EDITORIAL: To vote Nov. 6, register before the Oct. 16 cutoff

   We’re less than a month away from Election Day. It’s time to start taking your civic duty a little more seriously.
   Today’s questions: Are you registered to vote? And might you want to vote early, probably by mail, rather than risk not getting to the polls on Nov. 6?
   Every election is important, but the stakes in this one — particularly in the highest federal offices — have been drawn ever more tightly. Who will be elected president, and which party controls Congress, will be crucial to decisions on taxation, spending, personal and privacy issues, foreign policy, selection of Supreme Court judges and so much more.
   Traditionally, this nation sees its highest turnouts in presidential election years. Four years ago, more than 80 percent of voters cast ballots in many places. Let’s see if we can approach that number again.
   In New Jersey you can register to vote up to 21 days prior to the next election. This year, that means Oct. 16 is the deadline.
   You can get an application from the county clerk’s website, from the municipal clerk’s office or from the county Board of Elections office. Return the completed form to the Board of Elections or to the municipal clerk.
   If you register in person, you do not need to show identification. If you are registering by mail, you must include your driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number on the form.
   If you don’t include the appropriate ID with my mailed-in registration, your name will be flagged in the poll book and you will be asked to show an ID. If proper ID is not shown, you will still be permitted to vote by provisional ballot, and you will have to provide the proper ID to the Board of Elections within 48 hours of Election Day or your ballot will not be counted.
   If you do not have printer capabilities to download the form from a website, you can email your address to the county Board of Elections and request an application be sent to your home.
   Once you are registered, you can plan to go to the polls between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Nov. 6 (the address of your poll will be on the sample ballot).
   IF YOU FEEL YOU MAY BE BUSY or out of town that day, or may simply want to fulfill your duty early. Any voter can vote by mail-in ballot for any election. You do not need a reason for a mail-in ballot.
   In fact, you can even sign up to get a mail-in ballot sent to you for every election going into the future.
    The following is a message from Hunterdon County Clerk Mary H. Melfi:
   — How to get a mail-in ballot — Ballots are in! If you are unable to vote at the polls on Nov. 6, we provide the following options to obtain a ballot:
   — 1. To receive your ballot by mail, download application, complete Sections 1-9 and mail signed application to Hunterdon County Clerk, Hall of Records, PO Box 2900, Flemington, 08822. To receive your ballot by mail, the application must be received in our office by Oct. 30. In order to provide sufficient mailing time the law mandates that the last day a ballot may be mailed is Oct. 30.
   — 2. Apply in person. Download application, complete application and appear in person at the Hunterdon County Clerk’s Office, Hall of Records, 71 Main St., Flemington. Your application will be processed and a ballot issued while you wait (not a long wait). You may choose to vote at the time you receive your ballot or take the ballot with you. All ballots MUST be returned to the Board of Elections by the close of the polls at 8 p.m. on Nov. 6.
   We offer Thursday evening and Saturday hours throughout October and November leading up to Election Day. Please see Expanded 4th Quarter Hours Schedule
   — 3. Messenger Ballot — Contact County Clerk Mary H. Melfi at 908-788-1214 for further information or via email at [email protected].
    Laws generally make it as convenient as possible to act on the most basic and fundamental of our liberties. But it does take initiative on your part to set the process in motion.