Election Information

2020 Anticipated Election Dates

ELECTION
DAY OF ELECTION
DEADLINE TO REGISTER
Presidential Primary
Tuesday, March 3, 2020
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
Annual Town Election
POSTPONED APRIL 4, 2020 -
NEW DATE IS JUNE 20, 2020
POLLING HOURS 10 AM TO 4 PM		EXTENDED LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2020
State Primary
Tuesday, September 1, 2020
Tuesday, August 12, 2020
Presidential Election
Tuesday, November 3, 2020
Wednesday, October 14, 2020

Please be advised the April 4, 2020 Annual Town Election was postponed by the Board of Selectmen at their March 20, 2020 Emergency Meeting pursuant to Chapter 45, Acts of 2020 https://malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2020/Chapter45.  The Board voted to postpone the Annual Town Election to June 20, 2020 at their meeting held on May 4, 2020.  The polling hours were also voted to be reduced for the safety of our election officers and voters to 10 am to 4 pm for the Annual Town Election of June 20, 2020.

The new law passed allowed municipalities to postpone their local elections by a local vote and early voting by mail in local elections being held on or before June 30, 2020. You may apply now for your mail-in early ballot.  Ballots for the original election date will still be valid. If you have already submitted an absentee ballot, that ballot will be counted.

Voting by Mail

Under the Massachusetts Constitution, absentee ballots are available for all elections to voters who are disabled, out of town on Election Day, or have a religious belief preventing them from voting at their polling place.

A new law has been passed clarifying that any person taking precaution related to COVID-19 in response to a declared state of emergency or from guidance from a medical professional, local or state health official, or any civil authority shall be deemed to be unable by reason of physical disability to cast their vote in person at a polling location.

It is the opinion of this office that you qualify for an absentee ballot due to physical disability if:

  • You are ill;
  • You are confined to your home because you may transmit infection; or
  • You cannot leave your home because you are a member of a population vulnerable to illness;
  • You are staying in your home or avoiding your polling place as a precautionary measure in response to COVID-19.

The law has also been updated to allow early voting by mail for any election held on or before June 30th. Early voting by mail is similar to absentee voting, but unlike absentee voting, no excuse is required.

Applications for absentee ballots are available to be downloaded and printed, but you may also request an absentee ballot by writing a letter to your clerk’s office, if you do not have access to a printer. Be sure to include your name and address, the election(s) for which you are requesting a ballot, and your signature. If you need the ballot mailed somewhere other than your home, be sure to provide that address.

Early ballot applications are available for upcoming local and special elections now. As with absentee ballot applications, any written request is acceptable.

Completed absentee and early ballot applications must be submitted Town Clerk’s Office, 20 Centre Street, Middleborough, MA 02346. Applications may be mailed, hand-delivered to Town Hall drop box at 10 Nickerson Avenue (Town Hall parking lot drop box), faxed to (508) 946-2308, or emailed to clerkweb@middleborough.com. If you are emailing your application, you must be able to send an image of the application as an attachment, either by scanning it or by taking a picture of it. A hand-written signature must be visible.

All mail-in ballots must be returned to the Town Clerk’s Office by the close of polls on the day of the election – a postmark is not sufficient. Absentee ballots may be mailed or hand-delivered by a family member. Please be sure to allow enough time for the mailing of your application and your ballot.


*Reminder Dates*                                                                       *Positions Available*

NOTICE REGARDING NOMINATION PAPERS FOR STATE ELECTIONS 

Nomination papers for offices on the September and November ballots requiring certification by the Town of Middleborough will be accepted via mail c/o Town Clerk’s Office, 20 Centre Street or in the Town drop box located in the Town Hall parking lot at 10 Nickerson Avenue.  Please be certain to include the name and contact information for the filer and a self-addressed envelope for nomination papers to be returned.

Polling Locations

The Town of Middleborough has 4 polling locations:

Precinct 1

Oak Point Club House
202 Oak Point Drive
Middleborough, MA 02346

Precincts 2, 4, 6

Middleborough High School Gymnasium
71 E Grove Street
Middleborough, MA 02346

Precinct 3

South Middleborough Fire Station
566 Wareham Street
Middleborough, MA 02346

Precinct 5

Council on Aging
558 Plymouth Street
Middleborough, MA 02346

Polling Hours

  • The polling hours for State Elections / Primaries: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • The polling hours for Presidential Elections: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

  • The polling hours for June 20, 2020 Annual Town Election will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. due to health crisis.

Chief Election Official

The Town Clerk is the Chief Election Official and is authorized by state law to administer elections and elections-related functions. In addition to the Town Clerk, the Town of Middleborough has three Registrars of Voters who are appointed by the Board of Selectmen, each serving a three-year term. The Registrars of Voters must always represent each of the two leading political parties. The daily administration of elections processes is managed by the Town Clerk.

Useful Secretary Pages