We voted yesterday -
We went to the county building where the election office is to hand deliver the ballots, since we had no choice but to ‘vote by mail in NJ! We asked a police officer as we walked through the courtyard towards the building entrance, and was told ‘Building is closed. No hand delivery. Drop in the ballot drop box.’
My other half, believing what he heard, obediently dropped it off at the drop box outside the building. I decided to hold on to my ballot and headed to the entrance. I asked the police/guard there if there really is no way to deliver it in person. He said ‘Yes’ and told me to go to the officer at the station slightly ahead of him. I went there. The lady official checked my id/signature, made me sign the book (including the time of the day). After she signed it, she told me my ‘number’, and showed me when she placed my ballot in the ‘box’.
So it is safely placed in the box,
whether they count it as I voted - that would be a different story here in NJ !
The neighboring town to the north was in the news for the ballots discarded by a dumpster (along with other mail); a 26 year-old carrier (from my town) is facing federal charges now. NJ was probably a foregone conclusion for Biden but this emphasizes how bad this system is.
Meanwhile, no one is checking ID's if we drop our ballots in a regular mailbox.
This mail-in system is a mess.