Elections and Voting

Registering to Vote:
You may submit an application to register or pre-register to vote in Massachusetts if:
You are a citizen of the United States; and
You are 16 years old; and
You are not currently incarcerated by reason of a felony conviction.

If you meet the above requirements, you may apply online, by mail, or in-person. 

The deadline to register to vote in any election or regular town meeting is twenty (10) days prior to the date of the election or meeting. The deadline to register to vote in a special town meeting is ten (10) days prior to the special town meeting.

Check your voter status to see if you are eligible to vote or need to register.

Registering Online: 
In order to register to vote online, you must have a signature on file with the Registry of Motor Vehicles. If you currently have a Massachusetts driver’s license or state ID card, you may use the online voter registration application to register, update your address, or change your party affiliation. Voter registration forms submitted online must be submitted by midnight on the date of the voter registration deadline. (See deadlines above)

Registering by Mail:
If you do not qualify to register to vote online, or if you would prefer to register by mail, you may download the voter registration form. The form must be completed, signed, and delivered to the Town Clerk’s office. Voter registration forms submitted by mail must be postmarked no later than the voter registration deadline. (See deadlines above)

Registering In-person:
If you would like to register in-person, you may do so at any local election office, as well as the Elections Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office. Voter registration is also available at the Registry of Motor Vehicles and at certain public assistance agencies. Voter registration forms completed in-person are valid as of the day that they are signed.

Automatic Voter Registration:
If you are a U.S. citizen applying for or renewing a driver’s license or state ID at the RMV, or applying for health insurance through MassHealth or the Commonwealth Health Connector, you will be automatically registered to vote, unless you opt out of registering. 

If you opt out of registering to vote, or if your citizenship has not been confirmed by the RMV, MassHealth, or the Health Connector, you will not be registered to vote. If you do not opt out and your citizenship is confirmed, your name, address, and date of birth will be sent to your local election official to be added to the voter list and you will receive mailed confirmation of your registration within 2-3 weeks.

Vote By Mail:

The State Elections Division will mail out postcard applications for Vote By Mail (VBM) Ballots early in 2024. VBM and Absentee Ballots will be mailed to voters who have submitted an application as soon as the ballots are received in the Town Clerk’s Office. You may also download a VBM application here.

Absentee Ballot Information:
Download the Absentee Ballot Application here.

Eligibility:
In order to be eligible to vote by absentee ballot in Massachusetts, a voter must be prevented from voting at their polling place on Election Day, due to:
Absence from the voter’s city or town on Election Day; or
Physical disability (which includes any person taking precautions relative to COVID-19); or
Religious belief

Applying for Absentee Ballots:
Absentee ballots must be requested in writing by either the voter or the voter’s family member. If you would like to request an absentee ballot, you may submit an application or a signed letter to the Town Clerk’s Office. If you are requesting an absentee ballot for a family member, be sure to submit the request to the voter’s local election official.

When completing the application, you may indicate whether you are requesting a ballot for a specific election, or for all elections within the calendar year. Please note that absentee ballot applications expire at the end of each calendar year. If you are a voter with a permanent physical disability, you may file a note from your doctor to that effect with your local election official. Voters with permanent physical disabilities are sent completed applications at the beginning of each year, which must be signed and returned to their local election official.

Absentee ballot applications must be received by 12 p.m. on the day before the election, unless the day before the election is a holiday or a Sunday, in which case the application must be submitted by 5 p.m. on the last business day before the election. 

Applications may be submitted in person, by mail, fax, or by e-mail; however, the local election official must be able to view the signature of the person requesting the ballot. If the application is being submitted by e-mail, a scanned copy of the request must be submitted.VBM and Absentee ballots may be returned via mail, or dropped off in the Town Clerk’s office, or through the mail slot located on the outside door of the clerk’s office. All VBM/Absentee ballots returned by mail, in person, or by drop box must be received in the Town Clerk’s Office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

IMPORTANT: When returning your Absentee Ballot, you MUST return it inside of the envelope (AV7) provided with the top line signed. If you have sent your ballot back without the signed envelope, and you also did not put your name or address on the return envelope, we CANNOT count your ballot, because there is no way to know who has voted. If you think you may have sent your ballot without the inner envelope, please check on the Mass.gov website to see if your ballot has been accepted. Track My Ballot: Search (state.ma.us) If it is not listed as “accepted” please call the Town Clerk’s office.

In-person Early Voting:
In-person Early Voting will be held for 1 week prior to a State Primary Election, and for 2 weeks prior to a State General Election. Dates, times, and location will be announced by the Town Clerk’s Office.

When Absentee Ballots are Counted:
Except for ballots which are rejected as defective, all absentee ballots are cast and counted by the poll workers on Election Day. Absentee ballots are included in the final tallies, and are counted whether or not an election contains a close race.

*You may register to vote any day from 8:30AM-4:30PM Monday – Friday. Mail-in Voter Registration Forms are available at the Town Clerk’s Office, the Millicent Library and State and Federal offices.