(CNN) -- New Jersey residents displaced by Superstorm Sandy will be allowed to vote in Tuesday's elections via e-mail or fax, the first time civilians in the state have been allowed to vote remotely.
Despite some security concerns, the state announced the change to make it easier for voters who may have been forced by flooding, power outages or other storm damage to temporarily leave their communities. The directive also is intended to help emergency workers who are busy with disaster-relief efforts away from home.
Under the New Jersey directive, displaced storm victims qualify as "overseas voters," meaning they are eligible to vote remotely. To vote electronically, residents first must submit a ballot application by e-mail or fax to their county clerk. Once the application is approved, the clerk will e-mail or fax a ballot to the voter, who must send it back no later than Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET.
In many states, remote electronic voting is already available to members of the military and U.S. citizens living overseas, but this marks the first time that civilian residents in New Jersey have been permitted to vote via e-mail.
