New Jersey’s Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, who oversees the Division of Elections in her capacity as Secretary of State, is informing disabled New Jersey voters about multiple options to cast their ballot for the 2024 Primary Election.
“It’s important that disabled voters in New Jersey know that they have options to cast their ballot privately and securely,” said Lieutenant Governor Way. “We are committed to continuing to make New Jersey elections inclusive and accessible.”
According to Lieutenant Governor Way, “Voters with accessibility needs can be accommodated at their local polling place or county early voting site and utilize special equipment that enables them to view the ballot on a screen or hear an audio version to help them mark and cast their ballot. A voter who requires assistance to vote at a polling location may also designate the person of their choosing to provide assistance.”
Voters who cannot vote via a paper ballot without assistance also have an accessible ballot option for the 2024 Primary Election. The State of New Jersey hired Democracy Live to help voters with disabilities cast their vote privately and independently.
To access this option, a disabled voter should reach out to their County Clerk and indicate that they are unable to complete a paper ballot without assistance and wish to vote using an accessible vote-by-mail ballot. The County Clerk will work with Democracy Live to deliver a secure electronic ballot to the voter. At the same time, the County Clerk’s office will mail the voter the postage-paid ballot return envelope and a certificate envelope for sealing the completed ballot.
The voter will receive an email with a link to a personalized ballot containing applicable local, state, and national contests along with any questions based on where they live. From this link, the voter can mark the ballot using personal assistive technology such as screen readers and screen magnifiers.
Upon completion, the voter prints both the marked ballot and Certificate of Accessible Ballot Voter. The completed ballot is then sealed in the certificate envelope. If assistance was provided, it must be noted by filling out the assistor portion on this envelope. The sealed certificate envelope containing both documents is then placed inside the postage-paid return envelope provided.
Once this process is completed, ballots can be returned like any other mail-in ballots. They must be postmarked by 8 p.m. on June 4 and received by June 10.
Similarly, mail-in voters unable to sign or make their mark on certificates attached to inner envelopes may request a “Certificate of Assistor Signing for a Voter with a Disability” from their County Clerk’s Office. The person providing assistance will complete both requested assistor certificates—the one attached directly inside as well as signing on behalf of—before returning it in standard mail-in fashion.
