Union County voters can pick up or return vote-by-mail ballots in person at two county clerk offices ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.

Union County Deputy Clerk Clara Fernández announced Oct. 6 that ballots are available at the Westfield office, 300 North Ave. East, and the Elizabeth office, 2 Broad St., Suite 113. Both locations will hold special Saturday hours on Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for voters who need to pick up or drop off ballots.

The Westfield office is also open on regular Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Its weekday hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. The Elizabeth office is open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Voters who previously requested mail ballots should already have them. The county mailed those ballots before the Oct. 6 announcement.

"We encourage eligible voters to become informed, prepare ahead of time, and participate in the election," Fernández said in the announcement.

The deadline to opt out of receiving a vote-by-mail ballot for this election has passed, according to the Union County Board of Elections.

The board noted on its website that it will process mail ballots per New Jersey state law. The state is in litigation with the federal government over a U.S. Supreme Court decision related to mail voting. The board did not elaborate on the case's potential impact.

New Jersey law requires mail ballots to be postmarked on or before Election Day to count. Fernández's office noted that U.S. Postal Service postmarks reflect when mail is processed, not when it is dropped off. Ballots mailed close to Nov. 3 could receive a later postmark.

The county's Board of Elections website advises voters to mail ballots at least seven days before Nov. 3 or use a secure drop box. A complete list of secure ballot drop-box locations is available through the Board of Elections' drop-box page on unioncountyvotes.com.

That seven-day cushion matters. Because the Postal Service stamps mail when it processes it, a ballot dropped in a mailbox days before the election could miss the postmark deadline.

Voters can also review sample ballots and election information at unioncountyvotes.com or through the county's free mobile app. For questions, call 908-527-4996 or email [email protected].

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.