WESTFIELD – Ward 4A residents will have a new polling location this fall, according to City Clerk Karen M. Fanion. The Second Congregational Church at 487 Western Ave will replace Juniper Park School, which was used for the last time in the March election.
Fanion said the City Council and Church Board voted to approve the change in July, and the agreement was being signed on Monday. Postcards will be going out this week to all residents affected by the change.
In January, by a vote of the City Council, polling locations for Ward 2 Precinct A and Ward 2 Precinct B merged into one location at the new Westfield Senior Center located at 45 Noble Street.
A complete list of polling locations is available on the city website at www.cityofwestfield.org, and as listed below:
WARD 1 PRECINCT A: Southampton Road Elementary School, 330 Southampton Road
WARD 1-PRECINCT B: Westfield High School, 177 Montgomery Road
WARD 2-PRECINCT A and PRECINCT B: Westfield Senior Center, 45 Noble Street
WARD 3-PRECINCT A: Franklin Avenue School, 22 Franklin Avenue
WARD 3-PRECINCT B: Westfield Technical Academy (Lower Campus) 33 Smith Avenue
WARD 4-PRECINCT A: Second Congregational Church, 487 Western Avenue
WARD 4-PRECINCT B: Highland Elementary School, 34 Western Avenue
WARD 5-PRECINCT A and PRECINCT B: Munger Hill Elementary School, 33 Mallard Lane
WARD 6-PRECINCT A and PRECINCT B: Paper Mill Elementary School, 148 Paper Mill Road
Friday, August 19 is the last day to register to vote for state primary elections, which will be held this year on Thursday, September 8.
Wednesday, October 19 is the last day to register to vote for the presidential election, to be held on Tuesday, November 8.
HOW TO REGISTER TO VOTE
According to the information provided on the website of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, William Francis Galvin, you may submit an application to register or pre-register to vote in Massachusetts if you are a citizen of the United States; and you are 16 years old; and you are not currently incarcerated by reason of a felony conviction.
If you meet the above requirements, you may apply online, by mail, or in-person.
NOTE: Though you must be 18 years old in order to vote, you may pre-register to vote once you are 16 years old. If you are 16 or 17 years old, you may submit a voter registration form to your local election official, who will then place your name on the list of pre-registrants. You will receive a pre-registration notice by mail, confirming receipt of your application. Pre-registration may be done online, by mail, or in person.
Once you become old enough to vote, your local election office will mail you an acknowledgement notice, which is confirmation that your name has been moved from the list of pre-registrants to the list of registered voters. Your acknowledgement notice will include your party affiliation and the location of your polling place.
REGISTERING ONLINE
In order to register to vote online, you must have a signature on file with the Registry of Motor Vehicles. If you currently have a Massachusetts driver’s license or state ID card, you may use the online voter registration application to register, update your address, or change your party affiliation. Voter registration forms submitted online must be submitted by midnight on the date of the voter registration deadline.
REGISTERING BY MAIL
If you do not qualify to register to vote online, or if you would prefer to register by mail, you may download the voter registration at: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/Voter-reg-mail-in.pdf.
The form must be completed, signed, and delivered to your town clerk or Board of Registrar’s office. Voter registration forms submitted by mail must be postmarked no later than the voter registration deadline.
REGISTERING IN-PERSON
If you would like to register in-person, you may do so at your Town Clerk or Board of Registrar’s office. Voter registration is also available as part of every transaction at the Registry of Motor Vehicles and at certain public assistance agencies. Voter registration forms completed in-person are valid as of the day that they are signed.
CHANGING YOUR ADDRESS
You must update your voter registration every time you move. If you have moved, you may update your registration by filling out a new voter registration form. If you move after the deadline to register to vote in a state election or primary, you should wait to update your registration until after the date of the election or primary, and return to vote at your previous polling place in Massachusetts. State law allows you to vote from a previous address in a state election for up to six months after you have moved, as long as you have not registered elsewhere.
POLITICAL PARTIES
If you wish to change your party enrollment, you may do so by filling out a new voter registration form. Members of political parties may vote only in their own party’s primary elections. Unenrolled voters (commonly referred to as “Independents”) and members of political designations or minor parties may vote in the party primary of their choice. Choosing to vote in a particular party’s primary does NOT enroll you as a member of that party.
IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Certain voters must submit a copy of their identification with their voter registration or present it at their polling place on Election Day.
You may be asked to show identification when you check-in at your polling place if you are voting for the first time in Massachusetts in a federal election; you are an inactive voter; you are casting a provisional or challenged ballot; or the poll worker has a reasonable suspicion that leads them to request identification.
Acceptable identification must include your name and the address at which you are registered to vote. Examples of acceptable identification include: a driver’s license, state-issued ID card, recent utility bill, rent receipt, lease, a copy of a voter registration affidavit, or any other printed identification which contains the voter’s name and address.
It is important to keep your local election official informed of any changes to your information. You must submit a new voter registration form if you wish to change your name, address, mailing address, or political affiliation.
ABSENTEE BALLOT INFORMATION
Massachusetts allows voters to vote by absentee ballot if they will be absent from your city or town on election day, and/or have a physical disability that prevents your voting at the polling place, and/or cannot vote at the polls due to religious beliefs.
You may have an absentee ballot mailed to you or you may vote at your city or town hall by making arrangements with your local election official.
To be counted, a completed ballot must be received by the time the polls close on Election Day.
If you are voting from outside the United States, your completed absentee ballot for a final state or city election can be received up until 10 days after the election, but must be postmarked on or before Election Day.
