Civics 101: Information on Elections and Voting: Your Vote Counts!
This guide is intended to help you find information about issues and candidates for upcoming elections in New Jersey and the United States. Please use these tools to make informed decisions, and then vote for the candidates you prefer. Your vote is important.
For more information the Youth, Power and Policy guide contains materials that cover the history of youth activism, current, and proposed activism for social justice, voter rights, immigration and youth participation in Democracy.
Register and Vote
New Jersey Division of Elections
Voter Information Portal
- Register to vote in New JerseyDeadline for the 2024 general election is October 15.
- VoteRidersNeed help getting your ID to register? VoteRiders will help.
- Polling Place LocationsGoing to the polls in person? Check your polling location.
- Vote by Mail applicationsChoose the application for your county of residence.
- Secure Ballot Drop Box Locations in NJSecure places to post your vote-by-mail ballot.
- Track My BallotWant to make sure your ballot gets counted? Sign up to track it.
- New Jersey Voting & Elections ToolkitFrom the Government Documents Round Table of the American Library Association, information about registering and voting, neatly organized. Check out other states, too.
- National Coalition for the HomelessNo permanent address? You can still vote.
- Federal Voting Assistance ProgramFor Service members and their families, and U. S. citizens living overseas.
- KNOW YOUR VOTING RIGHTSFrom ACLU NJ
Learning about the Election Process
- Election... the American WayFrom the Library of Congress, a primer on American elections.
- Presidential Election ProcessFrom the Federal government, basic information about the election process.
- Debate Watching KitFrom the League of Women Voters, how to watch a debate.
- What is the Electoral College?From the National Archives
Encyclopedia of American Political Parties and Elections, 2nd ed. by
Encyclopedia of American Political Parties and Elections provides comprehensive coverage of the American election process and its political parties. A complete A-to-Z reference, this intelligent and objective guide covers the people, events, and terms involved in the electoral process. Coverage also includes the history of elections in the United States, focusing primarily on the presidential elections. Helpful features such as engaging black-and-white photographs and illustrations, detailed appendixes, and an index make this concise reference browsable and accessible to the general reader. Entries include: Absentee voting; Blue states; Campaign ethics; Dark-horse candidate; Dirty campaign tricks; Election fraud; Electoral College; Fundraising; Internet voting; League of Women Voters; Lincoln-Douglas debates; Machine politics; Populist Party; Recall; Republican Party; Super Tuesday; Voter turnout; and, Wedge issues.
Call Number: Credo ReferenceISBN: 0816073317Publication Date: 2014
This year, election day falls on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.
Early voting (in-person) will be available in New Jersey Saturday, October 26 to Sunday, November 3.
Check for your county's Early Voting polling places.
Top 5 Things To Know About In-Person Early Voting
Key NJ Deadlines
October 15, 2024
Last day to submit your voter registration application.
October 26, 2024
Last day to submit a vote-by-mail application through the mail.
November 4 by 3 pm
Last chance to get a vote-by-mail ballot in person at your county board of elections office.
November 5, 2024
Visit the polls or mail in your ballot. Mail-in ballots must be postmarked no later than 8 pm on 11/5/2024, or returned to a secure ballot drop box or your county's Board of Elections office by 8 pm on election day.
Watch the Debates
| First Presidential Debate 2024 |
Thursday, June 27, 2024 |
| Vice Presidential Debate 2024 | Tentative: July 23 or August 13 Possible hosts: CBS News and/or Fox News |
| Second Presidential Debate 2024 |
Tuesday, September 10, 9 pm |
Who Represents You?
- Find Your SenatorsIdentify members of the Senate by state.
- Find Your Congressional RepresentativeIdentify members of the House of Representatives by zip code.
Credits
This guide was developed by Leslie Murtha. Revised by Amanda Carey and Leslie Murtha, Atlantic Cape Community College Libraries.
Published 5/30/2020. Based on guide developed for 2016 presidential election. Last update 7/3/2024.