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Elections - Absentee Voting

REGISTERING TO VOTE

Regardless of whether you vote early, vote absentee, or vote on Election Day, you must be registered. To check whether you are registered to vote, and for information on how to register to vote, you may visit the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website: www.sec.state.ma.us/ele.  If you need to register to vote, you may do it online by visiting: www.RegisterToVoteMA.com.  All you need is a license or an I.D. issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles.  Please page of the Office of the Town Clerk's webpage for the dates and times of upcoming elections.

ABSENTEE VOTING

To qualify for an absentee ballot, you must:

  1. Be away from your city/town on Election Day; or
  2. Have a disability that keeps you from voting at your polling place; or
  3. Have a religious belief that prevents you from voting at your polling place on Election Day

Absentee voters use the same ballots as early Vote by Mail voters and have the same deadlines for returning their ballots. Most voters who qualify for an absentee ballot can choose instead to apply for an early Vote by Mail ballot. There are some times that an absentee ballot application is needed. You should fill out an absentee ballot application if:

  • You qualify for an absentee ballot and you are voting in a local election in a city or town that has opted out of Vote by Mail for that election; or
  • You are a U.S. citizen residing overseas; or
  • You are on active military duty; or
  • You are currently incarcerated for a reason other than a felony conviction; or
  • You are requesting an emergency absentee ballot due to hospitalization.

Absentee voting by mail is available for registered voters who are unable to be present on Election Day. To be eligible to vote by absentee ballot, you must download the ballot application HERE and return in person or by mail to the Town Clerk.  The Town Clerk will mail you an absentee ballot.  Absentee ballots can be returned by mail to Town Clerk, Town Building, 41 Cochituate Road, Wayland, MA 01778 before 8:00 p.m. the day of the election. 

For information regarding in-person absentee voting or to make an appointment, please contact the Town Clerk's Office.