union County Department of Parks & Recreation will be available for purchase beginning Tuesday, September 4 at 8:30 a.m.

This year, tickets will again be sold online in addition to three locations throughout the county. All tickets must be purchased in advance, there will be no tickets sold on-site.

All ticket sales will be final, with no refunds or exchanges. The event includes the hayride, entertainment and hot chocolate and marshmallows to toast over a campfire.

The first Hayride and Campfire will take place on Friday, October 5 at the Warinanco Sports Center. That evening has also been designated as Military Appreciation Night. Rides will run from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.

Trailside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside will host the remaining events. Hayrides and Campfires will be held on Sunday, October 7 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday, October 12 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Sunday, October 14 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.; and Friday, October 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

“The Hayrides and Campfires events are always among the most popular events in our parks, so those interested in participating should get their tickets early, either online or in person, and plan for a fun-filled evening to begin the fall,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados.

Tickets are priced at $6.00 for Union County residents and $12.00 for non-residents. Group sales are limited to 15 tickets. To order tickets online, visit ucnj.org/tickets.

Tickets will be on sale at the following locations and times, beginning September 4:

• The Colleen Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East in Westfield, Monday through Wednesday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Elizabeth Office, Union County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence Road, Mountainside, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sunday through Saturday.

For further information, call the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation at 908-527-4900, Trailside Nature and Science Center at 908-789-3670 or visit the Union County website at ucnj.org.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is proud to host GLAAD Media Institute’s LGBTQ accelerating acceptance training courses free for anyone who wants to build the core skills and techniques that influence positive cultural change.

Presented in collaboration with Union County’s Office of LGBTQ Services, GLAAD Media Institute will bring two of their signature courses to Union County. GLAAD’s Engagement 101 Telling Your Story: Messaging and Media Tools For Today’s Activists will be held at Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth on Friday, September 28 from 9:30AM until 4PM. GLAAD’s Engagement 202: Telling Your Story Through Social Media course will be held at Warinanco Sports Center in Roselle on Friday, October 19 from 10AM until 2PM. Registration is free and required online at https://www.glaad.org/institute. Register for one or both of the workshops.

“The Freeholder Board is honored to partner with GLAAD to bring their free training courses to empower LGBTQ individuals and allies in our community to champion inclusion and acceptance,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “In today’s climate, we have to be progressive and aggressive in our efforts to support inclusion, understanding and acceptance.”

Using the best practices, tools, and techniques they have perfected over the past 30 years, the GLAAD Media Institute works to transform individuals into compelling storytellers, media-savvy navigators, and mighty ambassadors whose voices break through the noise and make change.

Join us on September 28th for Engagement 101. In this free course, participants will learn how to get a message of inclusion and acceptance across effectively in the mainstream media narrative about the LGBTQ community. Equipped with GLAAD’s Accelerating Acceptance data, the GLAAD Media Institute will work with you to reach and teach all about the LGBTQ community through a personal lens, yours. Topics include LGBTQ acceptance, understanding media mentality, speaking to your audience, messaging and framing the issue, social media basics, and interview techniques.

Join us on Friday, October 19 for Engagement 202. Designed for those who are starting to incorporate social media into their advocacy strategy, participants in this specialized course will receive a comprehensive overview of social media platforms, as well as leveraging social media for reaching expanded audiences, deeper storytelling, and accelerating acceptance. This free course will teach participants the best practices to make the most of the potential for a variety of social media platforms, while also carefully avoiding pitfalls that exist in the social media sphere.

“Sometimes the most effective way to influence change is by sharing stories of personal experiences,” said Freeholder Alexander Mirabella, liaison to the Union County LGBTQ Ad Hoc Committee. “The GLAAD courses are an important opportunity for LGBTQ individuals and allies to increase the impact of their voice to celebrate diversity, generate inclusion, foster acceptance and advance equality.”

“The GLAAD Media Institute has trained over 5000 advocates, activists, and allies, and we are excited to support the Freeholder’s work to accelerate acceptance for the LGBTQ community of Union County,” said Ross Murray, Senior Director for Education & Training at the GLAAD Media Institute. “We are looking forward to exciting training opportunities that can empower the local community to speak up for the values of acceptance and inclusion.”

GLAAD is a U.S. non-governmental media monitoring organization founded by LGBT people in the media. Before March 2013, the name “GLAAD” had been an acronym for “Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation”, but became the primary name due to its inclusiveness of bisexual and transgender issues.

Established as part of Chairman Granados’ 2018 Moving Union County Forward initiatives, the Office of LGBTQ Services, under the Division of Outreach and Advocacy in the Department of Human Services, is the first County government office of its kind in the State of New Jersey. It offers a platform for leadership and collaboration to support equality, and serves as a catalyst for advocacy, awareness and action on current and emerging issues that impact the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals.

For more information about the Office of LGBTQ Services, contact Danni Newbury, Coordinator, at 908-527-4742 or dnewbury@ucnj.org or visit ucnj.org/lgbtq.

Please note update Friday, September 14: this event is moved indoors due to inclement weather. It will be held at 11:15 a.m. today, Friday September 14, at the County Administration Building, located behind the County Courthouse at 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, in the Freeholder Meeting Room on the 6th Floor.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites all residents and visitors to attend the commemoration of POW/MIA Remembrance Day in front of the Union County Courthouse at 2 Broad Street in Elizabeth on Friday, September 14. The ceremony will start promptly at 11:15 a.m.

“This annual public ceremony pays tribute and respect to our service men and women in all wars, who were prisoners of war, as well as those who are missing in action,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados. “Please join us as we pause and honor the sacrifices of our military and their families.”

In the event of rain, the ceremony will take place [inside the County Administration Building]. For more information, call the Freeholder Board at 908-527-4219.

Please join the County of Union online at ucnj.org, on Facebook at ucnj.org/facebook, and on Twitter at twitter.com/countyofunionnj.

The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders invites the community to join the county’s first Hispanic Heritage Celebration on Sunday, September 23rd, from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Union County Performing Arts Center, 1601 Irving Street in Rahway. The County is partnering with  the City of Rahway for the event, which is free and open to the general public.

Attendees are invited to explore the richness of the Hispanic culture through music, art and entertainment, featuring a performance by the Mike Ramirez Salsa Band. Local leaders will be honored for their community achievements. An upcoming press release will contain more information on the honorees and the event.

“Now more than ever, it is important to celebrate the diversity and cultural ties that builds a strong, inclusive community,” said Freeholder Chairman Sergio Granados, who is of Salvadoran-American descent. “Hispanics continue to make major contributions in all aspects of our culture, and continue to be progressive trailblazers.” Freeholder Angel Estrada, who is also Hispanic, was the first Cuban-American elected to the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

The event is being coordinated through the County’s Office of Community Engagement and Diversity, which is part of Freeholder Chairman Granados’s 2018 “Moving Union County Forward” initiatives. For more information please contact the Office’s coordinator Nathalie Hernandez,  email: nahernandez@ucnj.org, or call 908-527-4880.