County Clerk's Office Offers Early Voting At Three Locations

Voters who can't make it to the polls on Election Day can still apply for and cast their ballots in person at three locations around Ocean County next week, according to the Ocean County Clerk's Office.

Early voting will be available from Tuesday, Nov. 1 through Monday, Nov. 7.

“We are working with the Board of Elections to provide our citizens with every opportunity possible to cast a ballot in the upcoming Presidential General Election," Ocean County Clerk Scott M. Colabella said.

Voters can go to the Ocean County Board of Elections Office in the lower level of 129 Hooper Ave., Toms River, from 8 a.m. to 7 :30 p.m. on Nov. 1 through Friday, Nov. 4. Staff will be on hand to assist residents.

The Board of Elections office will also be open from 9 a.m to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6.

Southern Ocean County voters from Barnegat, Eagleswood, Lacey, Little Egg Harbor, Ocean and Stafford townships along with Tuckerton and the towns on Long Beach Island, can go to the Ocean County Southern Service Center at 179 South Main Street in Manahawkin from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 1 to Friday Nov. 4.

The Southern Service Center also will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 5 and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 6.

Voters can also go to the Ocean County Clerk’s Office in the Ocean County Courthouse, 118 Washington St., Toms River from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 1 to Friday, Nov. 4.

On Monday, Nov. 7, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Ocean County Clerk’s office will be open for in-person ballots from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7.

The deadline for all applications for Vote by Mail Ballots that are sent through the mail is Tuesday, Nov. 1. Voters must apply in person after that, by 3 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7.

After that date and time voters must obtain a court order from a Superior Court judge allowing them to apply for a ballot. Voters do not need a reason to obtain a Vote by Mail Ballot.

Colabella said that as of Oct. 26, the County Clerk’s Office issued a total of 27,946 Vote by Mail Ballots, compared to 24,000 in the 2012 Presidential Election..

“We have seen an increase in requests of nearly 4,000 ballots," he said.

There are over 400,000 registered voters in Ocean County of which 125,739 are Republicans; 83,832 registered as Democrats and 190,457 are undeclared voters..

A copy of the sample ballot and polling location addresses for all 33 municipalities is also available at www.oceancountyclerk.com, the County Clerk’s web site or voters can visit www.facebook.com/oceancountyclerk, the County Clerk’s Facebook page.

For more information, call the County Clerk's Office at 732-929-2018 or 732-929-2153.

Image: Patch file photo.