Election Administration in New Jersey - at the County Level

At the county level a number of officials and offices are responsible for the administration of elections. Those officials and offices and their respective responsibilities are indicated in the cart below:
  • County Boards of Election
    • All 21 counties-includes duties of Superintendent, where that office does not exist Acts as County Commissioner Superintendent of Elections exists. 
    • Acts as County Commissioner of Registration where no Superintendent of Elections exists, 19:31-2
    • Where no Superintendent exists, acts as custodian of voting machines, 19:48-4
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  • All Boards are responsible for:
    • selection of polling places,
    • enforcement of Elderly handicapped Accessibility Act, 19:8-2 & 8-3.1
    • Creation and maintenance of election districts, 19:4-10 et seq
    • Appointment of Challengers, 19:7-2
    • Appointment & training of board workers, 19:6-1 & 19:50-1
    • Receives, counts, investigates & certifies absentee ballots, 19:57-24&31
    • Counts & certifies provisional ballots, 19:53C
    • Is the Board of County Canvassers, 19:6-26
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  • Superintendent of Elections
    • Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Monmouth, Morris & Passaic
      Required in 1st Class counties, 9:32-5
    • Permitted in 2nd and 5th Class counties, 10:32-30
    • Has police powers to enforce title 19,19:32-21 & 44
    • Acts as the County's Commissioner of Registration, 19:31-2
    • Acts as custodian of County's voting machines.
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  • Commissioner of Registration
    All 21 counties (either Board of Elections or Superintendent of Elections) 

    • Regulates voter registrations, 19:31-2
    • Accepts voter registration applications
    • Reviews registration records to assure continued eligibility Investigates provisional ballots, 19:53C
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  • County Clerks
    • Receives petitions for all offices except those filed with the Attorney General of municipal clerks, 19:13-3 for general, 19:23-6 for primary
    • Designs and prints all election ballots, 19:14-1 for general, 19:23-22.4 primary
    • Draws lots for ballot position 19:14-12 for general, 19:23-22.4 for primary
    • Prints and furnishes Absentee Ballots, 19:57-8,
    • Emergency Ballots, Provisional Ballots Approves or rejects absentee ballot applications,19:57-1
    • Prepares list of absentee ballot applications, 19:57-9
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