Pre-Election Day vote-by-mail balloting was historically high for the June 7 primary in Bergen County, Clerk John S. Hogan said this afternoon.
Hogan says between 2021 and 2022 the total number of VBM ballots requested by voters for the primary “has increased by a whopping 38% — from 56,500 to 78,006.”
This increase is even more dramatic when compared to the 2018 Primary Election, which also included county committee races, when only 5,000 VBM ballots were requested by voters, Hogan says.
Beside the higher demand for VBM ballots, an additional challenge emerged with the presence of County Committee on the ballot. This required the creation of 1,276 different ballot styles because each political party and local election district has its own specific ballot.
The clerk’s office had to create, proofread, print and mail out these different ballots.
According to Hogan, 20 employees, from the other divisions within the office were temporarily assigned to assist the elections division, along with the hiring of nine interns.
“Our mission of getting these ballots out to the requested voter was completed on time and I applaud my staff for their fine efforts,” Hogan said.
Bergen County boasts the most residents in the Jersey and subsequently, the most registered voters at 667,035.
“As more voters realize the convenience of VBM, our office is preparing for more record-breaking numbers in the future,” Hogan said.
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