Overview
The Town Clerk administers elections and election-related processes and functions. The Registrars of Voters, appointed by the Board of Selectmen, oversee voter registration and voter records. Election administration is managed by the Town Clerk and staff of the Town Clerk's office. The Registrars assist the Town Clerk's office in promoting voter registration, maintaining voter registration, certifying signatures on nomination papers and petitions, issuing party enrollment certificates, certifying absentee voter applications, investigating challenges to local nomination papers, conducting recounts, and assisting in the preparation of the street list.
General Duties and Administration
The Town Clerk administers nomination and election processes, registers voters, conducts the annual municipal census and certifies applications and documents for veterans' bonuses. The Town Clerk also verifies residences, prepares and provides statistics on elections and census, and provides general assistance for citizens, political parties and members of the press.
The Town Clerk conducts all presidential primaries, state primaries, state, presidential, and Town elections. The responsibilities of the Town Clerk include:
- voter registration
- supplying nomination papers for candidates, initiatives and referenda
- certification of signatures on all nomination papers and petitions
- printing ballots for Town elections
- maintenance of elections system
- recruitment of poll workers
- tallying elections results
- maintaining and preserving the records of the election
Secretary of the Commonwealth - ELECTIONS DIVISION