Voter Registration

The ultimate expression of voice in America is YOUR VOTE! To register to vote in New Jersey you must be a United States citizen, at least 17 years old (with the understanding that you may not vote until reaching age 18) and a resident of the County you register in for 30 days before the election.

Organize a Voter Registration Drive in YOUR School!

Schools and students are encouraged to organize Voter Registration Drives, to spread information about the process of registering to vote and important timelines to participate in upcoming elections.

The New Jersey Department of State and New Jersey Department of Education encourages school and student participation in New Jersey High School Voter Registration Week, which occurs in April each year (see the next panel for more information), and also encourages school and students to organize Voter Registration Drives. For more information about efforts by the New Jersey Department of Education on these important initiatives, please feel free to contact Ashley Woolsey-Greene, Social Studies Coordinator at the Office of Standards for the New Jersey Department of Education, at ashley.woolsey-greene@doe.nj.gov.

Links are provided below to several resources that can help you and your schools get involved in this crucial civic responsibility - after all, student voice is the voice of our future!

The Civics Center - How To Run a Voter Registration Drive:
https://www.thecivicscenter.org/run-a-voter-registration-drive

New Jersey Student Voter Registration & Voting Webpage:
https://nj.gov/state/elections/vote-students.shtml

New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association (NJPSA) #MyVoiceMyVoteNJ:
https://njpsa.org/myvoicemyvotenj/

Rock The Vote:
https://www.rockthevote.org/get-involved/help-register-voters/

Third Act:
https://thirdact.org/resources/guide-for-recruiting-high-schools-voter-reg/

 

If you have suggestions for more links or resources that you would like to see on this page, please contact Lou Miller at lmiller@njasc.net.

New Jersey High School Voter Registration Week

New Jersey High School Voter Registration Week is a program of the Department of State’s Jersey Civic Engage initiative which fosters ongoing civic participation in our communities across the state, particularly among our youth. The mission of Jersey Civic Engage is based in the belief that a healthy democracy needs active and engaged citizens.

John Lewis famously said, “Democracy is not a state. It is an act, and each generation must do its part….” In other words, democracy is not a spectator sport. It requires continual work to protect it and keep it strong. And the best way to protect and strengthen our democracy is to participate in it!

We invite high schools and communities to facilitate the non-partisan registration of eligible 18-year-old high school students and eligible 17-year-old students, who will be 18 in time for the next election.

A link to the to New Jersey High School Voter Registration Week website is provided below, which contains more information about this annual program along with several links with more information about voter registration initiatives:
https://nj.gov/state/elections/jersey-civic-engage-hsvr-week.shtml

Are YOU registered to vote?

To register to vote in New Jersey you must be a United States citizen, at least 17 years old (with the understanding that you may not vote until reaching age 18) and a resident of the County you register in for 30 days before the election.

To register through the New Jersey Department of State:

Complete a Voter Registration Application - CLICK HERE to visit the New Jersey Department of State voter registration page, which contains links to application forms for all 21 counties.

Mail or deliver your completed application - CLICK HERE to view a list of the Commissioner of Registration and Superintendent of Elections for all 21 counties.

You can also register as a voter through the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission when you apply for or renew your driver's license. CLICK HERE to visit their website to find your nearest local Motor Vehicle Commission office.