With control of both houses of Congress up for grabs in the upcoming midterm election, the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming midterm elections is October 16.

New Jersey has one U.S. Senate seat up for grabs as well as several hotly contested races in the House of Representatives, making this a critical election for the state as Democrats try to take control of Congress from Republicans.

Residents who are eligible to vote but aren't sure if they are already registered can find out on the state Department of State website. The state also has links to voter registration forms in all 21 counties, even in multiple languages.

The state also has a tool to help people find their polling places. Ocean County Clerk Scott Colabella said people with questions about where they can vote can also contact their local county board of elections to determine their status.

In addition to governmental websites, organizations like the League of Women Voters of New Jersey also has information about voter registration and candidates at the federal, state and local levels.

"I've been doing elections for many years and I can tell you that many town races are decided with a handful of votes, so I urge people to go vote," Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi said.

In August, Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation affecting the upcoming election where people who registered to vote by mail in the 2016 general election became permanently listed for that method of voting. The law was passed with the goal of increasing participation in elections. Voters have the ability to opt out of the mail-in voting. Those who did not opt out in time will be able to fill out a provisional ballot at their respective polling place.

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