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VOTER INFORMATION FOR THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
Please be aware that 3 important ballot questions will appear on the November 4th ballot. You can familiarize yourself with the issues addressed in each Ballot Questions by clicking on the links below, or by clicking here to view the entire Voter Information Guide, published by the Secretary of the Commonwealth. |
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For a sample of the November 4th ballot click here. Advisement: This sample is for informational purposes ONLY and cannot be used in any way for the casting of actual votes (i.e. to cast a vote you MUST use either an official absentee ballot or an official ballot given to you at your polling station on election day).
Voter Registration
Do you plan to vote in the Presidential Election? Are you registered to vote in Concord? Are you sure? If you have moved, changed your name, or have not returned your 2008 Annual Town Census form, then you may encounter an issue when you go to the polls. The deadline for new voter registration was October 15th. Either visit the Town Clerk’s Office, or contact us via phone or e-mail before Election Day to verify your voting status. As a courtesy to other voters in line, we ask that you not try to do this at the polling place on Election Day.
Who is eligible to vote in Concord?
Any Concord resident who is 18 years or older who is a U.S. citizen is eligible to register and vote in the November 4th Presidential Election. The deadline for voter registration was October 15th.
What will be on the November 4th Election ballot?
In addition to the President/Vice President race, you will also be asked to choose among party candidates for U.S. Senator, Representative in Congress, Governor’s Council, State Senator, State Representative, and Register of Probate. In addition, there are three statewide ballot questions on the ballot. Information about the ballot questions was recently mailed to all households by the Secretary of State’s Office (the “Red Book”), and information is available on the Town’s Website. A specimen copy of the ballot is available from the link above, just under the blue table. *Please see the blue table at the top of this page for links to information on the 3 ballot questions.
Absentee Voting
Massachusetts does not offer "early voting" for convenience. However, if you are already registered and will be away from Concord during polling hours on Election Day (7:00 am to 8:00 pm), or are unable to come to the polls in person due to disability or religious belief, then you may vote by absentee ballot. Voting may be done either in person at the Town Clerk’s Office at the Town House in Monument Square, or by mail. Absentee ballots are now available, and in-person voting at the Town House is available for those who are unable to vote at the polls in person on November 4th. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is Noon on Monday, November 3rd. Absentee balloting may be done during our regular office hours (Mon-Fri, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm; Thursdays 8:30 am to
6:00 pm), or during our Special Absentee Voting Session to be held on Sunday, November 2nd from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Please note that these special hours will be limited to absentee voting as a convenience to our customers, and other town services will not be available. Remember that the deadline for absentee voting is Noon on Monday, November 3rd.
If you wish to have a ballot mailed to you, then please drop a note to the Town Clerk’s Office requesting the ballot, providing us with your Concord address and an address where the ballot should be mailed. A family member may make a written request for an absentee ballot on behalf of a relative, with the ballot mailed directly by us to the voter. Although a special form is not required, there is one available for downloading at the Town’s web site. If the ballot is to be mailed, please allow sufficient time for mailing, since the returned ballot must be received at the Town Clerk’s Office by 8:00 pm on November 4th. Do not return absentee ballots to the polls.
If you have already received an absentee ballot in the mail from us, please be sure to mail it back immediately, so that we receive it by Election Day. Ballots mailed from overseas must be postmarked by November 4th, and received in the Town Clerk's Office by November 14th. Ballots mailed from within the United States must be received by November 4th.
What about family members away at college or residing in a health care facility?
Students who are away from Concord, but who were registered to vote in Concord by the October 15th deadline are eligible to vote by absentee ballot. A family member may request a ballot on the student’s behalf, providing us with the student’s mailing address at school. Many of the residents who are living at one of Concord’s health care facilities are already registered to vote in Concord (special voter registration sessions have been held at all four facilities this fall), and many of them have already requested an absentee ballot, which will be mailed to them directly at the nursing facility. If you have a relative in a nursing facility who wishes to have an absentee ballot mailed, then please get in touch with us to confirm that we have received the request.
Further Information
If you have any questions, or wish to verify your voting status or eligibility, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office as soon as possible. We can be reached by telephone at 978-318-3080, or via e-mail at townclerk@concordma.gov. Our office hours are Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and Thursdays until 6:00 pm. We will be open extra hours on Sunday, November 2, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm for absentee balloting only.
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