Post by jdesmond on Oct 17, 2016 12:27:10 GMT
Salutations from New Jersey !
Tuesday October 18th - that's tomorrow - is the registration deadline here. If you aren't listed on the books, and want to vote in the coming election, get thee to the courthouse.
As someone who's spent a few Tuesdays working for the County Board of Elections, here be some miscellaneous information, which may - or may not - be useful. (And if you live outside of the Garden State, or the USA, apologies for wasting your electrons).
If you register right before the deadline, and you’re not in the ‘poll book’, ask the worker to check the Supplemental Pages at the back of the book.
The polls will open at 6 AM, close at 8 PM (if you're in line at the stroke of 8, we'll be open until everyone's done)
Unless you’re taking pictures of a candidate casting her vote, don’t take pictures in the polling place.
In NJ, there’s a ‘no electioneering’ zone for 100 feet around the polling place. Please don’t wear campaign buttons or hats or Tshirts or
to the polls.If you’ve gotten a mail ballot, and haven’t mailed it, take it to the County Courthouse before 8 PM election day. Don’t bring it to your local polling place – that does no good at all.
When you’re finished picking your candidates, be sure to press the ‘Cast Vote’ button at the bottom right. If you’re bringing your child (Sorry, that doesn’t get you 1 1/2 votes) into the booth, have him stand at your left so he doesn’t press it by accident.
Please don’t hang around the polling place after you’re finished. There are laws about ‘loitering’ at the polling places…
If you’re a new voter and listed in book as ‘ID Required, the acceptable list is “such as (but not limited)”:
Valid and Current Photo ID:
NJ Drivers’ License
Job or Student ID
Store Membership ID
US Passport
Military / Government ID
MVC Non-Driver’s ID Card
Current document with name and address such as:
Non-photo Driver’s License
Govenment Check
Paycheck
Public Assistance Card
Rent Receipt
Sample Ballot
Utility Bill
If you have not something equally convincing, we have to give you a Provisional Ballot.
If you are voting by Provisional Ballot, DON’T DETACH THE AFFIRMATION FROM THE BALLOT ENVELOPE.
If you need assistance casting your vote, you can ask anyone except:
a candidate
your employer or a representative of your employer
an official or agent of your union (but a co-worker or fellow union member are OK)
When you sign the poll book, we have to announce your name and address, loud enough for the board members and possible Challengers – candidates and Official Challengers (go to County Board of Elections to get Challenger’s Permit) to hear.
Voters can be challenged for Age, Citizenship, Residence, Criminal Disqualifications.
Voters CANNOT be challenged on grounds of Expected Manner of Voting, Race, Ethnic Origin, or Residence in a particlar ward, housing complex, or neighborhood.
You can present ID if challenged, and appeal to a Judge of the Superior Court if denied.
If a voter is deceased or moved away, write that on the Sample Ballot, and drop it back into the mail.
And, from the New Jersey Statutes Annotated, 1934-29:
No person shall
by abduction, duress
or any forcible or fraudulent
devise or contrivance whatever,
impede, prevent or otherwise interfere
with the free exercise of the elective franchise by any voter;
or compel, induce or prevail upon any voter
either to vote or to refrain from voting at any election,
or to vote or refrain from voting for
any particular person or persons at any election.
Methinks Phil Barker could have written that sentence.
Hope y'all have a great week. Is predicted to be 85 F tomorrow, we'll probably see some young ladies exercising their right to bare arms...