By Phil Rauch | Managing Editor

Now that not all voting will be in-person, states across the country have started shipping absentee and mail-in ballots to registered voters.

According to New Jersey’s Department of State and Division of Elections, mailing ballots to all registered voters commenced on Mon, Oct. 5. However, some counties began shipping ballots sooner than that. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot in New Jersey is Oct. 27.

If you do not register to vote by Oct. 13, you will not receive a ballot. If you are a New Jersey resident, you can register online here.

Any ballot sent through the mail must be postmarked on election day, Nov. 3, 2020. Further, any ballot that is received by a County Clerk after Nov. 10, 2020, will not be counted.

Absentee ballots do not require postage to be mailed. All New Jersey ballots are pre-paid privileged first class mail to ensure proper delivery.

New Jersey students at the University should check their mailboxes regularly for their ballots. It is possible that it has already arrived.

When filling out a ballot, there are a few steps you must take to make it valid, proper, and counted.

First, you must fill out your ballot in pen. Usually, black or blue ink is preferable.

Then, you must read all the instructions clearly. One should vote for the specified number of candidates slated for the presidential, congressional, senate, state, and local elections.

NJ.com, a statewide magazine for New Jersey, laid out steps in detail on how to properly vote here.

New Jersey residents, too, can track their ballot once they mail it. They’ll need to make an online My Voter Record account through the State of New Jersey. The link for that can be found here.

Check your mailboxes regularly, follow instructions clearly, and happy voting New Jersey students!