Much attention is given to major elections of State and Federal races, but local elections are just as important to your day to day life. Let’s look briefly at some local offices, and what they do for you.
County Offices
County Clerk’s office: The County Clerk is responsible for a wide range of services including passports, trade name registration, notary public, property records, and veteran’s services. The Clerk’s office is also responsible for important election services, such as opting in or out of Vote by Mail, nominating petitions, designing and preparing your election ballots, and tabulating election results.
County Board of Elections: The County Board of Elections is responsible for redistricting, counting vote by mail ballots, certifying polling places, certifying elections, conducting election recounts, challenges, and Board worker training.
County Sheriff: The County Sheriff’s office supports law enforcement. Their duties include Court Security, criminal ID records, probation, child support, bomb squad, County Emergency Response Team, and missing persons.
Board of Chosen Freeholders: Your Freeholders oversee County level services, such as the Courts, roads, overseeing local municipal budgets, County social services agencies and economic development.
Getting on the Ballot
Any Citizen interested in running for local office can obtain a Petition for Public Office. The Petition is then circulated in the community to collect the required number of signatures of registered voters to qualify to be on the ballot. The required number of signatures will vary with the office. Petitions are submitted to the local Municipal office for Mayor, town council, school boards, etc.
Petitions are submitted to the County Clerk’s Office for Freeholders, Sheriff, Surrogate, and other County level positions. Petitions for higher office within the State would be submitted to the State Division of Elections.
If a potential candidate collects the required number of signatures, they may then qualify to be on the ballot.
Most positions have a minimum age requirement for public office, but these will vary according to the municipality and the position.
Write in Candidates
A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but whom voters may vote for by writing in the person’s name.
County Offices
County Clerk’s office: The County Clerk is responsible for a wide range of services including passports, trade name registration, notary public, property records, and veteran’s services. The Clerk’s office is also responsible for important election services, such as opting in or out of Vote by Mail, nominating petitions, designing and preparing your election ballots, and tabulating election results.
County Board of Elections: The County Board of Elections is responsible for redistricting, counting vote by mail ballots, certifying polling places, certifying elections, conducting election recounts, challenges, and Board worker training.
County Sheriff: The County Sheriff’s office supports law enforcement. Their duties include Court Security, criminal ID records, probation, child support, bomb squad, County Emergency Response Team, and missing persons.
Board of Chosen Freeholders: Your Freeholders oversee County level services, such as the Courts, roads, overseeing local municipal budgets, County social services agencies and economic development.
Getting on the Ballot
Any Citizen interested in running for local office can obtain a Petition for Public Office. The Petition is then circulated in the community to collect the required number of signatures of registered voters to qualify to be on the ballot. The required number of signatures will vary with the office. Petitions are submitted to the local Municipal office for Mayor, town council, school boards, etc.
Petitions are submitted to the County Clerk’s Office for Freeholders, Sheriff, Surrogate, and other County level positions. Petitions for higher office within the State would be submitted to the State Division of Elections.
If a potential candidate collects the required number of signatures, they may then qualify to be on the ballot.
Most positions have a minimum age requirement for public office, but these will vary according to the municipality and the position.
Write in Candidates
A write-in candidate is a candidate in an election whose name does not appear on the ballot, but whom voters may vote for by writing in the person’s name.