Vote by Mail

How to Vote by Mail in the 2023 General Election

The new “Vote-By-Mail” ballot, introduced in July 2009, is easy to use. Designed and formatted to ensure accurate election results, the new ballot is read “optically” by a scanner and less apt to make an error.

Now, voters using a black/blue ink pen, mark their selection on the ballot. Once returned to the Union County Board of Elections, the ballot is optically read and tallied on Election Day.

The Vote-By-Mail ballot has been redesigned in time for the 2015 General Election to mirror the Sample Ballot and official machine ballot. Additionally, all ballots will now have the School Board Election ballot heading in blue to encourage the voter to vote in the School Board Election after having voted in the General Election Ballot. English and bilingual samples of the new Vote by Mail ballot can be viewed by clicking in the links below.

In the Primary Election, held in June, voters are confined to a choice of candidates within their political party. Voters will receive a Democratic or Republican ballot based on their registration with the Board of Elections.

A torn, soiled, defaced or incorrectly marked ballot must be returned to Joanne Rajoppi, Union County Clerk, to obtain another ballot.

Union County residents who are qualified, registered voters may apply for a “Vote-By-Mail” ballot by written application to the Clerks’ Election Office. Voters must sign their name as it appears in the registry book. All requests must be received 7 days before any and all elections including Primary, General, and Special School elections. Any voter who fails to apply by the deadline may apply in person in the Election Office on any day up to 3 p.m. of the day before Election.


Important Notice to Voters who will use a Bearer

Effective February 1, 2021, Chapter 71, amended that portion of Title 19 concerning the return of voted mail-in ballots by “bearers.”  A “bearer” is a person who either mails or delivers your voted ballot to the Board of Elections.

If your ballot will be mailed by someone other than you, be sure to have the bearer fill out the outer envelope under the bearer heading.

Any person who delivers the voted ballot to the Board of Elections is required to present a valid identification with the bearers name, full address and signature.

If you are the bearer of ballots other than your own, you are permitted to be the bearer for no more than three (3) ballots for an election or up to (5) ballots if those voters reside in the same household as the bearer. N.J.S.A. 19:63-4(a)

Joanne Rajoppi
Union County Clerk


Opt Out to Vote by Mail Form

If these voters do not want to receive a future Vote-Mail-In-Ballot they must notify the County Clerk in writing to opt out by printing and filling out this form.