NJ Governor Election: How To Vote Early, Vote By Mail

The race has begun for New Jersey’s sizzling-hot governor election.

Election Day in the Garden State takes place from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Here’s what to know if you’re planning on voting early or by mail.

EARLY IN-PERSON

New Jersey passed historic legislation in 2021 that allows people to cast early in-person ballots using a voting machine.

This year, early in-person voting will begin Saturday, Oct. 25 and end Sunday, Nov. 2.

Voters can cast ballots from Monday to Saturday (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.), and on Sunday (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) No appointment is needed.

Learn more about early in-person voting and see a list of poll locations here.

VOTING BY MAIL

New Jersey voters are also able to cast ballots by mail. Learn more about the process here.

Any voter may apply for Vote-By-Mail by completing an application for mail-in ballot and returning the application to their County Clerk.

The last day to apply by mail for a Vote-By-Mail Ballot is Oct. 28. Voters can also apply in person to the clerk's office on any day up to 3 p.m. the day before an election.

Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked on or before 8 p.m. on Election Day. See a list of secure, 24-hour “drop box” locations where voters can return their ballots here.

Counties began mailing ballots on Sept. 20. More than 404,000 New Jersey voters have returned their mail-in ballots as of Tuesday – about 44 percent of the number who received one, NJ Spotlight News reported.

NJ GOVERNOR RACE

New Jersey is one of two states holding elections for governor this year.

Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat, is term-limited and can’t run again.

Jack Ciattarelli, the Republican nominee, and Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic nominee, were the last ones standing after a competitive primary election in June.

Sherrill is currently serving in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 11th district. She chose pastor and university president Dale Caldwell as her lieutenant governor nominee.

Ciattarelli is a former state assemblyman from New Jersey. He picked Morris County Sheriff James Gannon as his lieutenant governor nominee.

Third-party and independent candidates running in the 2025 election include Vic Kaplan (Libertarian Party) and Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party); both will appear on the ballot. Candidates running write-in campaigns include Lily Benavides (Green Party) and Darrell Armstrong (independent).

According to state election data, there were 2.52 million registered Democrats, 1.67 million registered Republicans, and 2.34 million unaffiliated voters in New Jersey as of Oct. 1.

The final day to register to vote in the 2025 general election was Oct. 14. Learn more about voting in New Jersey here.

>> Need to get caught up on the New Jersey governor race? Check out some of our recent articles below:

5 Crucial Issues In NJ Governor Race: Here's Where Sherrill, Ciattarelli Stand

Here's where Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli stand on important issues like property taxes, schools and public safety.

What To Know About First NJ Governor Debate: Sherrill vs. Ciattarelli

The debate included tense exchanges over the cost of living, taxes, schools, immigration, political violence and President Donald Trump.

5 Takeaways From NJ Governor Debate: ‘Shame On You,’ Candidates Rage At Each Other

Mikie Sherrill and Jack Ciattarelli clashed over taxes, energy and affordability. They also lobbed some fiery accusations at each other.

How Accurate Are NJ Governor Polls? Here’s What We Found

Here's what polls are saying now, and what they said four years ago.

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