How do I register to vote or check my registration?

County Commissioner of Registration or County Superintendent of Elections (county level - each of NJ's 21 counties) / New Jersey Division of Elections (state level)

Step by Step

How to do it

Confirm eligibility: Must be a U.S. citizen, New Jersey resident, county resident for at least 30 days before the election, at least 17 years old (may pre-register at 17; vote at 17 in primary if will be 18 by general election; must be 18 to vote in general), not currently serving a sentence of incarceration for a felony conviction, and not declared mentally incompetent by a court
Choose your registration method:
ONLINE: vote.nj.gov (NJ Voter Registration portal) - requires valid NJ Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) driver's license or non-driver ID; or Social Security number; quick and recommended
BY MAIL: Download NJ voter registration form from elections.nj.gov; complete and sign; mail to your County Commissioner of Registration or Superintendent of Elections - must be RECEIVED by 21 days before Election Day
IN PERSON: County Commissioner of Registration or Superintendent of Elections office; NJ Motor Vehicle Commission offices; many government agencies; deadline: 21 days before Election Day
Submit registration by 21 days before Election Day
Receive voter registration confirmation; verify your registration status at vote.nj.gov

Details

What you need to know

Required Docs

Valid NJ driver's license or MVC non-driver ID (for online registration; information shared with MVC to validate and retrieve digitized signature)
OR Social Security number (online signature required)
Date of birth and current New Jersey county address

Fee

Free REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 21 days before Election Day (received - online, mail, or in-person) NO SAME-DAY REGISTRATION: NJ does NOT offer same-day voter registration on Election Day CHECK YOUR REGISTRATION: vote.nj.gov EARLY VOTING: New Jersey offers NO-EXCUSE in-person early voting; available approximately 10 days before each general/primary election at designated county sites; contact county commissioner for locations and hours NO-EXCUSE MAIL-IN VOTING: Any registered voter may request a mail-in ballot without excuse; apply online at vote.nj.gov or by mail to county Commissioner of Registration; mail-in ballot postmarked by 8 PM Election Day and received by the 6th day after Election Day is accepted ONLINE OPTION: Yes - vote.nj.gov (registration and mail-in ballot applications) WHERE TO GO: vote.nj.gov (online registration); County Commissioner of Registration or Superintendent of Elections; NJ MVC offices; many government assistance offices

Online Option

Yes - vote.nj.gov (registration and mail-in ballot applications)

Where to Go

vote.nj.gov (online registration); County Commissioner of Registration or Superintendent of Elections; NJ MVC offices; many government assistance offices

County-specific variations apply

NJ's 21 counties each have a County Commissioner of Registration (some counties have a County Superintendent of Elections instead or in addition). Essex County (Newark), Hudson County (Jersey City), Bergen County, Middlesex County (New Brunswick), and Passaic County (Paterson) have the largest systems. Moving between NJ counties: re-register in your new county. Contact your specific county commissioner for local early voting site locations.

New Jersey Notes

Important state-specific details

NO same-day voter registration - 21-day advance deadline is firm.
NO-EXCUSE MAIL-IN VOTING: all registered NJ voters may vote by mail ballot; automatic permanent mail-in voter enrollment available in some cases.
NO-EXCUSE IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING: available approximately 10 days before general/primary elections; no excuse required; can vote at any designated site in your county.
PARTY AFFILIATION: register as Democrat, Republican, or Independent (Unaffiliated); primary voting restricted to registered party members; unaffiliated voters can declare party at the primary election to participate.
FELONY VOTING RIGHTS: voting rights restored IMMEDIATELY upon release from incarceration - parole and probation do NOT restrict voting in NJ; only currently incarcerated individuals cannot vote; can re-register immediately after release.
17-year-olds: may pre-register and vote in a primary if they will be 18 by the time of the general election.
Polls open 6:00 AM - 8:00 PM; anyone in line at closing must vote.

Official Source

State office contact

State Office

New Jersey Division of Elections - nj.gov/state/elections | (609) 292-3760; vote.nj.gov; County Commissioner of Registration or Superintendent of Elections (varies by county)