Let's Vote!

One of the best parts about living in New Jersey is how easy it is to vote. My Ohio cousins talk about standing in line for hours to vote. The news is filled with stories about voters being turned away, or people having to travel many miles to vote.

Not where I live.

New Jersey keeps adding ways to vote.

I wrote about voting during the pandemic when ballots were mailed to all registered voters (including our new 18 year old) and boxes were added throughout the county. In 2020 we had to drive 15 minutes to Princeton to use the box in front of the municipal building. By the November election, boxes were added in front of each town hall. 

Then came early voting at the library!

I am at the library at least twice a week taking books out. Returning books. It is no trouble at all to stop by the library to vote.

On Saturday I stopped by the library to cast my ballot in the primary election. At least in our town there was no real reason to vote as there were no competitions. Every name on the ballot will win because no one is running against them. It will be different in November when we have a Democrat running against a Republican for most contests. It is also different in Hopewell Borough where two Democrats are running to be listed as Mayor on the November ballot. 

I walked into the room. There were 11 election volunteers at several different stations: greeter, checking in on the computer, directing you to the station to cast your ballot, and wishing you a good day. There were probably other roles -- someone was probably overseeing any problems and helping to fix them, but mine went through without a hitch. The whole process, including chatting with the lonely poll workers, lasted five minutes.

Why vote if there are no contests?

We have a right to vote. If we stop exercising that right, it might go away. By voting in the library I helped show it helped at least one person voted, maybe over time more will, too.

In New Jersey we can vote:

1. On Election Day at the polls -- in my case less than a mile from our home in the fire station.
2. By mail in ballot.
1. Mailed to the County Election Board.
2. Dropped off in a box in front of Town Hall or another location listed on the back of the sample ballot.
3. In our library and a handful of other places -- you must vote in your county, but it does not need to be in your town to take advantage of these locations. 

With so many options there is little reason not to vote.