Presidential Election 2012: Voting Via Email Or Fax in New Jersey Due to Hurricane Sandy But Privacy May Be Waived

If you're in the northeast, then all this Hurricane Sandy talk might have distracted you from one very important thing: the 2012 presidential election. State officials haven't forgetten, however, and the damage and widespread scattering in New Jersey has prompted state officials to allow resident voters to vote by fax or email.

You might be wondering who still uses fax, or better yet, how residents without power or cellular coverage can send out an email, but the fact of the matter is that there isn't much the state can do until utilities are restored. If you cannot email or fax, New Jersey is urging that you go to your local county office.

"To help alleviate pressure on polling places, we encourage voters to either use electronic voting or the extended hours at county offices to cast their vote," said Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno.

As far as the email situation goes, NBCPolitics reports that it will be similar to the process used by overseas citizens and service members.

According to reports, it seems that election officials will accept mail-in ballots until November 19, as long they were postmarked by November 6. The reason for this is because some post offices could still be out of operation for a while longer due to power outages and transportation for workers.

Here's what NBCNewYork had to say about the process:

"Essex County Clerk Chris Durkin told NBC 4 New York the program is being run on an honor system, relying on voters to only use the system if they truly can't get to his or her polling place.

The procedure, according to Durkin, will be to call or email the county clerk to get a ballot application emailed to you.

Once filled out, you email it back, then get the ballot itself emailed to you.

Durkin said you fill the ballot out and email it back, where it will be printed, held several days and cross checked to make sure you didn't vote some other way.

Since officials couldn't figure out a way to confirm a voters name and print the completed ballot witout an election worker looking the voters' choices while handling the ballots, voters will have to check off a waiver of privacy."

For those of you in New Jersey, you can find the relevant phone and fax numbers here, and applications for mail-in ballots here (thanks to nj.com).