PRIMARY ELECTION TIPS
Hopewell Valley League of Women Voters
Can you vote in the Feb. 5 presidential primary?
The League of Women Voters of Hopewell Valley provides the following answers.
If you’re a registered voter who is not affiliated with any political party (either because you never declared a party affiliation, or you officially changed to “unaffiliated”) you can still vote by declaring your party choice at the polls on election day.
In the presidential primary, voters will choose a slate of party delegates who will vote at either the Republican or Democratic state convention. The delegates will then be committed to one of the candidates running for president.
If you prefer to vote by absentee ballot, there is still time to apply by mail. Jan. 29 is the deadline. Voters may also apply in person — or by an authorized messenger if the voter is sick or confined — at the Mercer County clerk’s office by 3 p.m. on Feb. 4.
The League reminds residents that any registered voter can now vote absentee.
Absentee ballot applications are available from libraries as well as local municipal offices: Hopewell Township, 201 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville; Hopewell Borough, 4 Columbia Ave., Hopewell; and Pennington Borough, 30 N. Main St., Pennington.
Once you have applied for an absentee ballot, you may not vote at your polling place for that election. If a registered voter is ill or incapacitated on election day, he or she may send written authorization with a family member or registered voter within the county to obtain a ballot and return it to the county clerk’s office before the polls close.
THERE ARE NO STATE RACES on the ballot in the presidential primary. New Jersey will hold its primary for municipal, county, and state offices on June 3.
In New Jersey, some 2.7 million of the state’s 4.8 million registered voters are not affiliated with any political party. And like most states, New Jersey only allows registered members of political parties to vote in primaries. Currently 22 states have “open” primaries, where all registered voters can participate.
In the November general election, when registered voters can cast ballots for candidates of any party, the independents will likely determine which presidential candidate gets New Jersey’s 15 electoral votes.
Historically New Jersey has a poor voter turnout in presidential primaries. In the 2004 primary – which also included House of Representative candidates – only 9 percent of registered voters cast ballots. In 2000 – which had races for US Senate, House and president – 17 percent voted.
On Feb. 5, polls will be open from 6 a.m.-8 p.m. To find your polling place, log on to www.njvoterinfo.org.
Additional voter information is available by calling 1-800-792-VOTE, or at www.njelections.org.
For information on membership in the Valley League, call President Joann Held at 737-0867.