In response to the State of Emergency and concerns about COVID-19 and its implications on election administration, the Governor signed a law authorizing the Board of Selectmen to vote to postpone the local election which was scheduled for May 5, 2020. At its meeting on April 28, 2020, the Board of Selectmen voted to reschedule the election to June 16, 2020.
The law requires the Town to post public notice of the postponed election and rescheduled election date on its website and to broadly publicize the postponement and rescheduling. Shrewsbury is posting this notice on town website and will provide additional notice through cable, municipal list-serve, reverse-911, public notice and local news media.
The law establishes a new voter registration deadline of 8:00 p.m. on the 10th day before the rescheduled election. The rescheduled election date is June 16, 2020, therefore, the 10th day before the rescheduled election is Friday, June 5, 2020. You can register to vote online or mail in a voter registration form postmarked by June 5, 2020.
The law authorizes the Town to reuse election materials. The Town will be using the official and absentee ballots used for the May 5, 2020 election.
In light of widespread practice of social distancing, the law provides for two alternatives to voting in person:
- First, the law allows any person taking precaution related to COVID-19 to vote by absentee ballot. All applications for an absentee ballot must be received by the Town Clerk before noon on Monday June 15, 2020, the last business day before the election. Any person may apply for an absentee ballot by sending a signed request to the Town Clerk’s office or filling out the absentee ballot application available here.
- Your absentee ballot must be received by the Town Clerk before the polls close 8:00 P.M. on election day.
- Second, the law provides for early voting by mail. All applications for early voting ballots must be received before noon on Monday June 15, 2020, the last business day before the election. Any person may obtain an early voting ballot by sending a signed request to the Town Clerk’s office or by filling out and returning the early voting application available here.
- Your early voting ballot must be received by the Town Clerk before the polls close 8:00 PM on election day.
The law does NOT make any other changes to elections or the election process. It does NOT, for example, change the number of signatures or the submission deadline for candidates for office.
Call the Town Clerk at 508-841-8507 or email swright@shrewsburyma.gov for more information.
