Today, Wednesday, Oct. 17, is the last day to register to vote (if not already registered) in the upcoming Nov. 6 election. A registration session is being held at the Town Hall today from 8:30 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Anyone who is a citizen of the United States and a resident of Massachusetts, and will be 18 years old on or before Election Day is eligible to register to vote. Those registering to vote using mail-in registration forms must have their forms postmarked no later than Oct. 17 in order to vote in the Nov. 6 election.
If you have moved, even within town, or have failed to respond to the census, you may need to reregister. You may verify your voter registration through the Town Clerk’s office.
The Help America Vote Act of 2002 states that voters who register for the first time by mail may be required to show identification when they vote for the first time. Those voters may either mail a copy of their identification to the Town Clerk’s office with their voter registration form or they will be required to show it when they vote on Election Day. Acceptable identification must include the voter’s name and the address at which they are registered to vote.
Voters will be voting for electors for president and vice president, and members of the Senate and House of Representatives, the state Senate and state House of Representatives, Governor’s Council, clerk of courts, and register of deeds. There will also be two state-wide questions and a non-binding public policy question to be decided. The red “Information for Voters” booklet that the state mailed to every household contains a “cheat sheet” that will help to shorten lines at the polls.
The polls on Election Day are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Absentee ballots are now available at the Town Clerk’s office. Any voter who will be out of town during polling hours on the day of the election, or who will be unable to vote in person due to physical disability or religious belief, may request an absentee ballot. Massachusetts does not allow absentee voting at will. Visit the town’s website for more detail or for an application.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is noon the day before the election. If your ballot needs to be mailed out, please allow additional time for mail delivery. The ballot must be received by the Town Clerk before the close of the polls on election day. Ballots may not be hand carried out of the office.