How to vote · 2026

New Jersey

Any voter can request a mail ballot

Every date below comes from the New Jersey election office and links to the page that states it. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Deadlines move. Courts and legislatures were still changing 2026 rules as this page was compiled (last reviewed September 1, 2026). Confirm anything that affects your vote with the New Jersey election office ↗.

Dates and rules

Registration, mail ballots, and early voting

Registration deadlineOctober 13, 2026Register online, in person, or by mail (received) by Oct. 13, 2026 (21 days before). No same-day registration.

Mail-ballot request deadlineOctober 27, 2026

Mail ballots first sentSeptember 19, 2026County clerks begin mailing vote-by-mail ballots 45 days before Election Day (Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026; N.J.S.A. 19:63-9), confirmed by county announcements. Mail applications must be received by Oct. 27 (7 days out); in-person requests through 3 p.m. Nov. 2. Voters on the permanent VBM list are sent ballots automatically.

Return rulePostmarked by Election Day and received within 144 hours (by Nov. 9, 2026)

Early in-person votingOctober 24, 2026through November 1, 2026 · In-person early voting on machines Oct. 24-Nov. 1, 2026; voters can also vote a mail ballot in person at the county clerk's office once ballots are available.

Official NJ election site ↗Dates last verified against the official site September 5, 2026.Sources: [1] NJ Division of Elections vote-by-mail; 45-day mailing (county clerks, e.g. Burlington and Morris, announced Sept. 19, 2026 start)[2] USA.gov directory of official state election offices [3] Mail voting Sept. 19-Nov. 9, 2026 [4] CEIR 2026 voter registration deadlines (June 25, 2026 dataset; per-mode deadlines and same-day registration windows)[5] NCSL Table 7: statutory rule for when absentee/mail ballots are mailed [6] NCSL Table 5: statutory absentee ballot application deadline [7] NCSL Table 11 (updated Dec. 2025): ballot receipt/postmark deadline

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The full table of mail-ballot send dates, registration deadlines, and early-voting windows for all fifty states and DC, plus the documented record of government actions on mail voting this cycle.

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