Ashland Announces 2020 State Primary Election & Voting Information

The following is a press release

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ASHLAND -The Town of Ashland Town Clerk’s Office diligently prepares for the upcoming State Primary Election with the new early voting by mail guidelines provided by the Governor Baker’s signed legislation, Chapter 115 of the Acts of 2020, on July 6^th, 2020. 

Voting in person remains an option for the State Primary Election by voting early or by voting on Election Day. Voting in person early takes place at the lower level of Ashland’s Town Hall located on 101 Main Street, between Saturday, August 22^nd and Friday, August 28^th.

Voters may also vote in person on Election Day, Tuesday, September 1^st, 2020, at the Ashland High School located on 65 East Union Street, from 7 to 8 p.m.

The early voting times are as follows; Saturday, August 22^nd– 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Sunday, August 23^rd– 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, Monday, August 24^th– 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM, Tuesday, August 25^th– 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM, Wednesday, August 26^th – 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Thursday, August 27^th–  8:00 AM to 3:30 PM, Friday, August 28^th–  8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

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COVID-19 precautions are in place for in-person voting. Voters must wear a face covering and maintain social distancing. Town of Ashland staff and volunteers will wipe down each voting station in-between voters.

The deadline to register to vote for the State Primary Election is Saturday, August 22^nd, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 situation, we urge you to register to vote online with a valid Massachusetts ID using this website, https://www.sec.state.ma.us/OVR/.

Additionally, if you have not returned your 2020 census, you may be required to provide proof of address in order to vote.

Early Voting by mail is available to all registered voters in Ashland for this election. Due to the constraints of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as we all abide to social distancing practices, early voting by mail is the easiest and the safest way to vote. It is strongly encouraged that all voters take advantage of this opportunity.

All registered voters opting to vote by mail ballot, must fill out an application. The application post card is pre-addressed and postage paid to be returned to Ashland Town Clerk’s Office, for the State Primary Election, before 5 pm on Wednesday, August 26^th, 2020. If you are an unenrolled/independent voter, you must also choose your ballot.

Applications can be returned by Mail (postage is pre-paid on the post card application mailed to you), placed in the payment drop box located on the side of town hall (101 Main Street), or scanned and emailed to townclerkoffice@ashlandmass.com.

In a primary election, a voter who is not registered in a political party (No Party “unenrolled” or commonly known as Independent) must specify the party ballot type of choice on the application to vote by mail. The Clerk’s office are unable to process applications for Unenrolled / Independent voters who do not select a party ballot type on their application. Unenrolled / Independent voters who select a party ballot type do not become registered in that party – they remain Unenrolled / Independent voters. Voters who are registered in one of the 4 political parties (Democrat, Republican, Green-Rainbow, Libertarian) Must take that party ballot and are not given a choice of ballot type – verify your party enrollment or change your party enrollment prior to the deadline to register to vote, and before applying for a mail in ballot. View your party’s ballot on the Election Information Webpage at ashlandmass.com.

The Secretary of State’s Office distributed postcards soliciting voters to request a mail-in ballot the week of July 13^th. This application is also available on the Election Information Webpage at ashlandmass.com.

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Please note, all voted ballots may be placed in the payment box outside of Town Hall. Please ensure your signature is on the ballot envelope. Do not fold your ballot in the payment box. The creases may jam the ballot machines. Ballots can NOT be returned to the polling location on Election Day. They must be returned to the Town Clerks office for processing before they are delivered by Town Clerks staff to the polls on Election Day. All Absentee Ballots must be received before the close of Polls on Election Day to be counted.

Voters who have applied for a vote by mail ballot may track the status of their application as well as their ballot status (mailed / received back). Voters can use this link: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/wheredoivotema/track/trackmyballot.aspx.

The Clerk’s office anticipates a large volume of applications (there are almost 12,000 voters in Ashland) and request you allow at least 2 weeks before checking the status of your application and allow a minimum of 10 days to receive your ballot from the status date of mailing.

Please, do not contact the Clerk’s Office to check on your status until the recommended amount of time listed above has passed. Inquiries should be emailed to townclerkoffice@ashlandmass.com.

Any questions regarding the State Primary election and voting information contact the Town of Ashland’s Town Clerk at 508-881-0100 ext. 7127 or visit the Election Information web page on the Town’s website, ashlandmass.com.