#1 2009-09-17 22:38:28
How to Register to Vote in Massachusetts
Who may register?
Only a person who is:
a US citizen, and
a resident of Massachusetts, and
18 years old on or before election day
How can I register to vote?
By Mail: Mail-in registration forms are widely available. To obtain a mail-in registration form please call 617-727-2828 or 1-800-462-VOTE and a form will be sent to you or you can download a National Voter Registration form. Mail the completed form to your local city or town hall. You should receive a confirmation notice in 2 to 3 weeks. If you do not, please contact your local election office to verify your voting status.
In Person: Go to any registration location and complete an affidavit of registration, which must be answered truthfully under the penalty of perjury. The questions on the affidavit will include your name, residence and date of birth.
At the Registry of Motor Vehicles: Keep your motor voter receipt until you receive confirmation from your local election official. If you do not receive any confirmation, please contact your local election office to verify your voting status.
When and where may I register?
There is no waiting period to be eligible to register to vote. If you move, you may register to vote as soon as you move into your new home.
You may register to vote:
in person or by mail, by completing a mail-in registration form and delivering it to your city or town election office, or
at any local election office in any city or town in the state and at any registration event you encounter anywhere in Massachusetts, or
when applying for or renewing your driver's license at the Registry of Motor Vehicles or when applying for service at a designated voter registration agency.
Registration forms are also available at all colleges, universities, high schools and vocational schools.
What must I do if I've changed my address since I registered?
If you have moved within the same city or town, notify your local election office of your new address in writing. If you have moved to a new city or town, you must register again.
Are there deadlines for registration?
Yes. In order to vote you must be registered:
20 days before all primaries and elections, and/or
10 days before a special town meeting.
Do I need to attach identification to my voter registration form?
Yes, if you are registering to vote for the first time in Massachusetts. Because of a new federal law, the Help America Vote Act of 2002 passed by Congress, if you registered to vote by mail on or after January 1, 2003, you will be required to show identification when you vote for the first time in a federal election since registering by mail in 2003, or you can send in a copy of your identification with your voter registration form.
Acceptable identification must include your name and the address at which you are registered to vote, for example: a current and valid driver’s license, photo identification, current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check, or other government document showing your name and address. If you send in a copy of your identification with your mail-in voter registration form, it may not be returned to you.
If you do not provide such identification, the Help America Vote Act of 2002 requires that you may only cast a provisional ballot which will be counted later, but only after your eligibility to vote has been determined
What should I do if I registered to vote and I have not heard from my local election official?
If you have NOT received confirmation of your voter status from your city or town election official within 2 or 3 weeks from the date you registered please contact your local election office to verify your voting status.
PShooter
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#2 2009-09-18 00:02:01
Outstanding Pshooter, we can put forth all the turnout efforts and get people to attend town meeting but if they are not registered to vote they will not be allowed to vote on the articles.
Is there anything you found in the regs that would allow us to hold a voter registration drive. If we could we could set some up as we are passing out the flyers
Steve
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#3 2009-09-18 15:39:48
searay240 wrote:
Is there anything you found in the regs that would allow us to hold a voter registration drive. If we could we could set some up as we are passing out the flyers
Steve
I saw that each of us can order up to 25 registration cards, and make it part of what we pass out. I ordered 25 already. Please, order 25 even if you don't intend to pass any out. If you get them to Steve, Bob, etc., we'll get them out. Thanks.
Voter Registration Form Request
PShooter
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#4 2009-09-18 18:08:33
2010 ELECTIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
TOWN ELECTION - TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 2010 FROM
8:00 A.M. TO 8:00 P.M.
LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE IS WEDNESDAY,
MARCH 17, 2009. THE CLERK'S OFFICE WILL BE OPEN
UNTIL 8:00 P.M. FOR THAT EXPRESS PURPOSE.
Nomination papers will be available on Tuesday, January 12,
2010 for the following offices:
Board of Selectmen - Two 3-year terms
Town Clerk - One - 3 year term
Town Moderator - One - 3 year term
Assessor - One 3-year term
School Committee - One 3-year terms
Housing Authority - One 5-year term
LAST DAY TO PICK UP NOMINATION PAPERS IS SET FOR
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12. 2010 UNTIL 5:00 P.M.
NOMINATION PAPERS MUST BE RETURNED BY TUESDAY,
FEBRUARY 16, 2010 UNTIL 5:00 P.M.
REGISTRARS MUST SUBMIT NOMINATION PAPERS TO THE
TOWN CLERK ON TUESDAY. MARCH 2, 2010 UNTIL 5:00 P.M.
LAST DAY TO OBJECT OR WITHDRAW IS THURSDAY, MARCH
4, 2010 UNTIL 5:00 P.M.
VOTING INFORMATION:
All citizens 18 years of age or older can appear personally at the Town
Clerk's Office to register or call and request a registration form be mailed
to their home. Once the form is completed, one would then mail or hand
deliver the form back to our office. Any changes, i.e. marriage or divorce
name change; address change; party change, etc. , can be easily
accomplished.
The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) dictates that for all new voters
who registered by mail only must show identification to prove they
are the person voting. Any new voter, registered by mail, can enclose a
clear copy of their license with the registration form, or come into the
Clerk's Office well before the Town or State Election and show proof of
identification, which would exempt you from doing so on election day.
Acceptable forms of Identification are:
Massachusetts License or Identification
Lease or Mortgage with person's name and address
Letter from you Landlord on his/her letterhead
Utility bill with your name and address
Government correspondence
Bank statement with person's name and address
Real Estate Taxes with name and address
Excise Tax with name and address
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#5 2009-09-18 18:12:05
PShooter wrote:
searay240 wrote:
Is there anything you found in the regs that would allow us to hold a voter registration drive. If we could we could set some up as we are passing out the flyers
SteveI saw that each of us can order up to 25 registration cards, and make it part of what we pass out. I ordered 25 already. Please, order 25 even if you don't intend to pass any out. If you get them to Steve, Bob, etc., we'll get them out. Thanks.
Voter Registration Form Request
PShooter
FYI.. YOU MUST BE REGISTERED TO VOTE ATLEAST 21 DAYS BEFORE TOWN MEETING OR AN ELECTION...TO BE SAFE I WOULD SUGGEST TO BE REGISTERED BY 10-4-09 FOR TOWN MEETING..
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#6 2009-09-18 22:30:15
Just ordered 25
hope to share all.
it`s a start.
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#7 2009-09-18 22:33:32
Remember...beware of moles!
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#8 2009-09-21 17:13:56
PShooter wrote:
searay240 wrote:
Is there anything you found in the regs that would allow us to hold a voter registration drive. If we could we could set some up as we are passing out the flyers
SteveI saw that each of us can order up to 25 registration cards, and make it part of what we pass out. I ordered 25 already. Please, order 25 even if you don't intend to pass any out. If you get them to Steve, Bob, etc., we'll get them out. Thanks.
Voter Registration Form Request
I received my 25 today (pretty quick turnaround). If ANYONE else orders any, please get them to Bob, Larry/Liz or Steve and we'll start doing what we can to pass them out with flyers. Thanks.
PShooter
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#10 2009-09-21 21:08:11
ordered my 25 today......
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#11 2009-09-24 01:15:56
bump
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#12 2009-09-25 08:47:19
i have my 25 register to vote cards!!!
CORRECTION-----YOU MUST BE REGISTERED TO VOTE 20 DAYS BEFORE TOWN MEETING NOT 21 LIKE I PREVIOUSLY POSTED..
simple to fill out the size of a postcard.. can be mailed in to the state or given to the town clerk.. anyone wanting some for friends or neighbors send me a pm or email...
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#13 2009-09-28 19:31:42
i found this on my fb..
Take Back Our Town - A New Day for Wareham Marc Anthony's is offering a free pizza to anyone who registers to vote!
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#14 2009-09-28 20:41:49
Three cheers for Marc and John!....I love those guys...They aren't telling new voters HOW to vote...They are just saying,"Hey ! If you don't vote, you can't gripe ." Let's all give them a lot of "good guy" business to make up what they are willing to commit to better government.
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#15 2009-09-28 22:08:10
I think that is the best approach. Give the citizens information and allow them to decide. A free pizza makes it even better!
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