Hello all. I am in need of some urgent absentee ballot legal information for the state of New Jersey on behalf of my father. The story is as follows:
My dad is a long haul truck driver who drives across country and is out on the road for long stretches, sometimes months at a time. Although he acknowledges that he should have filled his absentee ballot request form sooner, he mailed the ballot request 3 weeks ago and included delivery confirmation. My mom has been looking at the mail and no absentee ballot has arrived, even today. My dad called the Bergen County (where we reside) clerk's office last week and the woman said the ballot request had been received and they were sending out the ballot. However, today, my dad called back and a different woman said that she had no record of having received an absentee ballot request, and clearly one could not be sent out in time.
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My dad was naturally frustrated, and has since booked a flight at his own expense from Orlando, FL to New Jersey in order to vote locally at our town polling place. Here is where I need urgent legal assistance.
Is there a way to verify whether or not a voter has been assigned an absentee ballot voter? I've explained the provisional vote process and how it's something he will want to avoid at all costs. What my dad and I are concerned about is that he will show up at the polls locally to vote, but will have been marked as an absentee voter. However, with no absentee ballot in hand to prove that he has not voted via absentee ballot, how will my dad be able to prove he did not receive an absentee ballot?
The contracting county clerk employee stories also worry us. If in fact no record exists for my dad having requested an absentee ballot, then clearly he should be ok to vote locally. But if there was a mix up, will my dad be prevented from voting locally on November 4?
Please, if anyone can offer any form of advice, legal or otherwise, I would greatly appreciate it. Most people would blow off voting, but my dad is already taking up more than a day of his time and close to $250 of his own money just to vote in this historic election.
Thank you,
Matt
UPDATE: Potential solution!
After calling Chip (Thanks SeaTurtle!) I called the Bergen County Democratic Organization and spoke with a brilliant young gentleman who gave me explicit instructions to tell my dad. The man said to have my dad show up at the polls at 6am (which my dad was planning to do anyway) and attempt to vote. If he can vote in person, my dad should do so and problem solved. If he cannot, I was provided with a personal cell number that my dad may call to be physically escorted to the County Clerk's office in Hackensack to go before a judge. The man said if my dad calls at 6:30am, he'll be in Hackensack by 7am and will have voted by 8am.
I sincerely appreciate all you have done to help my dad and I! So many other people would simply not vote, but my dad recognizes a once in a lifetime occurrence, and I know he will proudly vote for Obama on Tuesday!