Author: corinnefiretto

The Union County Board of Elections reminds voters to plan their vote for the upcoming General Election.  Election Day is Tuesday, November 7, 2023.  Voters can vote in person during Early Voting, in person on Election Day or via Mail-In Ballot.  Eligible voters for the General Election include registered Democrats, Republicans and Unaffiliated voters.

In-Person Early Voting will take place Saturday, October 28, 2023 through Sunday, November 5, 2023.  Monday through Saturday the polls are open from 10am – 8pm.  On Sunday, the polls are open from 10am – 6pm. 

There are seven early voting sites county wide: Cranford, Elizabeth, New Providence, Plainfield, Rahway, Roselle and Union Township.  Any eligible voter in the county can go to any of these seven locations and cast their vote on their local ballot. 

Election Day Voting will take place on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.  Polls are open from 6:00am – 8:00pm.  Voters are required to go to their designated polling location on Election Day to cast their vote. 

Finally, voters who have received mail-in ballots are encouraged to return their ballot to the secure ballot drop box.  Voters can obtain a mail-in ballot from the Union County Clerk’s Office until the day before Election Day at 3:00pm.   There is at least one drop box in every municipality.  Ballot drop boxes are available to voters 24/7 through the close of the polls on Election Day at 8:00pm. 

The ballot drop boxes are picked up in accordance with state guidelines by a bipartisan team of Election Board employees with a police escort.  Voters can also mail their mail-in ballot, leaving at least 7 days for it to arrive in the mail.  Finally, voters can bring their ballot in-person to the Union County Board of Elections (271 No. Broad St., Elizabeth) or the Union County Clerk’s Office (2 Broad Street, Elizabeth / 300 North Avenue East, Westfield).  Voters wishing to deposit their ballot in person must present a valid New Jersey issued ID or Driver’s License.

For the complete list of Early Voting Sites, an updated list of polling locations, and the addresses of the secure ballot drop boxes, visit the Board of Elections website at www.ucnj.org/ucboe or call 908-527-4123.

Union County Board of Elections Administrator Nicole DiRado advises Union County residents that seven locations have been selected for those wishing to cast their vote early in person for the 2023 General Election. Any registered, Union County voter can use any of these sites to vote in-person, by machine from Saturday, October 28 through Sunday, November 5.

“New Jersey has expanded voters’ rights by introducing early voting in 2021,” said Ms. DiRado. “We encourage voters to use early voting, or a vote by mail ballot, to cast their vote ahead of Election Day.  Making a plan to cast your vote is important and there are now more options in New Jersey than ever before.”

• Cranford: Union College of Union County, 1033 Springfield Avenue, Nomahegan Building, Room N4, Near the Guard Booth – Parking in Lot 1
• Elizabeth: Sampson Community Center, 800 Anna Street
• New Providence: DeCorso Senior Center, 15 E. 4^th Street
• Plainfield, Union College of Union County, Church Street, Between E. 2^nd & E. 3^rd Streets
• Rahway:  Rahway Recreation Center, 275 E. Milton Avenue
• Roselle: Amalfe Community Center, 1268 Shaffer Avenue
• Union Township: Union Township Senior Center, 652 Rahway Avenue

All of these early voting locations will be open during the following hours:

• Saturday, October 28,  10am – 8pm
• Sunday, October 29, 10am – 6pm
• Monday, October 30, 10am – 8pm
• Tuesday, October 31, 10am – 8pm
• Wednesday, November 1, 10am – 8pm
• Thursday, November 2, 10am – 8pm
• Friday, November 3, 10am – 8pm
• Saturday, November 4, 10am – 8pm
• Sunday, November 5, 10am – 6pm

Upon arriving at an early voting location, voters will sign in on an electronic poll book.  The electronic poll book will print a bar code on the ballot card so the voting machine knows which ballot to activate.  Voters will then insert their ballot card into the voting machine in order to cast their vote.

Please note that these locations are for machine voting only. Vote by mail ballots cannot be submitted at these locations.

Voters who plan to use a vote by mail ballot can deposit it in any of the twenty-four (24) Board of Elections’ secure drop boxes in Union County, return it to the Board of Elections by U.S. Postal Service, or hand-deliver it to the Board of Elections office in Elizabeth by November 7, 2023 at 8pm.

To check to ensure your ballot has been received by the Union County Board of Elections, go to the Track My Ballot link on the www.njelections.org website. A complete list of secure ballot drop boxes in Union County can be found at www.ucnj.org/ucboe.

Voters who choose to vote in person on Election Day, November 7, must use their designated polling place.

For more information, including a list of drop box locations and an online polling place finder, visit the Board of Elections online at ucnj.org/ucboe, email ucboe@ucnj.org, or call 908-527-4123.