Information for Candidates

Filing dates are posted by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC). Visit their website for the latest filing dates.

COVID-19 and candidate petitions: Visit the State of New Jersey’s candidate petitions page for information on where to email or mail in petitions.

You can contact the Board of Elections to obtain voter lists, or “Political Requests,” as long as NJSA 19:31-18.1c is followed:

No person shall use voter registration lists or copies thereof prepared pursuant to this section as a basis for commercial solicitation of the voters listed thereon. Any person making such use of such lists or copies thereof shall be a disorderly person, and shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $500.00.

We offer three types of media:

• Printout – .25 per page (pages are 8 1/2″ by 11″)
  • Alpha List –Voter List by Last Name
  • Phone List – Voter List with Phone Numbers
  • Street/Walking List –Voter List by Street Order
  • History List – Voters listed who voted in a particular Election
• Labels – .01 per label (labels are 2 5/8″ by 1″)
  • Master Mailing – one label for each voter
• CD-ROM – $50.00 per CD
  • Flat, fixed-length, ASCII text file. Record layout is provided.

Order lists, labels, or CDs.

Challengers are appointed to observe the conduct of an election on behalf of:

• a candidate
• a political party
• the proponents or opponents of a question.

Application Form

Fill out the Challenger Form online.

What does a Challenger do?

The primary duty of a Challenger is to observe the election, keep a record of who voted, and challenge any voter for whom they have a reasonable basis to believe is not qualified to vote.

• Challengers are required to give their Challenger Permit to the poll worker.
• Challengers need to keep their Challenger Badge with them at all times and must wear their badge inside the polling place.
• If you wish to challenge a vote – go to the poll workers and ask for the information on “Challenging A Vote.”
• Voters are not to check-in with the challengers. Challengers can not impede the voter’s progress.
• Challenger tables are set up by the poll workers in a location that does not interfere with the voters, but close enough to hear the poll workers call the voters name.
• Challengers may not sit at the same table as the poll workers or handle any voting materials. (books, voting authorities, etc.)
• Challengers may not electioneer nor wear buttons, pins or T-Shirts showing candidate or political party support.
• No more than one challenger for a party, candidate or a public question shall be present at any one time in any election district.
• Candidates are automatically challengers and do not need a challenger badge.
• Challengers may not use cell phones in the polling place.
• Challengers must allow poll workers to complete the process of closing the polls before asking for the results.

CHALLENGERS MAY OBSERVE…

• The opening of a polling place and the opening of machines.
• The official Election Zero Report to be sure the totals on the report are zero.
• Voters casting their ballots.
• The votes cast being counted.
• Ballots being counted.

Challengers have the right and power to challenge the counting or rejecting of any ballot or any part of a ballot.

What are Challengers allowed to do?

CHALLENGERS CAN:

1. Challenge a voter if the challenger believes the voter is not qualified to vote. In order to vote a person must be:
   • a United States citizen
   • 18 years of age or older
   • a resident of the county for at least 30 days before the election
   • registered to vote

A person on probation or parole for a felony conviction cannot vote.

A challenger must sign an affidavit stating the reason for the challenge.

CHALLENGERS CANNOT:

1. Challenge a voter for any of these reasons:
   • They think they know how the voter is going to vote
   • The race, or ethnic origin of the voter
   • Where the voter lives in the town or county
   • It is a criminal offense for a challenger to challenge a voter for any of the above 3 reasons.
2. Sit with the poll workers or touch the election materials.
3. Go to the voting machine during the voting hours.
4. Challenge the voter directly. Only the poll worker can ask the voter questions.
5. Wear any campaign buttons, signs, hats, or wear any campaign clothing.
6. Harass or intimidate any voters; or cause any disturbances in the polling place.
7. Challenge a voter because the poll worker asks the voter to affirm his or her residence or asks a first-time registrant by mail to show identification.

Rules of Appointing Challengers

• The County Chairperson of each political party may appoint two (2) challengers per election district.
• A municipal Chairperson may appoint for the political party two (2) challengers for each election district within the municipality.
• Candidates whose names appear on the ballot automatically are challengers. They do not need to have a Challenger Badge.
• A candidate for election may appoint two (2) challengers for each election district in which he/she is running in, but only two (2) challengers shall be allowed for each election district to represent all candidates nominated in and by the same petition.
• Not more than one (1) challenger appointed for a party, candidate, or on a public question, shall be present at any one time in any polling place while serving and exercising the powers of a challenger and during the hours when the polls are open for voting. (19:7-6.1)
• A County Chairman can appoint “at-large” challengers equal to the number of municipalities in the county. The “at-large” challenger shall be issued a county-wide permit which is to be presented to any district poll worker within the county. When leaving the polling place, such challenger must reclaim the permit in order to gain entry to any other polling place.
• It is the responsibility of the local party chairs to educate challengers about the position.

How to Challenge a Voter

• A Challenger can challenge a vote based on a belief that the voter is not qualified to vote based on citizenship, age or residency.

• No person on parole, probation or serving sentence due to a conviction for an indictable offense under any federal or state laws is entitled to vote.

A challenge MUST be started AFTER the voter gives their name to the poll worker and BEFORE the voter enters the voting machine.

• The poll worker must read aloud the information of Form C-3 “Information for Challenged Voter.”
• After all questions are addressed, a vote must be taken by the poll workers to determine the right of the voter. If a tie vote, the challenge fails and the voter can vote. If the right to vote is denied the Challenger must complete Form C-2 “Challenger’s Affidavit” which is signed by the poll workers. The voter must complete Form C-4 “Challenged Voter Affidavit” and this is also signed by the poll workers.
• If the right of the voter is denied, the voter may appeal the poll workers decision to a Superior Court Judge in Morristown. The voter must bring with him/her a copy of the Challenger’s Affidavit and the Challenged Voter Affidavit before the poll close.

By-laws for the two major political parties in Morris County can be found on their respective websites. These websites are not affiliated with the County of Morris government.

• Morris County Republican Committee(PDF, 152KB)
• Morris County Democratic Committee(PDF, 284KB)