2019 General Election Timeline

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June 

  • June 4
    Nomination Petition Filing Deadline for Independent Candidates for General Election (before 4:00 p.m. of the day of the primary election) N.J.S.A. 19:13-9 
  • June 4
    School District to Submit Notice to County Clerks of Available Offices for Upcoming General Election (on or before primary election) N.J.S.A. 19:60-7 
  • June 7
    Deadline for Amendments to Defective Petitions for Independent General Election Candidates
    (3 days after filing deadline) N.J.S.A. 19:13-13 
  • June 10
    Filing Deadline for Objections to Nomination Petitions for Independent General Election Candidates (no later than 4 days after filing deadline) N.J.S.A. 19:13-10 
  • June 13
    Deadline for Determination of Petition Challenge for Independent General Election Candidates (9 days after the last day for filing nomination petitions) N.J.S.A. 19:13-11 

July 

  • July 1
    Submission of Evening Registration Plan by County Commissioners of Registration to the Secretary of State (on or before July 1st) N.J.S.A. 19:31-2 **In counties where there is a Superintendent of Elections, that office serves as the commissioner of registration; in all other counties it’s the County Board of Election. 
  • July 29
    Nomination Petition Filing Deadline for School Election Candidates for General Election (last Monday in July) N.J.S.A. 19:60-7

August

  • August 1
    Deadline for Amendments to Defective Petitions for School Election Candidates
    (3 days after filing deadline) N.J.S.A. 19:13-13 
  • August 2
    Filing Deadline for Objections to Nomination Petitions for School Election Candidates (no later than 4 days after filing deadline) N.J.S.A. 19:13-10 
  • August 5
    Deadline for Submission of Proposed Amendments to the State Constitution to be Voted Upon at the General Election (not less than 3 months prior to submission to the voters) NJ Constitution, Article IX, par. 3 
  • August 8
    Deadline for Determination of Petition Challenge for School Election Candidates for General Election (10 days after the last day for filing nomination petitions) N.J.S.A. 19:60-7 
  • August 10
    Deadline for Filing in Superior Court to Protect School Election Candidate’s Rights (12 days after petition filing deadline) N.J.S.A. 19:60-7
  • August 11
    Deadline for Secretary of State to Submit to the County Clerks the Statement of All Duly Nominated Candidates for General Election (not later than 86 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:13-22 
  • August 12 – 3 p.m.
    Drawing of Ballot Position for General Election Candidates by the County Clerks (85 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:14-12 
  • August 16
    Deadline for Submission of Non-binding County and Municipal Public Questions to the County Clerks for Printing on the General Election Ballot (81 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:37-1 
  • August 27
    Deadline for Submission of Public Questions (Other Than Proposed Amendments to the NJ Constitution) (not less than 70 days following final action of the Governor or the Legislature) NJ Constitution, Article II, Sec. 1, P. 2 
  • August 27
    Deadline for Independent Candidates to Decline Nomination for General Election (70 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:13-16 
  • August 27
    Deadline for Withdrawal of School Board Candidates (70 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:60-7 
  • August 30
    Deadline for Submission to the County Clerk of Municipal Non-binding Public Questions Adopted by the Municipal Governing Body Upon the filing of a Qualified Petition by the Local Electorate (67 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:37-1.1 

September 

  • September 3
    Nomination Petition Filing Deadline for New Nomination Petition to fill a Vacancy for Independent Candidates and School Election Candidates for the General Election (before 4:00 p.m. on or before 64th day prior to election) N.J.S.A. 19:13-19 
  • September 3 Nomination Petition Filing Deadline for Municipal Non-Partisan Candidates to be voted at the November General Election
    (on or before 64th day prior to election) N.J.S.A. 40:45-8 
  • September 5
    Deadline for Amendment to Defective Petitions for Municipal Non-Partisan Candidates to be voted at the November General Election (not later than 61 days before election) N.J.S.A. 40:45-9 
  • September 6
    Deadline to Submit Public Question for November School Board Elections to the County Clerk by the School Board Secretary (60 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:60-4 
  • September 9
    Filing Deadline for Objections to Nominating Petitions for Municipal Non-Partisan Candidates (no later than 4 days after filing deadline) N.J.S.A. 19:13-10 
  • September 10
    Last Day Vacancy Can Occur for Primary Election Nominees for the General Election (56 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:13-20 
  • September 10
    Publication of Notice of Mail-In Ballot Availability for General Election by County Clerks (prior to the 55th day before election) N.J.S.A. 19:63-6 
  • September 11
    Deadline for Determination of Petition Challenge to Municipal Non-Partisan Candidates to be Voted at the November General Election (9 days after the last day for filing nomination petitions) N.J.S.A. 19:13-11 
  • September 12
    Deadline for Filling Primary Nominee Vacancy for General Election (54 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:13-20
  • September 15
    Drawing of Ballot Positions for Municipal Non-Partisan Candidates to be Voted at the November General Election (Municipal Clerk must coordinate Ballot Draw) 
  • September 15 – October 14
    Publication of Notice of General Election by County Boards of Election (within 30 days before the close of registration election) N.J.S.A. 19:12-7 
  • September 16*
    Deadline for Preparation of Official General Election Ballot for Printing (50 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:14-1 * County Commissioner of Registration is to provide notice to the two County Chairpersons of the date to inspect voting machines after they have been prepared for the upcoming election. This date will vary from county to county. N.J.S.A. 19:48-6 
  • September 21
    Commencement of Mailing of Mail-In Ballots for General Election (45 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:63-5, N.J.S.A. 19:63-9 

October 

  • October 15
    Voter Registration Deadline for General Election (21 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:31-6 
  • October 15
    Mandated Evening Voter Registration Available for General Election in Offices of County Commissioners of Registration (optional for Municipal Clerks) (21 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:31-2 
  • October 22
    Deadline for Filing of Challenger Appointments for General Election (second Tuesday preceding election) N.J.S.A. 19:7-3 
  • October 27 – November 2
    Publication of Notice of General Election by County Boards of Election (once during the calendar week prior to election) N.J.S.A. 19:12-7 
  • October 29
    Publication of Challenge and Complaint Procedures for General Election by County Boards of Election (7 days before election) N.J.S.A. 19:12-9 
  • October 29
    Deadline to apply for a Mail-In Ballot by Mail for General Election (not less than 7 days prior to election) N.J.S.A. 19:63-3
  • October 30
    Mailing of Sample Ballots for General Election (on or before 12 noon on Wednesday preceding the election) N.J.S.A. 19:14-25

November

  • November 1
    Deadline for Application to Receive General Election Mail-In Ballots by Electronic Means for Qualified Overseas Civilian and Military Voters (4th day before election) N.J.S.A. 19:59-4 
  • November 4 – by 3:00 p.m.
    Deadline for In-Person Mail-In Ballot Applications for General Election (up to 3:00 p.m. on the day before election) N.J.S.A. 19:63-3 
  • November 4
    Publication of Challenge and Complaint Procedures for General Election by County Boards of Election (1 day before election) N.J.S.A. 19:12-9 
  • November 5
    Last Day for Testing of Electronic Scanning Equipment for Tabulation of Paper Ballots for General Election (day of election)(notice to be given 48 hours prior to the start of testing) N.J.S.A. 19:53A-8 
  • November 5
    General Election (Tuesday after first Monday in November) N.J.S.A. 19:2-3, N.J.S.A. 19:15-2 
  • November 5
    Deadline for Post Office Receipt of Mail-In Ballots from the General Election 
  • November 5
    Deadline for in Person Submission of General Election Mail-In Ballots to County Boards of Election (by 8:00 p.m. on the day of election) N.J.S.A. 19:63-16 
  • November 6 – November 22
    Impoundment Period for Voting Machines Used in the General Election (17 days following election) (to comply with P.L. 2018, c.72) N.J.S.A. 19:52-6 
  • November 7
    Deadline for Receipt of Timely Mailed Postmarked Mail-In Ballots to County Boards of Election (no later than 48 hours after the time of the closing of the polls for the election) N.J.S.A. 19:63-16 
  • November 13
    Meeting of County Board of Canvassers for General Election (8 days after the election) N.J.S.A. 19:19-1; N.J.S.A. 19:19-4; N.J.S.A. 19:19-6 
  • November 18
    Deadline for County Clerk to transmit Official General Election Results to the Secretary of State (3 days after the meeting of the board) N.J.S.A. 19:19-13 
  • November 22
    Deadline for Recount Applications for General Election (within 17 days after election) N.J.S.A. 19:28-1 
  • November 22 Deadline for Applications for Recheck of Voting Machines Used in the General Election (within 17 days after election) (to comply with P.L. 2018, c.72) N.J.S.A. 19:52-6 
  • November 22
    Deadline for Preparation of Emergency and Provisional Ballot Reports by Each County Board of Election for the General Election (within 17 days after the election or 3 days after the certification of the results of the election) N.J.S.A. 19:53B-21, N.J.S.A. 19:53C-21 

December

  • December 3
    Municipal Non-Partisan Run-Off Election (Tuesday next after the first Monday in December) N.J.S.A. 40:45-19 
  • December 5
    Deadline for Meeting of Board of State Canvassers to Certify General Election Results (on or before the 30th day after election) N.J.S.A. 19:21-1 
  • December 7
    Deadline for Filing of Election Contest Petitions for General Election (not later than 32 days after election) N.J.S.A. 19:29-3 

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