Election Day In Summit: When, Where To Vote

SUMMIT, NJ — As Election Day nears on Tuesday, here's an easy guide to turning in your ballot, tracking your ballot, and for whom you can vote for in local, regional, and national elections.

First off, there is no machine voting in New Jersey this year (except if you have a disability), but you can drop your ballot on Election Day in a designated polling place in your town (see list below), or mail it in by or on Election Day (list below).

In Summit's 1st Ward, incumbent Councilmember Susan Hairston (a Democrat) faces a challenge from Eileen Kelly (a Republican). In the 2nd Ward, Council President Marjorie Fox runs unopposed. Here are candidate profiles.

Here's who's also running:

• President: Representing the nation's two major parties are sitting Republican President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. Democratic former Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris are challenging. Also on the ballot are: Don Blankenship/William Mohr (Constitution Party); Howie Hawkins/Angela Nicole Walker (Green); Jo Jorgensen/Spike Cohen (Libertarian); Gloria La Riva/Sunil Freeman (Party for Socialism and Liberation); Roque De La Fuente/Darcy Richardson (The Alliance Party) and Bill Hammons/Eric Bodenstab (Unity Party).
• U.S. Congress: One US Senate seat will be contested: Incumbent Democrat Cory Booker will face Republican Rik Mehta. All 12 of the state's congressional seats will be decided. Voters will also weigh in on the race for New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, currently represented by Democrat Tom Malinowski. Malinowski faces Tom Kean Jr. on the Republican ballot.
• Marijuana legalization and other ballot questions: Voters will decide whether to legalize the possession and use of marijuana. Voters will also decide whether to makes peacetime veterans eligible to receive the veterans' property tax deduction. (For more on marijuana legalization, click here.)

How And Where To Vote:

There are three ways to vote either before or on Election Day on Nov. 3.

1. Ballots can be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service. If you wait until Election Day, make sure you turn your ballot in during the post office's business hours that day.

2. Ballots can be dropped in the designated Drop Boxes throughout Union County, one in each town and an extra in Elizabeth (listed here and below).

3. Voters can deliver the ballots to poll workers at your designated poll location by 8 p.m. on Election Day. The six polling locations in Summit are listed here.

If you choose to return your ballot to your designated polling location on Election Day, you will be required to stand in line, sign the poll book and hand your ballot to the poll worker. You may not return a ballot at a polling location for anyone else except yourself. The deadline to return your ballot to your designated polling location is 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Poll locations will have provisional ballot voting only — except ADA Compliant machines for the disabled.

Union County drop boxes:

• 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

Voters can also track their ballot to ensure it was received. To track your mail-in ballot click here.

To find out about the three public questions, the congressional races and presidential race, read more here in our NJ 2020 Election Guide.

For full coverage of the 2020 election in New Jersey, go here.

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