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Voter Information
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify to register to vote, one must:
- Be a citizen of the United States
- Be at least 17 years old and understand that you may not vote until reaching 18 years old
- Have resided in the State and county for 30 days by the day of the next election
- Are not on parole nor convicted of an indictable offense under any federal or state laws
**Any false or fraudulent registration may subject you to a fine up to $15,000, imprisonment up
to 5 years or both pursuant to R.S. 19:34-1
Where to Register
A prospective voter may register in person at:
Passaic County Commissioner of Registration Borough Clerk's Office
501 River Street, Suite 1 445 Lafayette Ave, Suite 102
Paterson, NJ 07524-9902 Hawthorne, NJ 07506
When to Register
Registration deadline is 21 days before an election. Registration is permanent in New Jersey but one must
re-register for the following reasons:
- Change in name due to marriage, divorce or by judgment of a court
- Change in residence
The exception to the re-registration rule is a move within the county.
- If the voter has moved within the county and has not notified the commission of registration, they may go to their new polling site and vote by Provisional Ballot
- When a voter changes his / her name, they may vote by signing both names at the time of voting
How to Register
Voter Registration Application - print and complete form, must contain original signature, mail to address on back-side or drop at Borough Clerk's office.
Absentee Voting or Vote by Mail
You must be a registered voter to apply for a Mail-in Ballot. Please follow instructions on the backside of this application. Print, complete and sign application; mail or hand-deliver to address on back-side of the application, or you may hand-deliver to the Borough Clerk at 445 Lafayette Ave, Suite 102, Hawthorne, keeping in mind the deadlines!
Applications being mailed must be received in the County Clerk's office no later than 7 days before the election, or you may apply in person until 3pm the day before the election.
PLEASE NOTE: Once you apply for a Mail-in Ballot, you will not be permitted to vote by machine at your polling place for the same election.
To Run for Office
Petitions to run for a political party's nomination in the primary election for a local office must be filed no later than 57 days before the primary election by 4 p.m. in the Borough Clerk's office. A petition to run as an unaffiliated candidate must be filed by 4 p.m. on primary election day at the County Clerk's office. For more information on running for office, contact the Borough Clerk at 973-427-5555, ext. 246. For information on running for the school board, contact the Board of Education at 973-427-1300.
- Polling Locations by Street (PDF)
- Passaic County Elections Division
- New Jersey Division of Elections Website
- 1-877-NJVOTER (1-877-658-6837)