Election: Voter Registrations & Absentee Voting

Voting

Voting

Visit the Secretary of the Commonwealth's Elections and Voting for information regarding where to vote in Lakeville. For information regarding how to vote when you arrive at the polls,  please see links below for more information:

Automatic Voter Registration

Effective January 1, 2020, Massachusetts residents who apply or renew their driver's license, ID, permit or sign up for health insurance through the Commonwealth Health Connector/MassHealth will be automatically registered to vote. Citizens will have the option to opt out of registering to vote and the RMV will no longer collect or enter information regarding political party affiliation.The automatic voter registration law was signed by Governor Charlie Baker in August 2018.

Qualifications to register to vote in Massachusetts you must be all of the following:

  • A U.S. Citizen
  • A Massachusetts resident
  • At least 18 years old on or before the next election
  • You can pre-register to vote at 16 years of age.

To check your registration status, click here.


Voter Registrations

Online voter registration is available for residents with a valid Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles identification. If you do not have an ID, you may fill out a mail-in voter registration form

ScanScan here to check your voter registration status.

Residents may register in-person at the Town Clerk’s office or Registrar of Voter’s office any weekday during normal business hours. Special voter registration hours are provided twenty (20) days before any election or Town Meeting and ten (10) days for a Special Town Meeting. Residents may also register to vote at any Registry of Motor Vehicles office.

In Lakeville, a voter must meet the following qualifications in order to register to vote:

  • Must be a U.S. citizen
  • Must be a Lakeville resident
  • Must be at least 16 years old, and understand that they must be 18 years old to be eligible to vote
  • Not under a guardianship which prohibits registering to vote
  • Not temporarily or permanently disqualified by law from voting because of corrupt practices in respect to elections
  • Not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction

Absentee Ballots

A registered voter may obtain an absentee ballot application online or at the Town Clerk's office. Upon receipt of the completed application, a ballot will be issued to the registered voter if she/he appears in person during normal business hours; otherwise, it will be mailed. Registered voters may only apply for an absentee ballot if:

  • Will be absent from Lakeville during polling hours;
  • Has a physical disability; or
  • Religious beliefs prevent the voter from coming to the polls on Election Day
  • Absentee Voting

Important Information

All absentee ballots must be applied for by NOON on the day before an election. At that time, the Town Clerk's office closes to the public to prepare for the election.

All absentee ballots requested for a family member must be mailed to the voter. They may not be hand carried to the voter, but they may be hand carried back to the Town Clerk’s office by a family member.

No witnesses are needed, unless the voter is assisted. If assisted, the person doing the assisting signs the bottom of the ballot and gives the reason why. The voter returns the ballot by mail or in person to the Town Clerk.

Family Members

A family member may request an absentee ballot for another family member. This family member must be a spouse or person residing in the same household, in-laws, father, mother, sister or brother of the whole or half blood, son, daughter, adopting parent or adopted child, stepparent or stepchild, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, grandparent or grandchild.

Disabled Voters

Permanently disabled voters may obtain a note from their physician which should then be mailed to the Town Clerk/Board of Registrars to permanently request an absentee ballot application. An application for an absentee ballot will be automatically mailed to the disabled voter twenty-eight (28) days before each election. If the permanently disabled voter completes the application and requests all ballots for that calendar year be mailed to him/her, the application will not need to be mailed for each subsequent election that calendar year; a ballot will be mailed automatically. Please note that a new absentee ballot application will need to be completed each election year.


Federal Voting Assistance Program

 

 

 

Uniformed and Overseas Citizens

The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) states that any military Service member, eligible family member or overseas citizen may be eligible to vote absentee. The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) encourages Service members, their eligible family members and overseas citizens to submit a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) every January to ensure they can participate in upcoming Federal elections. The FPCA (SF-76) allows you to apply to register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and/or update your contact information with your local election office, the Lakeville Town Clerk's Office. Hard copies of the form are also available at embassies and consulates, and military bases around the world.

Voting assistance for Service members, their families and Overseas citizens, please click on the link for more information and application: