Essex County, New Jersey
Essex County, New Jersey voter information: how to register, check your status, see your sample ballot and contact your local election office. Home to about 882,000 people, Essex County ranks 3rd in population among New Jersey's 21 counties. In New Jersey, the county clerk handles mail-in ballots and sample ballots, and the county board of elections and superintendent of elections handle registration and polling places.
Next Election
June 8, 2027
Voter Portal
Register Online
What's On My Ballot?
ID Requirements
Absentee / Early Voting
Registration Deadline
Register at least 21 days before an election.
Why Voting Matters
In Essex County, the people who show up to vote decide who represents everyone. The next election for Essex County voters is New Jersey's primary on June 8, 2027, for all State Senate and General Assembly seats; local elections can come sooner, so check your local election office. Many Essex County jobs are in health care and transportation and warehousing, so decisions about health care costs and highways and freight hit close to home.
About 313,000 people voted for president in Essex County in 2024 (down about 9% from 345,000 in 2020). That equals roughly 46% of the county's estimated 685,000 adults, below the statewide rate of about 57%.
Put another way, about 371,000 adults in Essex County sat that election out. Not all of them can vote, but if even 5% of them did, that would be roughly 18,600 more ballots, often more than the margin in races for local councils, school boards, the legislature or Congress.
Spread over about 126 square miles, Essex County averages roughly 6,992 residents per square mile, one of the denser places in New Jersey. The county is home to about 9.3% of New Jersey's population.
ZIP codes in or partly in Essex County include 07003, 07004, 07006, 07007, 07009, 07017, 07018 and 07019, plus 32 more. Confirm your registration, read through your sample ballot before Election Day, and choose whether you will vote early, by mail or in person. Invite someone you know in Essex County to join you.
Voter Assistance Resources
Who runs elections in Essex County? In New Jersey, the county clerk handles mail-in ballots and sample ballots, and the county board of elections and superintendent of elections handle registration and polling places. For registration, polling places, early voting and absentee ballots, contact the Essex County clerk and county board of elections.
Statewide directory, New Jersey Division of Elections county information page:
https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/county-vbm-forms.shtml
See your sample ballot. New Jersey county election information (your county mails your sample ballot):
https://www.nj.gov/state/elections/county-vbm-forms.shtml
You can also preview a personalized ballot at Vote411.org.
Free, nonpartisan help is available before and on every Election Day: call or text the Election Protection hotline at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683). Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682). Asian languages: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683).
Voters with disabilities in Essex County can ask for an accessible voting machine, curbside voting where offered, and help from a person of their choice. If you run into barriers, contact Disability Rights New Jersey, New Jersey's Protection and Advocacy agency, at (609) 292-9742. VoteRiders (844-338-8743) offers free help with voter ID.
Need a ride? Many local transit agencies and ride services offer free or discounted rides to the polls on Election Day, so check what is available before the next election. See our New Jersey voter page for statewide options. Details can change, so confirm with the official election office.
Military and overseas voters can get help from the Federal Voting Assistance Program at 1-800-438-VOTE (8683) or fvap.gov.
Sign up to be an election worker
Election workers (often called poll workers) keep voting running smoothly in Essex County. Most are paid for their time, get free training, and help their neighbors cast their ballots. You can work a full day, a shorter shift, or help before Election Day. County and municipal election offices recruit and train their own workers, and the EAC's Help America Vote page links to yours. Find out how to sign up:
https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote
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