With the November 4th General Election almost here, Ocean County officials are reminding voters they have various voting options to participate in the election process.

In addition to going to the polls on Election Day to cast their ballot in the traditional
manner, voters can also use a Vote-by-Mail ballot or go to one of 10 early voting locations
beginning this Saturday, October 25.

Early voting from Saturday, Oct. 25 through Sunday, Nov. 2. Hours are Monday through
Saturday, 10 am to 8 pm and Sunday 10 am to 6 pm.

“Early voting allows you to vote at a location that might be convenient for your work or
your home, it is also a convenient way to cast a ballot should you be away on Election Day,” said John P. Kelly, Director of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners.

The early voting sites in Ocean County are:

• Berkeley Township branch of the Ocean County Library, 30 Station Road, Bayville.
• Brick Township branch of the Ocean County Library, 301 Chambers Bridge Road, Brick.
• Jackson Township branch of the Ocean County Library, 2 Jackson Drive, Jackson.
• Lacey Community Center, (Former Knights of Columbus Building), Room C, 15 E Lacey
  Road, Lacey Township
• Lakewood Township Municipal Building, Courtroom, 231 3rd St., Lakewood.
• Upper Shores Branch of the Ocean County Library, 112 Jersey City Ave., Lavallette.
• Little Egg Harbor Township Branch of the Ocean County Library; 290 Mathistown Road,
• Little Egg Harbor Township.
• Ocean County Southern Service Center, nutrition site, 179 S Main St., Manahawkin.
• Manchester Township Branch of the Ocean County Library, 21 Colonial Drive,
  Manchester Township.
• Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library, 101 Washington St., Toms River.

“It doesn’t matter which early voting site you choose to cast your vote. All 10 sites have
the ballots for all 33 municipalities. Early voting allows you to vote in person, on a secure state- of-the-art technology voting machine and electronic poll book so that any voter from any election district can cast the proper ballot at any of the 10 locations in the County,” said Commissioner Jennifier Bacchione, Liaison to the Ocean County Clerk.

One of the best websites for information on voting in the General Election is the Ocean
County Clerk’s website. Voters can visit the website, www.oceancountyclerk.com, to find information on Vote by Mail ballots, early voting and to view sample ballots to assist on casting a ballot on Election Day.

All voters should have received a sample ballot mailed to their home which contains important information, including early voting locations and vote by mail ballot drop box locations throughout Ocean County. Voters must refer to their sample ballot for their Election Day polling location.
More than 455,000 sample ballots will be delivered to Ocean County’s registered voters.
The ballots are also available online on the Ocean County Clerk’s website.

Catalano noted that as of Oct. 17, the Office of the County Clerk issued 62,043 vote-by-
mail ballots including 24,568 to registered Democrats, 14,520 to undeclared voters and 25, 2955 to registered Republicans.
“With two weeks until Election Day, more than 22,676 voters or 36 percent have already
returned their vote by mail ballots to the Board of Elections,” Catalano said.

Vote by mail applications can be downloaded from Ocean County Clerk’s website. The
deadline to receive the vote by mail ballot application in the Ocean County Clerk’s Office is
October 28.

After the October 28 date, the voters must appear in person at the Clerk’s Office to
apply and pick up a vote by mail ballot by 3 pm. Monday, Nov. 3. A court order is needed for a vote by mail application after that date and time.

It is noted there are 20 secure vote-by-mail ballot drop boxes strategically located
throughout the County. The ballot drop off deadline is 8 pm, Nov. 4.

“All drop boxes are located on Ocean County properties, so they have cameras in the area
and are frequented by County security. It's important our voters know their votes are secure and count,” Bacchione said.

The drop off box locations are: Ocean County Library, Barnegat Branch, 112 Burr St.,
Barnegat Township; Beachwood Library branch, 126 Beachwood Blvd., Beachwood; Berkeley Township Library branch, 30 Station Road, Bayville; Brick Township Library branch, 301 Chambers Bridge Road, Brick Township; Jackson Township Library branch, 2 Jackson Drive, Jackson Township; Lacey Township Library branch, 10 E. Lacey Road, Forked River; Upper Shores Branch, Ocean County Library, 112 Jersey City Ave., Lavallette; Little Egg Harbor Township Library branch, 290 Mathistown Road, Little Egg Harbor Township; Long Beach Island Library branch, 217 S. Central Ave., Surf City and Manchester Township Library branch, 21 Colonial Drive, Manchester Township.

Also, the Ocean County Northern Resource Center – 225 4th St., Lakewood; Ocean
County Parking Garage, 3rd Floor, Madison Ave., Toms River; Ocean County Career Center
(formerly known as the PIC building), 1959 Route 9, Toms River; Plumsted Township Library branch, 119 Evergreen Road, New Egypt; Point Pleasant Library branch, 834 Beaver Dam Road, Point Pleasant; Ocean County Southern Service Center, 179 South Main St., Manahawkin; Toms River Library branch, 101 Washington St., Toms River; Ocean County Courthouse, 118 Washington St., Toms River; Waretown Library branch, 112 Main St., Waretown and the Whiting Reading Center/Library, 400 Lacey Road, Suite 5, Whiting.
Vote by mail ballots can also be dropped off at the Ocean County Board of Elections
Office at 129 Hooper Ave., Toms River, until 8 pm Election Day.

The polls are open on Election Day, Nov. 4 from 6 am to 8 pm in all voting districts in
Ocean County.