New Jersey Voting Rights

If you live in New Jersey for 30 days prior to the Election, are a U.S. Citizen, 18 years of age, or on parole or probation, you have the right to vote.

  • No. But if you are a new voter, and did not include your Driver’s License number, Government issued, non-driver’s license ID, or the last four of your social security number you will have to provide on of the following when you vote:
    New Jersey driver’s license
    Military or other government ID Student ID
    U.S. Passport
    or any current document with your name and address on it (e.g., a bank statement, paycheck, sample ballot, utility bill, government check, car registration, non-photo driver’s license, or any other official document.

  • You can vote while on probation or parole if you have a felony conviction. You will have to re-register to vote even if you were registered prior to serving. However we recommend checking your voter’s registration first, and if you have any questions, call your County Board of Elections for assistance.

  • According to the ACLU of NJ “If you’re serving time for a misdemeanor or civil matter you can still vote. You have the right to register and to vote from jail using a mail-in ballot. If you lost your voting rights for a felony conviction, your right to vote is restored once you complete your sentence. You must re-register to vote, even if you were registered before your conviction.”

  • Ask for a provisional ballot. It's important to know about provisional or emergency ballots, and how they work. No system is perfect, and if for some reason you are told you can't vote by way of the voting booth, you can still vote by provisional or emergency ballot. Here are instances where you will need to vote using a provisional ballot. Poll workers may not offer a provisional ballot, SO ASK!

    • Your name is not on the poll list of voters, but you have registered.

    • You moved within the county, but have not registered at your new address, or voted at your previous address.

    • You're a first-time voter and you did not provide accepted ID when you registered (ex. by mail), and did not bring it on Election Day.

    • If you were marked "ID required" at your polling place, but were unable to show ID, you can vote by provisional ballot. But for your vote to count, you must bring acceptable ID to the appropriate county office within 48 hours. Poll workers must give you a form that tells you the address to where you must show your ID.

    • You requested a mail-in ballot but didn’t receive it in time, or you are marked as being an absentee voter, but decided to go to the polls to vote in person.