New Jersey Making Final Preparations For Unprecedented Vote-By-Mail Election
HACKENSACK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- We're sorting out the ways to vote on National Voter Registration Day.
In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy recently made it easier than ever by allowing people to register online.
It's one of several major changes when it comes to casting your ballot during the coronavirus pandemic, CBS2's Christina Fan reported Tuesday.
MORE: U.S. Postal Service Launches New Website To Provide Information On Voting By Mail
At the office of Bergen County Clerk John Hogan, the staff is busy sending out their first wave of ballots for the 2020 election. For the first time ever, in-person machine voting will only be open to those with disabilities.
For everyone else, "This is a full vote-by-mail election," Hogan said.
All registered voters in the Garden State will automatically receive a ballot in the mail.
If you haven't registered, the deadline is Oct. 13. You can mail in the form or fill it out online.
"If you haven't registered to vote, you can't participate in this very, very important election. We are electing a president, a vice president, a United States senator, a congressperson," Hogan said.
MORE: Campaign 2020: Tri-State Area Voter Guide For Nov. 3 General Election
Since millions will be mailing-in for the first-time, the state launched an initiative this month to educate voters on the most common errors they make.
"Please make sure you place your voted ballot inside the provided interior envelope, and sign the envelope on the signature line, and do not detach the certificate from that envelope," New Jersey Secretary of State Tahesha Way said.
There are three ways you can turn your ballots in -- by mail anytime, at a polling place on Election Day, or drop boxes at municipal buildings and community centers.
Bergen County Board of Elections Commissioner Richard Miller showed CBS2 how secure the process is.
"We have two people in our office, a Republican and a Democrat. They come by and they pick it up every day, escorted by a sheriff's officer and the ballots are brought back to our office," Miller said.
If for some reason, you don't receive your ballot in the mail, you can still fill one out provisionally in person at a polling center on Election Day.
Voters can check on the status of their vote by mail ballot online by clicking here.
New Jersey now offers online registration. Please click here.
Those unsure of their registration status can check here.
For an overall guide to the 2020 election in New Jersey, visit here.
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