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 Registration |
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Who is eligible to register?
You may register if you are a United States citizen, and
a Massachusetts resident, and 18 years old on or before election day. |
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How can I register?
• In person
at the Town Clerk’s office at Town Hall. You will be asked to
complete an affidavit, which must be answered truthfully under the
penalty of perjury. Questions on the affidavit will include your name,
residence, and date of birth. Call the Clerk’s office at (978)456-4100
to confirm office hours.
• At the Registry of
Motor Vehicles. Keep your “motor voter” receipt until
you receive confirmation from the Town Clerk of your voting status.
• By mail. Mail-in registration forms may be
requested by calling 1-800-462-VOTE. Mail the completed form to the
Town Clerk. You should receive confirmation of your voting status
in two to three weeks. |
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Are there deadlines for registration?
Yes. In order to vote, you must be registered
• 20
days before all local elections, primaries, general elections, and
Annual Town Meeting.
• 10 days before Special Town
Meetings. |
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What must I do if I’ve changed my address or my name
since I registered?
If you have moved within Harvard or have changed your name, notify
the Town Clerk in writing. If you have moved to a new city or town,
you must register again. |
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 Voting |
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Where is voting held in Harvard?
The polling place is normally the Bromfield School cafeteria. If the
location must be changed, the Board of Selectmen will notify all voters.
The polling location will be accessible for persons with disabilities. |
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When are elections?
• Presidential
elections occur once every four years. The primary is in March, and
the election is in November.
• State elections occur
every other year in even numbered years. The primary is in September
and the election is in November.
• Harvard town elections
are held each year on the Tuesday after Annual Town Meeting, which
is usually the last Saturday in March. |
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When are polls open?
Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. for state and national
elections. The hours may be different for local elections. Sample
ballots and instructions are posted at the polling place. |
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How is voting done?
When a voter enters the polling place, he or she give their name to
an election official who confirms that they are registered. This is
done by checking names off on Harvard's voter list. The voter is then
given a paper ballot and instructions. Election officials are required
by law to help if a voter does not understand the voting procedure,
needs physical help, or cannot read English. Unless help is requested,
the voter enters the voting booth and votes alone. After marking the
ballot in the voting booth, the voter again gives their name to an
election official and places their ballot in the ballot box. |
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What should I do if my name is not on the voter list?
Ask an election official to check your registration by consulting
the inactive voter list and calling the Town Clerk’s
office. If your registration cannot be verified, you may cast a ballot
(called an escrow ballot) which is held aside and counted only if
the election is very close. |
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 Absentee
Voting |
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Who is eligible to vote absentee?
You may vote absentee if you are registered and
• Will
be absent from town on election day, and/or
• Have
a physical disability that prevents your voting at the polling place,
and/or
• Cannot vote at the polls on election day
due to religious beliefs. |
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How can I apply for an absentee ballot?
Application forms are available at the Harvard Town Clerk’s
office. Alternatively, you may download
the application (PDF document) and print it. The application must
be include your name, address as registered, ward and precinct, address
where you wish the ballot sent, the party ballot you want (in a primary),
and your signature. |
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Can someone else apply for an absentee ballot in my behalf?
Yes. A family member of a person qualified to vote absentee may apply
at the Town Clerk's office. An application
by a family member (PDF document) may also be downloaded. |
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When should I submit my application for an absentee ballot?
• The deadline for application is noon of the
day before the election.
• If you are mailing your
application, it must reach the Town Clerk's office in time for the
ballot to be mailed to you and then returned. You may hand-deliver
or mail the ballot back; it must arrive before the close of polls
on election day.
• You may make your application and
cast your vote in one visit to the Town Clerk's office.. Call the
office first to make sure that the absentee ballots are available
(usually three weeks prior to the election).
• If
you want to vote absentee for more than one election in a calendar
year, you may make one application and request that ballot for all
elections during that year be sent to you. |
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Must I be a registered voter in order to vote absentee?
Yes, unless you are a “specially qualified voter”,
defined as a person
• Who is otherwise eligible to
register as a voter and
• Whose present domicile is
outside the United States and whose last domicile in the United States
was in Massachusetts, or whose present domicile is Massachuseets and
who a) is absent from town and is in the active armed services or
merchant marines or is a spouse or dependent of such person, or b)
confined in a correctional facility or jail, except by reason of felony
conviction. |
Must my ballot be witnessed?
No. |
What if I am unable to mark by absentee ballot?
You may ask any person to help you. The helper must print her or her
name and your name on the ballot’s envelope, write the reason
you needed help, and then sign his or her name. |
May I vote at home if I am permanently disabled?
Yes. You must apply to the Town Clerk to do so, and you must supply
a letter from your doctor. The doctor must state that you are permanently
unable to cast your ballot at the polling place due to a physical
disability. |
Is a resident of a nursing homes able to vote by absentee
ballot?
Yes, as long as the resident is a registered voter, has submitted
an application, and is not under a court ordered guardianship which
specifically prohibits voting. |
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Harvard’s Voter
Calendar |
February
• Town Caucus |
March
• Voter registration for Town Meeting and local
elections
• National primary (first Tuesday)
• Local candidate forums
• Annual Town Meeting (usually the last Saturday) |
April
• Town elections (first
Tuesday after Annual Town Meeting) |
April through March
• Special Town Meetings, as needed
• Special
elections, if called |
August/September
• Last day
to register for state primary |
September
• State primary
(second Tuesday, seven weeks before general election) |
October
• Last day to register
for general election |
November
• General
elections (first Tuesday) |
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