Elections & Voting

votes

Should you have any questions on the elections and voting process, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Clerk's office via phone at 973-790-7902 Ext. 529 or e-mail clerk@prospectpark.net. You may also reach the Passaic County Clerk’s Office Board of Elections at (973) 881-4780 or visit online at https://www.passaiccountynj.org/residents/election-and-voting-information

Fahim Abedrabbo, MPA
Acting Municipal Clerk
Borough of Prospect Park

Check out: New Jersey Voter Information Portal

Are you registered to vote? Click here to find out

Board Workers Needed. Click here for the application and to learn more on how to work at the polling sites.

Elections
Three elections are held each year: the Primary, the General and the School Board.
To qualify to register to vote, one must:
be a citizen of the United States
be 18 years old or older by the date of the next election
have resided in the State of NJ and the county for 30 days by the day of the next Election

How and Where to Register
A prospective voter may register in person at either the office of the County Superintendent of Elections, 311 Pennsylvania Ave, Paterson, or at the office of the Municipal Clerk in Prospect Park. A mail-in registration form is available from the County Superintendent of Elections 973-881-4515, the Municipal Clerk 973-790-7902 ext. 529.

When to Register

A person must register at least 21 days preceding an election. Registered voters must re-register for the following reasons:

change in name due to marriage, divorce or by judgment of a court
change in residence

The exception to the re-registration rule is a move within the county.

If the voter has moved within the county and has not notified the commission of registration, they may go to their new polling site and vote by Provisional Ballot.

When and Where to Vote

All registered voters receive in the mail from the County Superintendent of Elections a SAMPLE BALLOT containing the following information:

where to vote
hours when the polls are open
public office up for election
names of candidates
public questions
how to use a voting machine
number of the election district
handicap accessibility

Early Voting in NJ

You can now choose to vote, in person, when it’s most convenient for your schedule.

Voting machines are used in all elections throughout the community. Provision is made for write-in votes for individuals whose names do not appear on the ballot. The complete election code is contained in Title 19 of the New Jersey Statutes, available in the office of the Municipal Clerk or at: http://www.njlawnet.com/njstatutes.html

General Elections and Primaries
Prospect Park holds General Elections on the same date that national elections are held, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Voting for national, state, county and local officials takes place at this time.

In NJ the Primary Election is held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June. Voters select candidates from their own parties whom they want to have nominated for the General Election. New Jersey has what is known as a restricted Primary, that is, a voter must be a declared Democrat or Republican to vote in that Party's Primary. The only way to change party affiliation is to make a signed declaration at least 50 days preceding the Primary. Forms for this may be obtained from the Clerk's office. An undeclared voter may vote by declaring their party affiliation at the polling site.

Absentee Voting
In New Jersey, any voter can now vote by Absentee Ballot for any election. You no longer need a reason to receive an Absentee Ballot.

Applications for Absentee Ballots are available in the Municipal Clerk’s office.

Voters wishing to vote by Absentee Ballot must complete the Absentee Ballot Application and mail the application to the County Clerk no later than 7 days prior to the election. A voter may also apply in person to the County Clerk until 3:00 P.M. the day before the election. The County Clerk cannot accept faxed copies of an Absentee Ballot Application since an original signature is required.

After the County Clerk receives and approves the Absentee Ballot Application, an Absentee Ballot will be mailed to the voter. The Absentee Ballot must be received by the County Board of Elections at 401 Grand Street, Paterson, NJ, by 8:00P.M on Election Day.

Learn more about Vote-By-Mail.

NOTE: Your Vote-By-Mail ballot CANNOT be returned to your In-Person Early Voting Poll Location or your Election Day Poll Location.

VOTE BY MAIL OPT-OUT OPTION PROCESS

If you are a registered voter who receives Vote by Mail ballots and wishes to no longer receive them, the County Clerk’s Office must be notified in writing. Voters have the option to visit https://www.passaiccountynj.org/residents/election-and-voting-information/vote-by-mail-information/vote-by-mail-opt-out-form to fill out an online form requesting to be removed from the VBM mailing list.

For more information about the Vote by Mail process, please follow the following link https://www.passaiccountynj.org/residents/election-and-voting-information/vote-by-mail-information.

Secure Drop Boxes

Find a Secure Ballot Drop Box near you! Boxes are open 24 hrs/day, monitored by security cameras, and collected daily by county election officials

Municipal Nominations
Each party nominates its local candidates by petition which must be filed with the Municipal Clerk at least 64 days before the Primary. A candidate for local office must have been a resident and a registered voter for at least one year before running. If two or more candidates seek their party's nomination for any office, the choice is made at the Primary Election.