Covid-19 Related Announcements
Voting in General Election, Montgomery Recognized for Safety Measures, Covid-19 Case Report
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2020 GENERAL ELECTION VOTING PROCEDURES |
Somerset County Will Mail Ballots to Every Active Registered Voter, Provide Instructions Throughout Process on Casting a Ballot During COVID-19
The Somerset County Clerk’s office will provide guidance for residents who are interested in voting in the 2020 General Election to occur on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. This year is unprecedented in New Jersey since it is the first time a General Election will be held primarily by mail after Governor Phil Murphy issued an Executive Order mandating this new voting process.
“The process for voting by mail will be similar to the 2020 primary election, but we understand that this is still unfamiliar for the majority of voters and want to ensure every voter who wishes to cast a ballot has their vote counted,” said Somerset County Clerk Steve Peter. “We have had to adjust our processes due to COVID and the need to protect the health of voters and poll workers, but we also have to protect the rights of people to speak through secure and safe voting via the US Postal Service.”
As the election proceeds, the county Clerk’s Office will continue to update the voting public on the election, by providing a video that will explain exactly how to fill out a ballot to ensure that it is counted, expand sections of the website with detailed information, and social media posts so that all segments of the population will be informed.
Every Active Registered Voter Will Receive a Vote by Mail Ballot
Active registered Somerset County voters will receive ballots by mail from the Clerk’s Office by beginning late September until Oct. 5. To check if you are an active registered voter, visit https://voter.svrs.nj.gov/registration-check or call the Somerset County Board of Elections at 908-231-7084.
Active Voters Do Not Need to Request A Ballot
Because all active voters will be mailed a ballot, there is no need to request a ballot. Newly registered voters will automatically be sent a ballot without needing to request one. There are exceptions to having to request a replacement ballot, such as if an active voter has lost, damaged or filled out the form incorrectly. Voters cannot request a second ballot if they have already submitted one. Applications are available on the Clerk’s website at http://bit.ly/scvbm.
Ballots Will Have Postage Prepaid, so There Is No Need for a Stamp
Ballots for the 2020 General Election will have a prepaid label so that voters can submit their ballot without paying postage. The ballots will be considered first class mail, so there is no benefit to the voter if they use a stamp.
Vote by Mail Ballots Can Be Submitted in Several Ways
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Ballots can be submitted by mailing them to the address on the preprinted envelope with a postmark before 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3. It is highly recommended that mail-in voters submit their ballot earlier.
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Ballots can be submitted by inserting them in one of the ballot drop-off boxes located throughout Somerset County. There will be at least 13 ballot drop-off boxes in the County – locations will be announced.*
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Voters can go to a polling location from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020. There will be at least one polling location in every Somerset County town. Voters can bring their paper ballot to a polling place, or if they do not have their paper ballot, they can cast a provisional ballot. Voters who are disabled and require an accommodation will be able to vote on a special device.
Important Dates During the Election
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Monday, Oct. 5, 2020 – Ballots for active voters will be mailed out by this date. Ballots can be submitted as soon as they are received, which may happen before this date.
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Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020 – This is the last day to register to vote and be able to cast a ballot in the 2020 General Election.
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Friday, Oct. 23, 2020 – This is the last day to request a replacement ballot through the mail. Ballots can still be requested in person at the Clerk’s Office (location TBD due to COVID restrictions) through 8 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2020.
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Wednesday, Oct. 28 – This is the last day Qualified Overseas and Military Voters can request electronic balloting.
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Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020 – Election Day.
Source: Somerset County Office of Public Information
*There will be a drop-box located at the Montgomery Twp. Municipal Building, 2261 Rt. 206, Belle Mead, NJ 08502. It is highly recommended that voters return ballots as soon as they are able.
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Montgomery Twp. Recognized for Safety Measures during COVID-19 |
Montgomery Township has continued to provide high quality public service in all its departments throughout the covid-19 health concern.
According to a bulletin this week from the Greater Mercer TMA, Montgomery Township has been recognized for our efforts to keep employees and residents safe. Among the efforts cited:
· Montgomery Township is providing Covid-19 Safety Kit for Each Employee, installed Plexiglass Shields in Place, conducting daily testing and questionnaire to ensure employee safety.
· The Township also implemented telecommuting and flexible scheduling for the employees and they are allowing public visitation by appointment only with testing prior to entry in building.
· And to keep the employees motivated and foster a sense of community, virtual Zoom meetings and celebrations are part of their ongoing efforts.
The Township remains committed to the health and safety of our residents, employees, and the general public throughout the current health emergency. We encourage everyone to conduct all business by non-contact methods, such as phone or email or virtual meeting, whenever possible. But if the scheduling of an in-person appointment is necessary, please see the following safety rules:
Phone or email remain the preferred communication methods in order to protect everyone’s health. Contact information for all departments can be found on the departmental pages of the Twp. website or in The Montgomery Guide (PDF). The main municipal phone number is (908) 359-8211 Mon.-Fri. 8AM-4:30PM.
All requests for in-person visits will be evaluated to determine their necessity or if other options are suitable. If needed, arrangements will be made for an appointment at a specific date and time.
Visitors are asked to announce themselves by mobile phone upon arrival, if possible. The relevant staff member will meet them at the entrance at the appointed time. Each visitor will need to wear a facial covering and will have their temperature taken via no-touch thermometer prior to entering the building. The above applies to the main municipal building on Rt. 206 as well as the Otto Kaufman Community Center on Skillman Road and any other municipal buildings.
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TODAY’S COVID-19 CASE REPORT |
Note: There have been four (4) new cases in Montgomery/Rocky Hill since our last report Wednesday, 9-02-20.
Somerset County which is part of the Central West Region is back up to a moderate level. The Central West region includes Hunterdon, Mercer and Somerset Counties. According to this report ERs have reported an increase in the % daily visits associated with COVID-19 -like illness symptoms within the past 7 days. See Covid-19 Activity Level Report from NJ DoH.
As of 9 am today, 9-04
NJ cases: 192,973
NJ deaths: 15,971
Somerset County cases: 5,437
Somerset County deaths: 566
Montgomery cases: 149
Montgomery deaths: 7
Rocky Hill cases: 6
Rocky Hill deaths: 0
Age Ranges of Cases in Montgomery & Rocky Hill:
15 <20
19 20-29
14 30-39
25 40-49
36 50-59
24 60-69
4 70-79
18 80+
155 confirmed and probably cases for Montgomery and Rocky Hill in total, of which:
- 143 presumed recovereda
- 5 currently ill
- 7 fatalities
a “Presumed recovered” means 30 days have elapsed since individual’s diagnosis and the person is not hospitalized.
*****DISCLAIMER***** Reported numbers on this page may not match the figures provided on the Somerset County page. This is due to differences in reporting times.
Testing Site info found at: https://health.montgomery.nj.us/covid-testing/
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Mayor Sadaf Jaffer
Deputy Mayor Marvin Schuldiner
Catherine Gural
Devra Keenan
Kent Huang
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The next meeting of the Montgomery Township Committee will be Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020 at 7 PM.
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