State law requires that certain registered voters file a Declaration of Party Affiliation form no later than 55 days before the date of a Primary Election in order to vote in that election. The Primary Election will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Therefore, voters who are required to file these forms must complete a Declaration of Party Affiliation form and file it with the Municipal Clerk or the County Commissioner of Registration no later than April 8, 2026, in order to be eligible to vote in the Primary Election.
You must file a Declaration of Party Affiliation Form is you wish to vote in the Primary Election of a political party other than the party with which you are currently affiliated.
You need not file a Declaration of Party Affiliation form by April 8, 2026, in order to vote in the Primary Election if:
- You are currently affiliated with the political party in whose Primary you wish to vote.
- You have never declared a political party and have never previously voted in a Primary Election.
- You are a newly registered voter and the June 2, 2026, Primary Election is the first Primary at which you are eligible to vote.
- You were an “Independent” voter as of January 1, 2006 and have not affiliated with a party since that time.
Special Notice to "Independent" Voters
As of January 1, 2006, voters previously declared “INDEPENDENT” are by law, now classified as “UNAFFILIATED.”
- UNAFFILIATED voters may declare their affiliation with a political party by filing a Declaration of Party Affiliation form, as described above. They may then vote in the Primary Election.
- An UNAFFILIATED voter may, however, choose instead to declare affiliation with either the Democratic or Republican Party at the polling place on the day of the Primary Election.
- A voter who is listed to receive mail-in ballots for all future elections, pursuant to the provisions of section 3 of P.L.2009, c.79 (C.19:63-3) or section 14 of P.L.2018, c.72 (C.19:63-3.1), and who is NOT affiliated with any political party shall NOT receive a mail-in ballot for a Primary Election. Instead, such unaffiliated mail-in voters shall receive a political party affiliation declaration form and information concerning how to affiliate with a political party and how to vote in person at a polling place on the day of a Primary Election.
- Any UNAFFILIATED voter, who is not affiliated with any political party, may vote using a mail-in ballot in a primary election if the voter submits a political party affiliation declaration form to the municipal clerk or the county commissioner of registration and has requested or requests a mail-in ballot prior to the deadline in which a voter may apply to the county clerk for a mail-in ballot by mail pursuant to subsection b. of section 3 of P.L.2009, c.70 (C.19:63-3), or in person pursuant to subsection d. of section 3 of P.L.2009, 12 c.79 (C.19:63-3).”
Forms to designate a change in political party affiliation may be obtained by calling the Superintendent of Elections Office at 645-5885 or by visiting the County website at Voting in the Primary (Unaffiliated Voters and Party Affiliations).
Maureen G. Bugdon
Superintendent of Elections and
Commissioner of Registration
Audrey S. Miles
Deputy Superintendent of Elections and
Deputy Commissioner of Registration
Superintendent of Election Office
5920 Main Street
Mays Landing, NJ 08330
(609) 645-5885