Voting in 2020 in Bridgeton
By Albert B. Kelly
It’s not too much to say that the year 2020 has been a chaotic mess courtesy of Covid-19. The pandemic has touched every area of our lives and this includes the upcoming election. For the record, Election Day is November 3rd. Because of the pandemic, there will be fewer polling places in our area so it is necessary to help get the word out so residents know where to go in order to vote if not using mail-in ballots.
In Bridgeton, if you live in Ward 1 District 1 or Ward 5 District 1 you can vote at the School Administration building located at 41 Bank Street. If you live in the Second Ward, Ward 3 District 4, Ward 4 District 1, or Ward 4 District 2 you will vote at the Alms Center located at 1 Martin Luther King Jr. Way near Union Baptist Temple.
Finally, if you live west of the river in Ward 3 District 1, Ward 3 District 2, Ward 3 District 3, or Ward 3 District 5 you will vote at the Salvation Army Building located at 29 W. Commerce St at the City Park entrance. For those seeking to drop off a completed mail-in ballot, a secure (24-hour per day video monitoring) ballot box is at the side entrance of City Hall Annex (181 E. Commerce St) facing the corner of Bank St and E. Commerce Street. There is also be a ballot box at the Cumberland County Library.
Around the county, there will be secure ballot drop boxes at the Commercial Township Municipal Building, Maurice River Municipal Building, Millville City Hall, Vineland City Hall, Deerfield Municipal Building, Upper Deerfield Municipal Building, Hopewell Municipal Building, over at CCTEC, and the County Social Services building at 275 N. Delsea Drive. All have video monitoring.
You can find all polling places at http://www.co.cumberland.nj.us/content/22602/23509/24397.aspx
I don’t pretend that voting will be easy this year. Some of the difficulty is due to the pandemic and the various work-arounds and precautions officials need to take in an effort to protect public health. Other difficulties will come from some who believe that there is benefit to trying to discourage other voters from actually voting. Any remaining difficulties are of the accumulated sort built up over months and years- the general sense that it really doesn’t matter.
But voting does matter. I understand the urge to think that your vote doesn’t matter in the larger scheme of things. But it is hard to square that cynical mindset with the many thousands of people who took to the streets in protest, particularly as it relates to issues surrounding power, social justice, and criminal justice. If all of the people who took to the streets actually register and turn out on Election Day, they would be a force with a voice and an impact.
I say that because that type of change is all about follow through at the polls. Conversely, if the only thing that happens among those who are dissatisfied is that they occasionally take to the streets or to social media then I’m afraid they can easily be ignored because once the moment passes its back to business as usual. Protest is a powerful ingredient for change, but absent voting it’s a formula that’s one part entertainment and two parts social media event and that won’t get the job done.
I would like to think that people will vote because it is as close to sacred as we get in a democracy and because most of humanity for most of our history never had the chance to visit the alter we call a voting booth, but I’d settle for people voting out of sense of duty. Some vote for while others vote against. Absent these, fear is a powerful motivator with some voting one way because they fear “those people” are voting the other way. Whatever it takes I suppose.
Let’s face it, getting registered, registering others, filling out a ballot, taking time to go to a secure drop box or the polls on Election Day or even waiting in line to vote (wearing a mask) if such is required is not fun nor does it come with the adrenalin rush of amassing in the streets or the ease of tweeting or posting, but that is how mature people wield power in a democracy. And that’s what Election Day is all about.