The Burlington County Clerk’s office has completed its initial mailing of 2014 general election ballots.
“Any voter who has requested a ballot for the Nov. 4 general election through Sept. 25 should receive that ballot any day now,” said Tyler. “My office began issuing ballots on Thursday, Sept. 18, starting with military and overseas UOCAVA voters. Civilian ballot mailing began the next day.”
To date, more than 8,700 vote by mail ballots have been delivered to the post office. “If a voter does not receive an expected ballot, we hope they would call the clerk’s office as soon as possible,” said Tyler. “We are able to check their application status and have many more options available now to make sure an applicant has the ability to cast their ballot than we will have when Election Day is right around the corner.”
Voters still have ample time to apply for a November general election vote by mail ballot. In order to have a ballot mailed to them, voters need to be sure their completed vote by mail application is received in the County Clerk’s Office by Oct. 28, seven days prior to the election. After that, voters may apply in person or by authorized messenger in the Clerk’s office until 3 p.m. the day before the election. Voters are reminded that they must have the assistor portion (section 11) of the vote by mail application filled out if they receive any help in completing the application.
A voter may select one or both of two options for future vote by mail ballots in section 10 of the application. Option A entitles the voter to receive a ballot for all elections in the same calendar year of their application. This option must be renewed every year by completing a new application. Option B entitles a voter to receive a ballot for all future general elections. This option does not expire until the voter requests they no longer be sent.
Residents who have voted by mail in ballot in past elections will notice a change in the format of the ballots. The ballots for the November general election will all be tabulated using new machines to provide faster tabulation of the vote by mail ballots. The main difference between the new look ballots and those from previous elections would be that voters are asked to fill in ovals next to the candidates of their choice or by “yes” or “no” when voting for or against public questions instead of making a cross, plus or check in the square. Ballots retain the same column orientation voters are accustomed to seeing. The other main differences voters might notice are timing marks that differentiate ballot styles and a heavier, more durable paper used to print the ballots.
The vote by mail application is available by selecting election services on the county clerk’s website, www.co.burlington.nj.us/countyclerk. Voters may also have an application mailed to them by calling the clerk’s office elections section at (609) 265–5229.
