County Clerk

Mary H. Melfi

Normal Business Hours Monday- Friday 8am-4:30pm

countyclerk@co.hunterdon.nj.us
908-788-1214

Connecting the Clerk

An important message from the Hunterdon County Clerk, Mary H. Melfi:

"I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

Annual School/General Election November 7, 2023

The Annual School and General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Deadline to Register to Vote (PDF) is Tuesday, October 17, 2023.

As we prepare for the upcoming election, if you have been receiving a Vote by Mail Ballot and wish to now vote Early or at the polls on Election Day, please submit a Voter Opt Out Request (PDF) by September 1, 2023. If you wish to Vote by Mail, please submit a Vote by Mail Application (PDF) and we will place you on the list to receive a ballot. To accommodate our Military and Overseas Voters, ballots will be placed in the mail beginning September 23rd for all approved applications.

The Annual School Election will be held on November 7, 2023. Please see the listing of candidates(PDF) that will appear on the ballot.

Those that have applied for a Vote by Mail Ballot should expect a ballot in the mail the week of September 25th.

Early Voting will begin at the three Hunterdon County Early Voting Centers conveniently located throughout the County on October 28th and continue through November 5th. Please follow our website for more information. Early Voting does not affect those of you that choose the convenience of voting by Vote by Mail Ballot in your own home or going to the polls on Election Day.

The Ballot will contain choices for New Jersey State Senate, NJ Assembly, Surrogate, (1) Commissioner, Municipal offices, School Boards and Fire Commissioners in East Amwell Township, Franklin Township and Lambertville City.

County Clerk's Passport Service

We are processing passport applications. The US Department of State announced processing time can take up to 17 weeks (included receipt and return mail time) for Normal Processing and up to 11 weeks for an Expedited Processing. Please consider this timing when applying or renewing your passport. We strongly encourage you to check your documents now and plan accordingly.

Walk-ins are welcomed but we do schedule appointments. Scheduled appointments will receive priority. Please call our office at (908)788-1221 to make an appointment, and to find out how to make sure your visit and time applying for your passport is organized and efficient.

To see the latest information from the US Department of State Passport Operations-please visit the link below at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html

Ident-a-Shred

The Next IDENT-A-SHRED (PDF) is scheduled for September 9, 2023, from 8am-11:30 am (or until the trucks are full) at County Complex on Route 12. We thank those residents who have participated in this popular program.

Notary Oaths

Notary Oaths are by appointment only. Please call 908-788-1221 to schedule an appointment.

Search Room

The Search Room is open to the public. If you would like extra assistance, please contact the search room at (908)788-1218 to schedule an appointment.

We wish you a safe and happy summer. Please do not hesitate to contact our office if we can assist you in anyway.

Mary H. Melfi,
County Clerk and Staff

About the Clerk's Office

The County Clerk's Office is known as the "Keeper of the Records" and is one of the oldest offices in the State of New Jersey. The County Clerk is referred to as a "Constitutional Officer", elected by the voters of the County for a five year term.

The County Clerk's Office is responsible for recording all:

Assignments
Building Contracts
Certificates of Incorporation
Deeds
Financing Statements
Hospital and Physicians Liens
Maps
Mechanics Liens
Military Discharges
Mortgages
Releases of Mortgages
Trade Names
Vacation of Roads
Etc.

These documents are indexed, filed and digitally imaged. They are also microfilmed as part of a disaster recovery plan. The microfilm is stored off-site at the Hunterdon County Records Retention Center.

The older records are in the process of being redacted to protect the public from identity theft. Once the redaction process has been completed, the plan is to make the records available through an online process. All records from 1785 to date have been recorded and are available upon request. The Record Room of the County Clerk's Office is open daily Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4:00 pm to the public. Knowledgeable staff is always available to answer questions and offer assistance.