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Election Guide

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Facts about Elections

All General Elections are held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

All Primary elections are held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in June.

Municipal Elections are held at the same time as the General Election in November, except for municipalities with a nonpartisan form of government. Nonpartisan elections are held on the second Tuesday in May. In Atlantic County, the following municipalities have nonpartisan elections: Ventnor, Margate and Longport.

Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. To 8:00 p.m. in all elections with the exception of School Board elections.

School Board Elections are held during the month of April. Polling hours for School Elections vary with each municipality. Contact the local School Board Secretary for the hours of operation.

Facts about Voter Registration

A person may register to vote who is:

  • A United States citizen
  • 18 yeas old by Election Day
  • Not otherwise denied the right to vote because of idiocy, insanity or serving a sentence of Incarceration as a result of a conviction of an indictable offense under the laws of this or another state or of the United States.

A qualified person may register to vote at any time prior to the twenty-first day before any election. All registration forms postmarked on the twenty-first day preceding the election will be accepted. Voters whose registrations are received after the filing deadline, will be eligible to vote in the next election.

A citizen may register in person at the Atlantic County Commissioner of Registration or the Municipal Clerk any day during office hours or on selected evenings prior to the close of registration. A citizen may also register to vote at Motor Vehicle Agency and all Social Service Agencies. A citizen may register to vote by mail. Mail registration forms, available in Spanish as well as English, may be obtained by writing or telephoning the Commissioner of Registration at (609) 343-2246 or (609) 645-5882.

If an eligible voter is unable to write his/her name, he/she must make an "x" which is followed by the words "his or her mark", as the case may be, written in by the person receiving the application.

Provisional Ballot

A Provisional Ballot is a registered voter who has moved within the county and his/her voter registration records do not reflect the change.

It is important to note that the former '29 Day Rule" is no longer in effect. Now, a voter who moves from one election district to another in the SAME town or moved from one town to another in Atlantic County, before election day, and has not notified the Superintendent's Office in writing of this change before the deadline date, must go to your new polling location, on election day, in the municipality of your new residence in order to vote. You can call you local municipal clerk or one of the Offices of the Superintendent of Elections at (609) 343-2246 or (609) 645-5882.

Provisional Ballot voters may contact the Municipal Clerk in their new municipality to locate their new polling place.

A voter who moves outside of Atlantic County is governed under the following regulations:

  1. If a voter has moved less than 21 days before the election, the voter may vote at the old polling place. Before voting, the voter must complete an Affirmation of Residency form.
  2. If the voter has moved more than 21 days before the election, and has not reregistered in his/her new county, the voter may not vote.

The voter may appeal this decision to the office of the Commissioner of Registration for an appearance before a Superior Court Judge.

The Superintendent of Elections is available to answer any questions that any voter may have.

It is up to each and every American Citizen to exercise their right to vote. Each and every election is equally important.

Facts about Party Affiliation

Only party members may vote in the primary election in New Jersey. Voters participating in their first primary election, regardless of the number of years registered, must state their party affiliation at the polls on primary election day.

In order to change party affiliation, the voter must file a party declaration form with the Atlantic County Superintendent of Elections no later than fifty (55) days prior to the primary election. Party declaration forms may be obtained from the Municipal Clerk, Superintendent of Elections office or by visiting Political Party Affiliation Declaration Form.

Elections in Atlantic County come under the supervision of three divisions. The following represents the responsibilities of the Superintendent of Elections Office, the office to the County Clerk, and the Board of Elections.

Officials and Their Responsibilities in the Election Process

Maureen Bugdon, Superintendent of Elections, Commissioner of Registration
(609)645-5882
Audrey Miles, Deputy Superintendent of Elections, Deputy Commissioner of Registration
Superintendent of Elections
Commission of Registration

  • Voter Registration and Affiliation Status Database (SVRS)
  • Change of Residence, Name, Marital Status, etc.
  • Enforce election law pursuant to NJSA Title 19
  • Investigative Arm of Atlantic County Elections
  • Police & Subpoena Powers
  • Custody & Programming of Voting Machines & Electronic Poll Books
  • Provisional Ballot Inventory & Review

Joseph J. Giralo
(609)909-5839
Michael A. Sommers, Deputy County Clerk
County Clerk

  • Filing of Candidates
  • Printing of Election Ballot Materials
  • Vote by Mail (VBM) Applications
  • Issue Sample Ballots in collaboration with the SOE & BOE
  • Issue all Vote-By-Mail, UOCAVA* & Presidential Ballots
  • Certification of School Board, Special, Primary, and General Elections Results
    *Uniformed & Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act

Atlantic County Board of Elections
(609) 645-5867

  • Recruiting, Training, and Appointing Poll Workers
  • Inspecting and certifying Polling Places in accordance with the ADA
  • Issuance of Challenger Permits and Badges
  • Receiving, Processing, and Tallying all Vote by Mail Ballots (VBM)
  • Certified Drop Box Pick Up of VBM’s
  • Canvassing and counting of VBM’s, Provisional, UOCAVA & Presidential Ballots
  • Election Recounts/Rechecks and Audits
  • Redistricting Election Districts
  • Holding regularly scheduled public meetings and sitting in session for elections
  • Certifying election results as the Board of Canvassers with the County Clerk