Power Outages Cause Some Polling Places to Change

In order to accommodate the delivery of polling stations, and continued power outages, the township has changed some of the polling locations throughout the district.

Bridgewater Township Mayor Dan Hayes said the township had to submit its list of polling stations to the state by Sunday, so these changes will stand, regardless of whether some of the buildings get power back by Tuesday.

"Go early," he said, adding that the polling places will be busy. "And directions will be provided at the old locations to the new locations."

These are the new polling locations, by district:

• District 1—The Somerset County Park Commission, on Milltown Road (relocated from Bradley Gardens Firehouse)
• District 2—The Somerset County Park Commission, on Milltown Road (relocated from Bradley Gardens Firehouse)
• District 3—Adamsville Primary School, on Union Avenue
• District 4—Bridgewater Municipal Court, meeting room 102, on Commons Way
• District 5—4-H Center, on Milltown Road
• District 6—Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School, on Merriwood Drive (relocated from Hamilton School)
• District 7—Green Knoll Fire House, on North Bridge Street
• District 8—People Care Center, on Finderne Avenue
• District 9—Finderne Rescue Squad, on Union Avenue
• District 10—The Harmon V. Wade Administration Building, on Newmans Lane (relocated from the Blessed Sacrament Parish Center)
• District 11—Bridgewater Municipal Court, meeting room 102, on Commons Way
• District 12—The Harmon V. Wade Administration Building, on Newmans Lane (relocated from the Blessed Sacrament Parish Center)
• District 13—Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School, on Merriwood Drive (relocated from Hillside School)
• District 14—Adamsville Primary School, on Union Avenue
• District 15—Finderne Rescue Squad, on Union Avenue
• District 16—Country Hills Fire House, on Milltown Road
• District 17—Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School, on Merriwood Drive (relocated from Hamilton School)
• District 18—Green Knoll Fire House, on North Bridge Street
• District 19—Bridgewater-Raritan High School, on Garretson Road (relocated from Van Holten School)
• District 20—The Harmon V. Wade Administration Building, on Newmans Lane (relocated from the Blessed Sacrament Parish Center)
• District 21—Green Knoll Fire House, on North Bridge Street (relocated from the Bridgewater Senior Center)
• District 22—Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School, on Merriwood Drive (relocated from Hillside School)
• District 23—Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School, on Merriwood Drive (relocated from Crim School)
• District 24—The Harmon V. Wade Administration Building, on Newmans Lane (relocated from the Blessed Sacrament Parish Center)
• District 25—Bridgewater-Raritan High School, on Garretson Road (relocated from Eisenhower School)
• District 26—Bridgewater-Raritan High School, on Garretson Road (relocated from Eisenhower School)
• District 27—Adamsville Primary School, on Union Avenue
• District 28—Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School, on Merriwood Drive (relocated from Hillside School)
• District 29—Bridgewater-Raritan Middle School, on Merriwood Drive (relocated from Hillside School)
• District 30—Bridgewater-Raritan High School, on Garretson Road (relocated from Bridgewater United Methodist Church)
• District 31—Country Hills Fire House, on Milltown Road
• District 32—Green Knoll Fire House, on North Bridge Street
• District 33—4-H Center, on Milltown Road
• District 34—4-H Center, on Milltown Road
• District 35—4-H Center, on Milltown Road
• District 36—Bridgewater-Raritan High School, on Garretson Road (relocated from Bridgewater United Methodist Church)

Nov. 2

Bridgewater Township is expecting to have its polling locations in all the same spots as it did in 2011—with the addition of provisions for those buildings without power.

According to Bridgewater Township Mayor Dan Hayes, all usual polling locations will be used for Tuesday's elections. And for those locations where there is no power, the state is providing mobile polling stations for paper voting.

"You will have to plan a little extra time for voting," he said.

As of Friday afternoon, the People Care Center, which serves as a polling location, does have power, and the municipal complex will be using two generators Tuesday to power the electronic voting stations.

From there, Hayes said, all other locations will either have the electronic stations because power has returned, or they will make use of the mobile stations provided at no charge by the state for paper voting.

For those interested in voting before Tuesday, the Somerset County Clerk's Office, on Grove Street, will be open for specific hours through Monday for paper voting.

"It is for walk-in voting," Hayes said.

The office will be open until 4:30 p.m. Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The office will be open Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for voting.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.