How do you register to vote? How to change parties in New Jersey ahead of the presidential primary?
The deadlines looms to register to vote or switch political parties ahead of presidential primary election in New Jersey.
Christopher Borick, political science professor and director of the Institute of Public Opinion at Muhlenberg College, said unlike most primary seasons, this year New Jersey has a realistic chance of being relevant in terms of having an impact on the (presidential) nomination."
New Jersey has a closed primary election, meaning only voters registered as Republicans or Democrats can cast a ballot in their respective party's race.
New Jersey's primary is June 7, with the Republican National Convention following July 18-21 in Cleveland and the Democratic National Convention scheduled the week of July 25 at the Wells Fargo Center and Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. That's when each party's nominee will be selected, based on delegates, ahead of the Nov. 8 general election.
"No one is registered as soon as they get off of that site," Murren said.
How to register to vote in New Jersey
New Jersey's 2016 deadline to declare a change of party affiliation is April 13, with the deadline to register to vote May 17. Registered voters who are unaffiliated can declare for a party the day of the primary.
To change affiliation, voters can print a form and mail it to their home county's commissioner of registration. Address the forms as follows in:
Warren County
Commissioner of Registration
Mr. Harold Brown
Cummins Building
202 Mansfield Street
Belvidere, NJ 07823
Hunterdon County
Commissioner of Registration
Stephanie Pierce
71 Main Street
Bldg. 3A, 3rd Floor
P.O. Box 2900
Flemington, NJ 08822-9952
Voter-registration applications can also be printed at home from www.state.nj.us/state/elections for Warren County residents and Hunterdon County residents and mailed in.
Registration forms are also available at the above commissioner of registration offices, from your municipal clerk, at Division of Motor Vehicle offices and while conducting business at the following agencies:
NJ Medical Assistance & Health Services Program
WIC (Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infant & Children)
Work First NJ Programs
Division of Developmental Disabilities
Office of Disability Services - Department of Human Services - Public Offices
Armed Forces of the United States Recruitment Offices
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services - Department of Labor
Commission of the Blind & Visually Impaired
County Welfare Agency or County Board of Social Services
Not sure of your registration status in New Jersey? Voters can check online at voter.njsvrs.com.
New Jersey party affiliation form
Warren County Voter Registration Form
Hunterdon County voter registration form
Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.