New Jersey’s vote-by-mail participation rate remains well behind last year’s pace, despite steady increases in ballots returned during mid-October. The latest data show that the state’s mail voting engagement, while healthy, is significantly lower than the activity seen in the November 2024 general election.
Fewer Ballots Mailed, Slower Returns
As of October 18, 2025, the New Jersey Division of Elections reports that 918,655 mail ballots have been issued statewide. So far, 358,515 ballots have been returned —equal to 39% of those mailed. By comparison, at the same point in October 2024, voters had already returned 55% of mailed ballots — a difference of 16 percentage points, or roughly 145,000 fewer ballots returned this year.
Comparative Totals
Mid-October Trends
• 2025 has gained nearly 40,000new returns since October 15, bringing the total to 358k — but remains far behind the 2024 curve.
• At this point last year, more than half of all ballots mailed had already been returned; this year, only two in five have.
• County election offices continue to process ballots on a similar schedule to 2024, suggesting that the shortfall stems from voter behavior, not operations.
Why 2025 Lags Behind
1️⃣ Fewer 'permanent VBM' voters— Following the February 2025 voter roll cleanup, counties removed thousands of inactive mail voters, shrinking the overall mailing pool.
2️⃣ Lower-intensity election cycle — With no presidential race on the ballot, voter enthusiasm and early participation have dropped.
Projected Outlook
If the 2025 return curve mirrors2024’s late-October surge, total returns could still reach690,000–700,000 (about 75% of ballots mailed). If momentum stays subdued, totals may finish closer to 650,000 (around 71%). Either way, the data indicate a 20–25% decline from last year’s 856,604returns — reflecting both a smaller mail-voting population and slower engagement.
Summary
Mail-in voting remains a vital part of New Jersey’s election process, but participation in 2025 is notably down from the high turnout levels of 2024. With less than three weeks remaining until Election Day, the coming days will determine whether voters close the gap — or confirm that New Jersey’s record mail-ballot era peaked last year.
