145K Election Ballots Already Received In Union County

UNION COUNTY, NJ — Ballot counting is underway in Union County where about 145,000 vote-by-mail ballots were already received as of Thursday ahead of Election Day.

The number of ballots received is just about 200,000 less than the number, or 340,0000, sent out to registered voters, according to Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi.

Union County was allowed to begin counting votes on Wednesday after the New Jersey State Legislature passed a trio of election laws in August. Among those laws included a provision allowing counties for the first time ever to begin the counting of ballots to begin as early as 10 days before polls close to mitigate the large volume of paper ballots being mailed in due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To ease the fears of voters, Union County also launched a live-stream for residents to watch the ballot process.

The live stream offers two different perspectives for residents in real-time via live stream. Viewers can see a view of the tabulation machines as well as a view the Board of Elections employees opening and prepping ballots. Watch the live stream here - ucnj.org/boe/live-camera-feeds.

Those still looking to vote ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3 can drop ballots off in the designated Drop Boxes throughout Union County.

Ballots must be received by the Board of Elections by the close of polls on Election Day at 8 p.m. Ballots that are postmarked by Nov. 3 can be counted if they are received no later than 8 p.m. on Nov. 9. In addition, for this election, ballots received from the United States Postal Service within 48 hours after Nov. 3rd without a postmark can also be counted.

Here are the locations of other dropboxes in Union County (All boxes will be under video surveillance at all times):

• Berkeley Heights – Snyder Avenue Park, 240 Snyder Ave.
• Clark – Clark Recreation Center, 430 Westfield Ave.
• Cranford – Cranford Community Center, 220 Walnut Ave.
• Elizabeth – Union County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza
• Fanwood – Fanwood Memorial Library, 5 Forest Road
• Garwood – Garwood Public Library, 411 Third Ave.
• Hillside – Hillside Senior Center, 265 Hollywood Ave.
• Kenilworth – Kenilworth Recreation Center, 575 Blvd.
• Linden – Raymond Wood Bauer Promenade, 400 North Wood Ave.
• Mountainside – Trailside Nature and Science Center, 452 New Providence Road
• New Providence – New Providence Memorial Library, 377 Elkwood Ave.
• Plainfield – Plainfield Municipal Building Parking Lot, 515 Watchung Ave.
• Rahway – Rahway Recreation Center, 275 East Milton Ave.
• Roselle – Roselle Public Library, 104 West Fourth Ave.
• Roselle Park – Union County EMS Building, 535 Laurel Ave.
• Scotch Plains – Scotch Plains Public Library, 1927 Bartle Ave.
• Springfield – Chisholm Recreation Center, 100 South Springfield Ave.
• Summit – Chestnut Street Parking Lot (Adjacent to Fire Department) 406 Broad St.; Corner of Morris Avenue and Broad Street
• Union – Union Township Municipal Building Rear Entrance, 1976 Morris Ave.
• Westfield – Fraser Building, 300 North Avenue East
• Winfield – Winfield Park Mutual Housing Building, Wavecrest Ave.
• Union County Board of Elections – 271 North Broad Street, Elizabeth

Ballots can also be dropped off in-person on Election Day. Completed/voted mail-in ballots can be delivered to your respective polling location and handed in there. (There will be no machine voting in NJ)

To find your respective polling location click here.

For additional instructions on filling out a Vote-by-Mail ballot, as well as locations of official ballot drop boxes within Union County, visit the Board of Elections online at ucnj.org/boe.To contact the Board of Elections call 908-527-4123 or email ucboe@ucnj.org.

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