WESTFIELD – City Clerk Karen M. Fanion said a Feb. 10 registration deadline looms for the March 1 presidential primary. The Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Office also issued a clarification for independent or unenrolled voters.
Eligible voters can register through a link on the City of Westfield’s website, in-person at the clerk’s office or online through the Secretary of State’s Office at www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr. For the upcoming presidential primary, voters must choose a party affiliation or register as an independent or unenrolled.
Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin cautioned independent voters not to confuse their unenrolled status with the United Independent Party, which lacks a candidate in the primary.
“To vote in another party primary on March 1 (Democratic, Republican or Green-Rainbow), you must be a member of that party or registered as ‘UNENROLLED,’ which is commonly referred to as ‘INDEPENDENT,’” wrote Galvin.
The Commonwealth sent all United Independent Party members a letter to lessen the confusion.
On primary day, unenrolled voters can choose among the party choices on the ballot. For voters who wish to change their party affiliation must do so by Feb. 10.
“You want to be unenrolled if you don’t want to be affiliated with any particular party,” said Fanion.
She said her office has received a steady stream of absentee ballots. Voters who cannot vote on primary day can submit absentee ballots by noon the day before the primary. The absentee ballot is mailed to the voter.
The ballot can be hand delivered to the clerk’s office.
“You can also vote right here in the office as long as it’s the day before,” she said. “We’ll do it right up until the end.”
The 33,050 registered Westfield voter will receive postcards from the clerk’s office informing them of their polling location. Changes for the presidential primary must be made no later than February 10, 2016.
In January, the City Council approved merging the polling locations in Ward 2. Precincts A and B will merge into a single location. Ward 2 voters will now cast ballots at the new Westfield Senior Center at 45 Noble St.
Despite the merger, Ward 2 residents must check-in at the appropriate precinct tables. Voters in Ward 2 will receive a postcard notifying them of the changes. On primary day, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Supporters holding candidate signs must stand at least 150 feet from a polling place, said Fanion. The clerk’s office will test the Accu-Vote ballot machines in the coming weeks. The machines are tested seven to10 days prior to an election.
Test ballots are run through each machine. The machine data is sent to the Commonwealth and the manufacturer for verification. Fanion will announce when the tests are being conducted.
Visit www.RegisterToVoteMA.com to make enrollment changes or call 1-800-462-VOTE (8683) for further information.
