WESTFIELD – Marisa Colon, elections clerk for the City of Westfield, announced that absentee ballots for the March 3 Special State Primary and Presidential Primary have arrived.
In order to be eligible to vote by absentee ballot in Massachusetts, a voter must be prevented from voting at their polling place on Election Day due to absence, physical disability or religious belief.
Absentee ballots must be requested in writing by either the voter or the voter’s family member. For convenience, absentee ballot applications may be downloaded; however, any written communication evidencing a desire for an absentee ballot is acceptable. If you would like to request an absentee ballot, you may submit an application or a signed letter to: City Clerk, 59 Court St., Westfield, MA 01085.
Absentee ballot applications must be received by 12 p.m. on the day before the election, unless the day before the election is a holiday or a Sunday, in which case the application must be submitted by 5 p.m. on the last business day before the election.
Except for ballots which are rejected as defective or incomplete, all absentee ballots are cast and counted by the poll workers on Election Day. Absentee ballots are included in the final tallies and are counted whether or not an election contains a close race.
Colon also said in Massachusetts, unenrolled voters (formerly known as “Independents”) can vote in Primary Elections and their ballots will count.
“There are a lot of people who are confused by their variety of news sources because each state has different laws regarding independents,” Colon said.
The 2020 Spring Election Calendar has been set as follows:
Feb. 12 is the last day to register to vote and change political party, address and/or name for the Special State Primary and Presidential Primary. Registration at Westfield City Clerk’s Office, Room 210 at City Hall, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. or online at until 11:59 p.m.
From Feb. 24-28 there is early voting for the Presidential Primary and Special State Primary at Westfield City Hall in the City Council Chambers on Monday – Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday from 9 a.m. – 8 p.m.
The Special State Primary and Presidential Primary is March 3 . The polls are open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Presidential Primary candidates and candidates for State Committee from the Second Hampden and Hampshire District listed by party on the March 3 primary ballot are as follows:
2020 Democratic Presidential Primary candidates:
Deval Patrick
Amy Klobuchar
Elizabeth Warren
Michael Bennet
Michael R. Bloomberg
Tulsi Gabbard
Cory Booker
Julian Castro
Tom Steyer
Bernie Sanders
Joseph R. Biden
John K. Delaney
Andrew Yang
Pete Buttigieg
Marianne Williamson
State Committee Democratic Candidates:
Man
Raymond M. P Drewnowski, 27 Jarvis Ave., Holyoke
David George Morin, 437 South Westfield St., Agawam
Woman
Marjorie R. Dunehew, 80 Pinehurst Rd., Holyoke
2020 Republican Presidential Primary Candidates
William F. Weld
Joe Walsh
Donald J. Trump
Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente
State Committee Republican Candidates
Man
Richard A. Berrena, 307 Linden St., Holyoke
Woman
Linda L. Vacon, 7 Pheasant Dr., Holyoke
2020 Green Rainbow Presidential Primary Candidates
Dario Hunter
Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyowasifza-Curry
Kent Mesplay
Howard Hawkins
2020 Libertarian Presidential Primary Candidates
Arvin Vohra
Vermin Love Supreme
Jacob George Hornberger
Samuel Joseph Robb
Dan “Taxation is Theft” Behrman
Kimberly Margaret Ruff
Kenneth Reed Armstrong
Adam Kokesh
Jo Jorgensen
Max Abramson
A Special State Election has been called for March 31, 2020 for the Second Hampden & Hampshire Senate District to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Donald F. Humason, Jr.
Election dates to note for the Special State Election are as follows: March 11 is the last day to register to vote and change address and/or name for the Special State Election. Registration hours at Westfield City Clerk’s Office, Room 210 at City Hall are 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. or online at www.registertovotema.com until 11:59 p.m.
The Special State Election polling hours are 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
More information on the upcoming elections may be found at www.registertovotema.com or on the city website at https://www.cityofwestfield.org/222/Elections-Voting.
