Beach Haven, New Jersey Public Records

All registration must be completed at least 21 days before any election. First-time applicants need to provide either their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number, and those registering by mail must show identification when voting for the first time. The borough operates under a Mayor-Council form of government, with a Mayor and six-member Borough Council. Municipal elections happen in May during odd-numbered years, with the next contests scheduled for May 2025 and May 2027. The Mayor serves a four-year term while Council members hold staggered three-year terms. Candidates for local office file with the Ocean County Clerk between July and the statutory deadline in the year before the election. Residents can locate their polling place using the New Jersey Division of Elections tool at voter.svrs.nj.gov or by contacting the Ocean County Board of Elections. New Jersey maintains extensive public election records. Voter registration lists can be purchased by campaigns and political committees, though individual voter lookups are restricted. Campaign finance reports for municipal, county, and state candidates are searchable through the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission at www.elec.nj.gov. Candidate petitions and filing documents are available as public records at the Ocean County Clerk's office, and detailed precinct-level results are published after certification. In the November 2024 presidential election, Ocean County reported approximately 62% voter turnout with over 340,000 votes cast from roughly 420,000 registered voters, continuing its trend as one of New Jersey's most Republican-leaning counties. For the November 3, 2026 general election, voters in the borough and across Ocean County will decide numerous races: all 120 seats in the New Jersey Legislature (40 State Senate seats and 80 General Assembly seats on two-year terms), all Ocean County constitutional offices including County Clerk, Sheriff, and Surrogate (three-year terms), Ocean County Freeholders (now officially called County Commissioners), and potentially Beach Haven Board of Education seats depending on the election cycle. New Jersey does not have regularly scheduled gubernatorial or U.S. Senate elections in 2026, the Governor is elected in 2025 for a four-year term, and both U.S. Senate seats follow different cycles. New Jersey offers expansive mail-in voting. Any registered voter may request a mail-in ballot without stating a reason by applying through the Ocean County Clerk's office online at www.oceancountyclerk.com, by mail, or in person. Applications must arrive by the Tuesday before the election for regular processing, though emergency provisions exist for hospitalization and other qualifying events. The state mails all registered voters a mail-in ballot application before each election, making New Jersey one of the nation's most accessible vote-by-mail states.