New Jersey

Election Day voting hours are from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time. Voters in line by 8 p.m.

On Election Day, voters must vote in person at their assigned Election Day polling place. 

Voters may confirm their polling place by referring to their county Board of Elections website (https://nj.gov/state/elections/vote-county-election-officials.shtml) or entering their address in the New Jersey Division of Elections polling place locator (https://voter.svrs.nj.gov/polling-place-search).  

For early voting, a voter can submit a ballot at any of the applicable county’s designated in-person early voting locations (https://nj.gov/state/elections/vote-early-voting.shtml) regardless of where the voter lives in the county.

Registration Deadlines

• The voter registration deadline for the New Jersey Congressional General Election is Received by Tue Oct 13, 2026.

How to Check Your Registration: Voters can determine whether they are registered to vote at the following link: Am I Registered?.

You are eligible to vote in New Jersey if you:

• Are a U.S. citizen
• Are a resident of New Jersey
• Live in the precinct where you vote for at least 30 days prior to the election
• Are at least 18 years old by Election Day

You are NOT eligible to vote in New Jersey if:

• You are in prison or detention or jail or penal institution
• You were disqualified from voting due to a court order

Restorative Requirements

• If you have completed a felony prison sentence, even if you are still on parole or probation, then you are immediately eligible to register to vote.

You may preregister to vote in New Jersey

• At the age of 17

How to register 

• New Jersey Congressional General Election
  • Submit an Application: Received by Tue Oct 13, 2026

The voter registration deadline is 21 days before Election Day. Registration forms (https://www.state.nj.us/state/elections/voting-information.html) must be either postmarked or hand-delivered by that date. Eligible voters can also register to vote online (https://voter.svrs.nj.gov/register). Voters can determine whether they are registered to vote by checking the New Jersey Division of Elections Voter Search website (https://voter.svrs.nj.gov/registration-check). Alternatively, they can call 1-877-NJ-VOTER.

Voters younger than 18 years old may register to vote if they will be at least 17 years old on Primary Election Day and 18 by General Election Day.

The voter must be a resident of the county in which they wish to register for at least 30 days before the next election.

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

• In-Person
• By Mail

New Jersey Congressional General Election

Ballot Request:

• Post Received by Tue Oct 27, 2026
• In-Person, Received by Mon Nov 2, 2026 3:00PM

Ballot Return:

• In-Person, Received by Tue Nov 3, 2026 8:00PM
• Postmarked On or Before Election Day and Received by Mon Nov 9, 2026 8:00PM

Early Voting

Early voting centers will be open beginning 10 days before Election Day through the second day before Election Day. 

Early voting sites in each county will be open Monday through Saturday from at least 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, and on Sunday from at least 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.    

Registered voters can vote at any early voting site in their county (https://nj.gov/state/elections/vote-early-voting.shtml). 

Vote-by-mail

Every registered voter is eligible to receive a vote-by-mail ballot by applying for one (https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/vote-by-mail.shtml#applications). Voters who have previously indicated that they want to receive vote-by-mail ballots in all elections should receive one automatically, without having to apply. To confirm whether the voter is on the default list, they should call their county clerk. Alternatively, they can go to the Track My Ballot site (https://nj.gov/state/elections/vote-track-my-ballot.shtml). 

Applications for vote-by-mail ballots can be returned by mail or in person to the county clerk. Applications returned by mail must be received by 7 days before Election Day. A voter may return a vote-by-mail application in person to the county clerk on any day up until 3 p.m. on the day before Election Day.  

Vote-by-mail ballots, if returned by mail, must be postmarked on or before Election Day. The county Board of Elections must receive the ballot by 8 p.m. Eastern Time on the sixth day after Election Day. Ballots that are hand delivered must be returned to the voter’s county Board of Elections or a secure drop box (https://nj.gov/state/elections/vote-secure-drop-boxes.shtml) by 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Election Day. Identification (such as a driver’s license, non-driver ID, or other ID with the voter’s address) will be required for voters hand-delivering their ballots to the county board Board of Elections

Voters may track their ballots here:  https://nj.gov/state/elections/vote-track-my-ballot.shtml.

Voter Registration

To register to vote ONLINE in New Jersey you should provide one of the following:

• Your New Jersey Driver’s License Number
• Your New Jersey non-driver ID number
• Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number

If you use your Driver’s License or Non-Driver MVC ID, your information will be shared with the NJ MVC to validate your ID and get a copy of your digitized signature. If you cannot a Driver’s License on Non-Driver MVC ID, you must provide the last 4 digits of your social security number and a digital signature. You must be able to sign on-screen or upload your signature to finalize your registration. If you are unable to provide a digital signature, you cannot register online. [Click here](https://www.usvotefoundation.org/vote/register-to-vote) to access and print a voter registration form.

If you do not have any of these IDs, you can provide a copy of one of the following with your registration application:

• Current and Valid Photo ID
• Document showing Proof of Address

You can alternatively provide one of these documents when you vote to complete your registration.

Voting In-Person

If you registered to vote in New Jersey, you may be required to present valid ID if you are voting for the first time or your registration is incomplete. You can use any ID from this list:

• Bank Statement
• Utility Bill
• Other Government ID
• Valid US Passport
• Store Membership Card
• Rent Receipt
• Valid Employee ID
• Valid New Jersey Driver’s License
• Valid Student ID
• Valid Military ID
• Valid New Jersey Non-photo Driver’s License
• Sample Ballot mailed to you
• Valid New Jersey Vehicle Registration

New Jersey voters can vote without showing identification, with two exceptions:  

First, a first-time voter who registered by mail and did not provide an accurate driver’s license number, non-driver identification number, the last four digits of a Social Security number, or acceptable identification at that time must present identification at the polling place on Election Day to vote by regular ballot.  Acceptable identification includes:

• A current and valid photo identification card, which may include, but is not limited to a:
  • NJ driver’s license;
  • Military or other government ID;
  • Student or job ID;
  • Store membership card;
  • U.S. passport; or
• Any current document with your name and address on it, including but not limited to a:
  • Utility bill; 
  • Bank statement;
  • Rent receipt;
  • Car registration;
  • Paycheck;
  • Sample ballot;
  • Government check or document;
  • Non-photo NJ Driver’s license; or
  • Any other government document that shows the voter’s name and current address.

If the voter cannot provide identification at the polling location, the voter may vote using a provisional ballot. These voters must bring acceptable ID to their county Commissioner of Registration or Superintendent of Elections by the close of business on the second day after the election.

Second, a voter who personally delivers the vote-by-mail ballot to the county Board of Elections must provide identification.  The forms of identification specified above will suffice so long as the ID includes the full address and signature of the voter. The voter must also sign a book in which the Board records all vote-by-mail ballots that are personally delivered.

Moving Within the Same County:

If a voter has moved within the same district without re-registering, the voter may cast a regular ballot by completing a written affirmation at the polling place. If a voter has moved to a different district within the same county, the voter may vote by provisional ballot in the district to which they moved, after completing a written affirmation at the polling place.

Moving Between Counties: 

If, on or before the 21st day before the election, a voter moved to a new county from another county in New Jersey and did not update their registration, the voter is ineligible to vote. If the voter moved to a new county within 20 days of the election, the voter may vote in the election district where the voter resided and registered before moving. If the voter is still in the poll books in the former county of residence, the voter can vote by regular ballot. 

Moving From Another State:

A voter who moves to New Jersey from out-of-state must reside at the new address for 30 days before the election and register 21 days or more before the election to be eligible to vote.

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form (“FPCA”). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
• U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

Registering and Requesting a Vote-By-Mail Ballot:

To register, voters may fill out and mail a New Jersey voter registration form (https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/voter-registration.shtml), which must be postmarked by 21 days before the election, or they may register to vote online (https://voter.svrs.nj.gov/register) by that date if they have appropriate identification. They can also fill out a Federal Post Card Application (https://www.fvap.gov/new-jersey) to register to vote in federal elections, which must be received by 21 days before the election, whether returned by mail, email, or fax. The Federal Post Card Application allows eligible military or overseas voters to simultaneously register and request their vote-by-mail ballot. However, if an eligible voter registers with a state voter registration form, the voter must separately apply for a vote-by-mail ballot and send the application in time for the county clerk to receive it by 7 days before the election. 

Military and overseas voters may also register to vote and request a vote-by-mail ballot by calling 1-877-NJ-VOTER.

Receiving a Vote-By-Mail Ballot:

Military and overseas voters may receive their blank vote-by-mail ballots by airmail or electronic transmission. To request electronic transmission of the blank ballot, voters must mark the appropriate box and provide an email address or fax number on the Federal Post Card Application.  

Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot:

The Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (“FWAB”) (https://www.fvap.gov/uploads/FVAP/Forms/fwab2013.pdf) is a back-up ballot that military and overseas voters may use if they made a timely application for, but did not receive, their state mail-in ballot. These voters may use the FWAB only if they are voting from outside the United States.  

Casting a Vote-By-Mail Ballot:

Ballots may be returned by airmail, commercial carrier, hand-delivery, or by fax or email (with the original ballot sent by follow-up air mail). Ballots sent by mail must be postmarked by Election Day and received within 6 days or 144 hours after the polls close on Election Day; ballots sent by other means must be received by the close of polls at 8 p.m. on Election Day. For specific instructions, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s website: https://www.fvap.gov/new-jersey.

Only convictions for indictable offenses (felony convictions) in New Jersey or any other state or federal offense result in the loss of the right to vote, and only while the person is incarcerated. Such voters must complete a new voter registration form once they become eligible (i.e., when they are no longer incarcerated) and mail or hand-deliver it by 21 days before the election.

The following individuals are eligible to vote: 

• Pre-trial detainees;
• Individuals convicted of a disorderly persons offense, including a petty disorderly persons offense (i.e., misdemeanor convictions);
• Individuals on parole or probation for an indictable offense; and
• Individuals who were convicted as juveniles