Ahead of the general election in November and following National Voter Registration Day, there are a few questions in Burlington County that need to be answered. These questions include where to vote, when to vote and how to register.
The general election will be on Tuesday, Nov. 5, but some first-time voters may need to register first. Any person may register to vote as long as they are a United States citizen, at least 18 years old, a resident of the county for at least 30 days before the election and not currently serving a sentence, probation or parole because of a felony conviction.
Residents who meet these qualifications can register by filling out a voter registration application, which can be found on the Burlington County website at co.burlington.nj.us. Applicants can send their application to the Burlington County Superintendent of Elections at 50 Rancocas Road, 2nd floor, P.O. Box 6000, Mount Holly, NJ 08060. Applicants also can register in person.
Residents may register to vote at any time. However, to be eligible to vote in a particular election, an applicant must be registered 21 days prior to that election. All registration forms postmarked on Oct. 15, the 21st day preceding that election, will be accepted.
Once an applicant is registered to vote, the next question to answer is when and where residents are able to vote. The answer is that the sample ballot a resident receives in the mail informs them of their polling location and gives residents a chance to become familiar with the ballot. The county superintendent or board of elections can also provide residents with information. Polls are open between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. Polls are typically the busiest between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
“Our goal is to register voters in a timely manner and help all eligible voters to vote,” said Superintendent of Elections George Kotch. “We have included information concerning many topics related to voting on this website. Even though the information is very comprehensive, we are available to answer any questions you might have.”
The superintendent and his staff can be contacted at (609) 265-5111 Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. or at the above address.
