TRENTON
– Attorney General Peter C. Harvey
and Division of Elections Director Ramon
de la Cruz issued a reminder today to
all New Jerseyans that the deadline to
register to vote in the 2005 General Election
is next Tuesday, October 11.
Attorney General Harvey explained that,
to be eligible to vote on Election Day,
New Jersey residents must be United States
citizens, must be at least 18 years of
age by Election Day (November 8, 2005),
and must have resided in their respective
counties in New Jersey for at least 30
days prior to the General Election. Those
who are currently incarcerated for a felony
conviction under State or federal law
are ineligible to vote, as are those who
are currently serving a term of parole
or probation relative to a felony conviction.
However, those convicted of a felony who
have completed their jail sentences and/or
terms of probation or parole can have
their voting rights reinstated simply
by re-registering to vote.
“For the past year-and-a-half, we
have been engaged in a vigorous campaign
to increase voter registration and voter
turnout across New Jersey through our
‘Be Powerful, Be Heard’ initiatives,
including a variety of community outreach
efforts, two successful, statewide ‘Hip
Hop Summit’ voter awareness events,
and an ongoing campaign of celebrity Public
Service Announcements on television and
radio,” said Harvey, who as Attorney
General is New Jersey’s Chief Election
Official. “We are encouraged by
the results we have seen to date,”
Harvey continued. “Thousands of
new voters have been registered, and the
2004 General Election turnout was the
highest in New Jersey in the past 12 years
. However, our work is far from done.
We will continue working right up until
the deadline so that we reach as many
New Jerseyans as possible – particularly
young people -- with the message that
every vote is a voice, and that every
voice matters.”
According to Director de la Cruz, residents
may register to vote by mail or in person.
If a resident chooses to register by mail,
his or her mailing envelope must by postmarked
by October 11, 2005.
Registration forms can be obtained from
a municipal clerk, county Commissioner
of Registration or from the Division of
Elections. They can also be downloaded
from the Division of Elections Web site
at www.NJElections.org
.
Registration forms can also be obtained
from Motor Vehicle Commission offices,
WIC offices, the Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation, the Division of Developmental
Disabilities, the Division of Medical
Assistance and Health Services, the Commission
on the Blind and Visually Impaired and
the offices of the Pharmaceutical Assistance
to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) Lifeline
Special Benefits Program.
Forms are also available from municipal
clerks, Armed Forces recruitment offices,
the New Jersey Division of Taxation, workers'
compensation offices, the Division of
Employment Services, state psychiatric
hospitals, the Division of Fish, Game
and Wildlife, National Guard recruitment
offices, public libraries and New Jersey
Transit offices.
Any Eligible N.J. Voter Can Now Vote by
Absentee Ballot
Attorney General Harvey and Director de
la Cruz also reminded that it is now the
law in New Jersey that any eligible voter
who chooses to vote by absentee ballot
may do so. (Previously, voters who sought
to vote by absentee ballot were required
to meet certain specific absentee criteria).
De la Cruz explained that registered voters
who want to obtain an absentee ballot
must do so by 3 p.m. on Monday, November
7. The deadline for mail-in applications
is November 1, 2005.
A listing of the 2005 candidates and statewide
public questions can be found by visiting
the Division of Elections Web site at
www.NJElections.org
. In addition, the Web site features an
on-line feedback form for disabled voters
who encounter accessibility problems at
polling places, contact information for
local election officials in the 21 counties,
and other useful election-related information.