WARREN COUNTY, NJ – The primary election is meant to give incumbent Democrats and Republicans a chance to say who will appear on the November ballot. However, New Jersey’s law has changed for an unaffiliated vote by mail voter for the June 2023 primary.
Warren County Clerk, Holly Mackey, announced this change on social media. Mackey said it affects 2,100 voters countywide in the upcoming primary election.
Assume you are already affiliated with the Democratic or Republican primary and vote by mail. In that case, you will receive the appropriate ballot as you did in the past. Last year, unaffiliated voters received primary ballots for both candidates. In what appears to be a statewide cost-saving measure, Mackey outlines the changes as follows:
“There has been a change in the law affecting Vote-by-Mail (VBM) voters who are registered as unaffiliated (Una.) and pertains to the June Primary Elections ONLY. The change is a bit complicated but here are the basics:
2022 and before: Pick up both mail ballots, select, vote, and return 1 of them, be affiliated with whichever party ballot is returned.
*Receive Ballots – vote – become a member.
2023: Receive a letter with a party affiliation form, fill out and return the form indicating which party you want to be affiliated with in order to vote. Accept the ballot by mail.
*Receive a letter – become a member – vote.
THE DEADLINE IS APRIL 12.”
Mackey clarified that “The Primary Election has nothing to do with your VBM status in the November General Election. Registered Voters will see that ballot at the end of September regardless of your actions today.”
If you are an “Unaffiliated VBM voter”, the letters went out in the mail on March 7, 2023. If you have any questions, please contact the County Clerk’s office at 908-475-6211.
Any voter can apply for vote-by-mail (VBM) by completing the Application for Vote-By-Mail Ballot and returning the application to their County Clerk. It does not affect party affiliation voting by mail or those who vote in person.
Primary Election Dates
March 27 – by 4:00 pm Last day for Candidates to file Petitions for office.
April 12 – Deadline for Amendment of Party Affiliation Declaration Forms for Primary Elections to be Filed with County Registration Commissioners
April 22 – Mail-In Ballot Mail-In Begins for Primary Election
May 16 – Voter Registration Date for Primary Election
May 30 – Deadline to apply for Mail-In Ballot by Mail for Primary Election
June 2 – June 4- Early Voting Period
June 5 – by 3:00 pm- Deadline for In-Person Mail-In Ballot Applications for the Primary Election
June 6- Primary Election Day
Military and Foreign Countries
See the Overseas and Military Voters Page for the last days.
