By: Najla Alexander
Middlesex County officials announced that, with the 2025 General Election scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, they reaffirm their commitment to secure, transparent, and accessible elections in full compliance with state and federal regulations.
Enhanced measures by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Office of the County Clerk, and the Board of Elections are in place to safeguard every step — from voting to tabulation and post-election review, MCPO officials say. 
Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said, “This year, we are expanding our collaboration with county and municipal partners to monitor every phase of the election process and to ensure voters feel safe; Voters should feel confident that every voice is protected, every ballot safeguarded, and every result verifiable.”
NEW & CONTINUED SECURITY MEASURES FOR 2025
Robust Physical & Cybersecurity Protections
-Expanded perimeter security, including surveillance cameras and controlled access.
-Continuous interior monitoring and managed personnel access.
-Poll workers receive hands-on, small-group training to ensure readiness.
-Every polling site is staffed by trained officials from both major political parties, all sworn to uphold state election laws, overseen by the bipartisan Board of Elections.
-Experienced poll masters in large municipalities coordinate with Municipal Clerks and the Board of Elections to immediately troubleshoot throughout the Early Voting period and on Election Day.
-IT professionals and election vendors are stationed throughout the County on Election Day to provide on-site technical support and ensure smooth operations at polling locations.
Voting Machines & Data Integrity
-Comprehensive testing of voting machines to prevent tampering.
-Voting machines certified by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to meet stringent security standards.
-Machines utilize unique encryption keys for each election, with only authorized USB drives programmed for the 2025 General Election.
-Election Day routers operate on an independent network provided by the State of New Jersey through AT&T’s FirstNet Public Safety network.
-Voting systems use advanced cryptographic technologies, such as hash validation and digital signing, ensuring data integrity throughout the election process.
-Election Management System operates on hardened computers locked down for election use only — no internet access, no unauthorized devices, and restricted functions limited to running the election.
-A paper trail backs every vote, and post-election audits using statistical methods verify machine-tabulated results against a manual count.
Investigations into Voter Fraud
-Close collaboration between the Prosecutor’s Office and the Board of Elections to address any reports of voter fraud swiftly and thoroughly.
-Vote-by-mail is tightly secured: voters must apply using a paper form with a wet signature, and each signature is verified against the Statewide Voter Registration System.
-Discrepancies will be addressed promptly, and voters will have the opportunity to cure their ballot.
-Robust reconciliation procedures ensure all ballots — whether by mail, early voting, or on Election Day — are accurately counted and matched to the voter history.
-Open communication with residents for timely investigations into potential voter fraud.
“Protecting voters’ confidence is as important as protecting their ballots,” said Middlesex County Clerk Nancy J. Pinkin.
HOW TO VOTE IN THE 2025 GENERAL ELECTION
Middlesex County residents have several convenient and accessible ways to vote in the upcoming General Election, including:
Vote-By-Mail
-Residents can mail their ballots via the USPS or drop them in one of over 30 secure drop boxes located throughout the County. The deadline to request a Mail-In Ballot by mail is October 28, 2025, and in-person requests must be made by November 3, 2025, by 3 p.m.
-If you have not received your Mail-In Ballot, please contact the Middlesex County Clerk’s Office so a duplicate ballot can be mailed to you.
-If you have already returned your Mail-In Ballot, you can track its status through the Track My Ballot Portal at www.vote.nj.gov or by contacting the Board of Elections or County Clerk’s Office.
-Voters are also encouraged to look out for confirmation postcards sent by the County Clerk once their Mail-In Ballot has been received by the Board of Elections.
In-Person Early Voting
-Vote early from Saturday, October 25, through Sunday, November 2, at any of the 10 designated early voting locations. Please check the link below for locations and times.
In-Person on Election Day
-Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4.
Middlesex County officials said for full details — including early voting locations and drop box locations — visit middlesexcountynj.gov/vote.
If you have any questions about ballot security or the voting process, contact the Middlesex County Clerk’s Office at 732-745-4202.