2024 Presidential Primary Election (March 5, 2024)- Early Voting, Vote by Mail, Voter Reg, Absentee Voting & Warrant

ELECTION DAY

The polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.

Ted Williams Camp, Loon Pond Lodge

28 Precinct Street, Lakeville, MA 02347

TOWN CLERK'S OFFICE OFFICE HOURS DURING AND AFTER ELECTION

Please be advice, our office will be closed to the public due to certifications and resolutions of the election on March 6, 2024 and staffed with temporary help for all election questions on Election Day, March 5th.

Please call ahead prior to the election should you need our immediate attention at 508-946-8800.

VOTER REGISTRATION

Deadline to Register to Vote in Lakeville in this Election: 5:00 PM, Saturday, February 24, 2024,  online registration open up until 11:59 PM at the Massachusetts Secretary of State's Website.

Anyone who is not yet registered to vote in the Town of Lakeville must register by the deadline.  To register to vote, download, complete and sign the attached Voter Registration Form below.  The application can be returned to the office of the Town Clerk by 5 PM on February 24th by dropping off in person or utilizing the Town Clerk's Drop Box in the Town Office parking lot.  The Town Clerk's Office will be open on Saturday, February 24th until 5 pm for in person registration.  This is also the deadline to make party changes.  Voter registration can also be done online at www.sec.state/ovr/. 

Scan here to check your voter registration status

DROP-BOX

Town Clerk, Lillian M. Drane would like to re-introduce to residents the TOWN CLERK'S OFFICE DROP BOX located outside of the Town Hall (346 Bedford Street, Lakeville, MA 02347). The drop box will be utilized for election mail including absentee voting applications, ballots and voter registration forms, dog licenses, vital records request and other business conducted by the town clerk's office.

PARTY AFFILIATION FOR PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY

Unenrolled (commonly known as Independent) voters will need to choose which primary ballot type (Democratic Party, Republican Party or Libertarian Party) they wish to vote on. Voters who are registered in a particular party (Democratic Party, Republican Party or Libertarian Party) MUST take that party ballot type.

Verify your party enrollment (link will take you to the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ website)

Change your party enrollment (link will take you to the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Online Voter Registration System website). Change in party enrollment must be completed prior to the final voter registration deadline of February 24, 2024.

EARLY VOTING BY MAIL

Massachusetts voters now have the option to vote early by mail in all elections, with no excuse required. To request your Vote by Mail ballot, submit a signed application to the Town Clerk's Office by 5 PM on February 27th.  In addition to no-excuse early voting by mail, Massachusetts has absentee voting for those who qualify. While early Vote by Mail ballots are more common, there are special circumstances where you need to apply for an absentee ballot instead. You can find more information about absentee ballot eligibility under “Absentee Ballots,” below.

In 2024, every voter in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts will be receiving a postcard in the mail with the option to vote by mail for this election as well as all other elections to be held in 2024.  If you are currently enrolled in a Party (Democrat, Republican, or Libertarian) you will receive a postcard that indicates your party enrollment.  If you are registered as "Unenrolled" (not affiliated with any Party) you will received a postcard asking you to choose a ballot for the March and September Primary Elections.  Samples of the 2 postcards are attached below.  You are only required to choose a Party Ballot if you are registered as "unenrolled".  Please be aware of the party change and voter registration deadline for this election.

These applications will be pre-addressed to your local election office and postage pre-paid.  Vote by Mail applications can also be downloaded or printed below.  Any written request with your signature is an acceptable application. You can simply write a signed letter to your local election office to apply for your ballot.  (Wet signatures are NOT allowed on applications to vote by mail, it must be the voter's signature)  Applications can be submitted by mail, email, or fax. If you’re emailing your application, you need to sign it in a way that can be compared to your hand-written signature. Electronic signatures, scanned applications, and photos of applications are acceptable. Typed signatures cannot be accepted.

If you’re applying for a primary ballot, and you aren’t registered in a party, (UNENROLLED), you must indicate which party’s ballot you want to receive. If you don’t provide a party on your application, you will not receive a primary ballot.

If you’re unenrolled (commonly called “Independent”) or enrolled in political designations, you are allowed to vote in the party primary of your choice. Your ballot choice will not affect your party registration.

Ballots will be available to view and attached below once they become available.

Application deadline for the Presidential Primary 3/5/2024 is 5:00 pm, Tuesday, February 27th. Your application can only be accepted if it has reached your local election office by the deadline.  Apply as early as possible, especially if your ballot will need to be mailed out of town. The U.S. Postal Service recommends allowing up to 7 days for mail delivery. To ensure you receive your ballot with enough time to mail it back, you should apply 2-3 weeks before Election Day. 

• Mailing it back using the envelope provided;
• Hand-delivering your ballot to your local election office;
• Dropping your ballot off at an early voting location during early voting hours;
• Using the Town Clerk's drop box provided in the Town Office parking lot. 

Ballots cannot be dropped off at a polling place on Election Day.

For the March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary, your ballot must reach your local election office by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted. Ballots that arrive after that time – even if they are postmarked on or before Election Day – will not be counted.

Use our Track My Ballot tool to check the status of your ballot. The tracker will show you the date your ballot was mailed, the date it was returned, and whether your ballot was accepted or rejected. TRACK YOUR BALLOT HERE.

EARLY VOTING IN PERSON

You can still vote in person if you’ve applied to vote by mail. You can vote at an early voting location or your polling place on Election Day.  You can’t vote in person if your ballot has been accepted by your local election office. You can’t take your ballot back or vote again.  If your ballot hasn’t been accepted by Election Day, you may vote in person at your polling place. If your ballot arrives at your local election office after you’ve voted, the mail-in ballot will be rejected.

EARLY VOTING IN PERSON- DATES & TIMES:

LOCATION:  Old Town Hall, 2 Precinct Street, Lakeville, MA

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS FOR EARLY VOTING 
 

If I applied for a vote by mail ballot may I appear to vote in person at an early voting site or at the polls on Election Day?

YES - If your vote by mail ballot has not been received back to the Town Clerk’s Office, you may still appear to vote in person at the polls on Election Day or at an early voting site.  These voters will be required to complete additional paperwork and will need to show an I.D.  Should your mail in ballot be received after you voted early in person or at the polls on Election Day that ballot will be rejected and will not be counted.

NO - If a vote by mail ballot has already been received back by the Town Clerk’s Office.   A returned vote by mail ballot is considered cast and you will not be eligible to vote by mail, early in person or in person at the polls on Election Day. 

If I vote early in person can I appear to vote in person at the polls on Election Day?

NO - If you appeared to vote early in person your ballot will be considered cast and you will not be eligible to vote by mail, or in person at the polls on Election Day.  Voting in Person at the Polls after submitting an early ballot is prohibited as outlined in 950 CMR 4 7.19.

When & how is an early voter's ballot (by mail or in person) cast?
All vote by mail and early voting in person ballots will be opened and inserted into a tabulator before Election Day or processed through the tabulators at the polls on Election Day.  All ballots will be kept secured, locked, and unexamined until the polls are closed on Election Day.    
 
Voting in Person at the Polls after submitting an early ballot is prohibited as outlined in 950 CMR 4 7.19.

150 FOOT RULE

Beginning with early voting for the September 6th State Primary, the 150 foot rule prohibiting campaigning around polling places will be extended to early voting sites as well. This means that there shall be no campaigning for or against a candidate or question on the ballot for that election within 150 feet of the entrance to the early voting site during voting hours. Signature gathering of any kind will also be prohibited during the voting hours. 

ABSENTEE BALLOTS

• Be away from your city/town on Election Day;
• Have a disability that keeps you from voting at your polling place;
• Have a religious belief that prevents you from voting at your polling place on Election Day.

• You are a U.S. citizen residing overseas;
• You are on active military duty;
• You are currently incarcerated for a reason other than a felony conviction;
• You are requesting an emergency absentee ballot due to hospitalization.

Deadline to apply for in-person Absentee Voting by APPOINTMENT ONLY until NOON, March 4, 2024.

EMERGENCY ABSENTEE BALLOTS:

If you have been admitted to a healthcare facility within 1 week of the election, you may use the absentee ballot application to designate someone of your choice to deliver a ballot to you. The person you designate to deliver your ballot will need to bring the signed application to your local election office, pick up your absentee ballot, bring it to you, and return it for you by the close of polls on Election Day. Emergency ballots may be requested up until the close of polls.

MILITARY & OVERSEAS VOTERS:

If you are a U.S citizen residing out of the country or on active military duty, you may use the Federal Post Card Application or the Massachusetts Absentee Ballot Application to request your ballot. More information is available at: https://www.fvap.gov/.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!!

Save Time and Avoid Aggravation...

Know these 6 things BEFORE going to the polls:

The deadline to register to be eligible to vote in the Presidential Primary election is Saturday, February 24th @ 5:00 pm.  The Town Clerk's Office will be open on this date from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM for in person voter registration or register to vote online at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/.  This is also the last day to make changes to your party affiliation.  REMEMBER, the Primary is a Partisan Election and you must vote on the ballot for the party in which you are registered.  If you are registered as Unenrolled, you may choose which party ballot you want to vote on.

Voters must return their signed street list census form annually to the Town Clerk’s office to maintain an active voter status.  Inactive voters are still eligible to vote but will be required to complete additional forms and show an ID at the polls in order to vote.  To avoid having to complete additional paperwork at the polls, voters who appear as inactive can change their status to active by stopping by the Town Clerks Office to sign a census form in person up until Saturday, February 24th @ 5:00 pm.  Changes to the voting lists cannot be made after the deadline of February 24th.

Yes!  You can vote early either in person or by mail.  See the Early Voting schedule on the other side of this card for dates, hours and location!  You can also vote by mail by submitting an application to the Office of the Town Clerk no later than 5 pm on the 5th business day before the election – For the March 5th, Presidential Primary, Tuesday, February 27th at 5:00 pm.  Applications can be found on the Town’s website or the Secretary of States website. 

The polling location is divided into precincts and voters will appear on the voting list only in the precinct in which their street is part of.  Voters are strongly encouraged to already know which precinct they will be voting in before entering the polling location.  If you are unsure of your precinct, please check with the Election Office. 

Voters are encouraged to educate themselves on the many races and/or questions that will appear on their ballot PRIOR to arriving at the polls.  By visiting the website: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleupcomingelections/upcoming-elections.htm.  

You will have the option to view your ballot and check your registration status. Educated voters will reduce the amount of time necessary in the voting booths and reduce lines and crowding on Election Day.  Sample ballots will also be available to view at the Office of the Town Clerk-Bulletin Board, 346 Bedford Street,  as well on the bottom of this page as an attachment.