“We do not have government by the majority. We have government of the majority who participate.” Thomas Jefferson
In order for the government to be “by the people,” we must exercise our right to vote. It is
not only an important individual liberty; it is the foundation of free government.
The right to vote was initially established in 1789. In 1870, the 15th Amendment guaranteed
the right to vote to all men who were 21 or older, regardless of race or ethnic background. In
1920, the 19 th Amendment gave women 21 or older the right to vote. Finally, in 1971, the
26th Amendment lowered the voting age across the nation to 18.
Casting your ballot has been made even easier through the Vote by Mail (VBM) Program. If
you wish to take advantage of it, applications can be obtained by visiting the
township clerk’s office at 2400 Voorhees Town Center or online at
camdencounty.com/vbm.
The primary election is on June 10 and voters will be casting ballots to elect a governor,
members of the General Assembly, the Surrogate, a county commissioner (unexpired term),
the county commissioners (full term), a township committee member and
members of the county committee. The general election is on Nov. 4.
The deadline to request a VBM ballot through the mail is June 3, unless you apply in person
during the county clerk’s office hours, up to 3 p.m. the day prior to the primary. For a
VBM ballot to be counted, it must be postmarked no later than primary election day and
received by the Board of Elections by June 16. The VBM ballot can be put into a
drop box by the close of polls (8 p.m) on election day. To confirm your ballot was
received, visit trackmyballot.nj.gov.
Another option for casting your vote is early voting at the Lions Lake Facility, located at 101 Dutchtown Road. Early voting can be done from June 3 through June 7 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on June 8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Any voter who was sent a mail ballot cannot vote in person during early voting, they can, however, cast a provisional ballot that will be counted once all timely mail ballots arrive and it is verified that the voter did not cast two ballots.
Election day polls in Voorhees will be open on June 10 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Locations can be found at voorheesnj.com. Following is a list of the locations to vote in person:
Residents of Districts 1, 4, 18 & 19 – Ashland Church
Residents of District 2 – Kirkwood Fire Hall
Residents of Districts 5 and 12 – Town Hall Courtroom
Residents of Districts 7 and 17 – Centennial Mill
Residents of District 8 – Kresson Fire Hall
Residents of Districts 3, 10, 13 and 15 – Lions Lake
Residents of Districts 6, 9, 11, 14 and 16 – School adminstration building
Any voter who is not listed on the voting rolls or is denied the right to vote – and who believes
he or she is properly registered – can vote by way of a provisional ballot that will be reviewed
by the board of elections to determine eligibility.
If you have any questions about casting your vote, call the municipal clerk at (856)
429-7757 or email clerk@voorheesnj.com. Your vote counts!
The summer hours for the Voorhees Township town hall will be in effect from Tuesday,
May 27, to Tuesday, Sept. 2. The township offices will be open Monday through
Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and will be closed on Friday.
The annual Kirkwood Memorial Day Parade and Service led by the Voorhees Township Fire
Department will be held on Monday, May 26, at 11 a.m. The parade will start from the former
Carriage House Restaurant at 1219 Kirkwood-Gibbsboro Road and end at the Veterans Memorial
adjacent to the Kirkwood Fire Station. The wreath ceremony and memorial service will start at
11:30 a.m.
For more information, follow the fire department Facebook page or call (856) 783-6630.
The Voorhees Cultural & Diversity Committee invites you to join them on Saturday, June 21,
for a Freedom Day celebration in honor of Juneteenth. The free event will take place from 1 to
4 p.m. at Connolly Park. Fun activities include music, performances, food trucks, arts and crafts
and much more.
For more information, please contact Jennifer Stewart at
jbstewart421@gmail.com.
