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Civics 101: Information on Elections and Voting: Your Vote Counts!
Democracy cannot survive without citizens who participate. Use this guide to find information on when, where, and how to vote, information about candidates and issues, and information about politics in the United States.
Get Out and Vote
This guide is intended to help you find information about issues and candidates for upcoming elections in New Jersey and the United States. Please use these tools to make informed decisions, and then vote for the candidates you prefer. Your vote is important.
For more information the Youth, Power and Policy guide contains materials that cover the history of youth activism, current, and proposed activism for social justice, voter rights, immigration and youth participation in Democracy.
2021 Elections
New Jersey Division of Elections
2021 Election Information
Voter Information Portal
- Secure Ballot Drop Box Locations in NJSecure places to post your vote-by-mail ballot.
- Track My BallotSign up to track the progress of your ballot
- Polling Place LocationsGoing to the polls in person? Check your polling location.
Voter Registration and Voting Regulations
- NJ Department of State New Jersey Division of ElectionsNeed to register: Get your form here! Applications must be postmarked on or before October 13, 2020.
Want to vote by mail? Get your application form. Must be postmarked on or before October 23, 2020. - Voting Rights - National Center for Transgender EqualityVoting is a key part of our participation in society and having our voices heard in the issues that affect us all, and we have the right to vote regardless of gender identity. Having ID that doesn’t match your gender identity or presentation should not affect your right to cast a ballot, in any state. But with increasingly strict voter ID laws, trans people may face barriers—both because of difficulties in obtaining an ID that’s accepted, or because they might run into bias or misunderstandings of the law when it comes to their gender.
COVID-19 and Elections
New Jersey Division of Elections
COVID-19 Election Resources
- Voting in a Time of CoronavirusVoter safety tips from the League of Women Voters.
- National Conference of State LegislaturesInformation on how states are planning for the upcoming election in the midst of the pandemic.
Learning about the Election Process
- Election... the American WayFrom the Library of Congress, a primer on American elections.
- Presidential Election ProcessFrom the Federal government, basic information about the election process.
- Debate Watching KitFrom the League of Women Voters, how to watch a debate.
- Everything You Need to Know About the Presidential PrimariesGet help understanding the primary process, from the League of Women Voters.
- What is the Electoral College?From the National Archives
Encyclopedia of American Political Parties and Elections, 2nd ed. by
Encyclopedia of American Political Parties and Elections provides comprehensive coverage of the American election process and its political parties. A complete A-to-Z reference, this intelligent and objective guide covers the people, events, and terms involved in the electoral process. Coverage also includes the history of elections in the United States, focusing primarily on the presidential elections. Helpful features such as engaging black-and-white photographs and illustrations, detailed appendixes, and an index make this concise reference browsable and accessible to the general reader. Entries include: Absentee voting; Blue states; Campaign ethics; Dark-horse candidate; Dirty campaign tricks; Election fraud; Electoral College; Fundraising; Internet voting; League of Women Voters; Lincoln-Douglas debates; Machine politics; Populist Party; Recall; Republican Party; Super Tuesday; Voter turnout; and, Wedge issues.
Call Number: Credo ReferenceISBN: 0816073317Publication Date: 2014
- From the New York Times: Before Nov. 3, Watch This and This and ThisA number of movies, documentaries and TV mini-series that are coming out have immediate relevance to the 2020 election.
Who Represents You?
- Find Your SenatorsIdentify members of the Senate by state.
- Find Your Congressional RepresentativeIdentify members of the House of Representatives by zip code.
Credits
This guide was developed by Leslie Murtha. Revised by Amanda Carey. Atlantic Cape Community College Libraries.
Published 5/30/2020. Based on guide developed for 2016 presidential election. Last update 9/2/2020.