By Joe Stewart

This year’s general election is on Tuesday, November 5. In addition to voting for electors to name a president and vice president, registered voters will elect a US Senator, US Representative, Governor’s Councilor, State Senator, State Representative, Register of Deeds, and Clerk of Courts.  

Voters will also decide five ballot questions. According to the Center for State Policy Analysis at Tufts University, these questions can be summarized as:

1: Should the state auditor audit the legislature?

2: Should the MCAS graduation requirement be eliminated?

3: Should there be a union for rideshare drivers?

4: Should psychedelic drugs be legalized?

5: Should tips count towards the minimum wage?

Both Carol Greene, Norfolk’s Town Clerk, and Cindy Thompson, Wrentham’s Town Clerk, encouraged voters to read the state’s “Red Book” to learn about the ballot questions. The Red Book provides the precise wording of the questions as well as summarized arguments authored by proponents and opponents.

Citizens may register to vote online at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/, via mail, or in person until October 26, the last day to register. 

In an effort to increase voter turnout, the Commonwealth sends every registered voter a Vote by Mail application; this year, the applications were mailed about September 21. Voters who request mail-in ballots should receive them in early October. Those ballots may be mailed back, dropped off at the Town Clerk’s office or dropped off at the secure drop box at Town Hall. For a vote to count, the ballot must reach the Town Clerk’s office or be in the drop box at Town Hall by close of polls on November 5.  If mailed and postmarked by November 5, a ballot must reach the Town Clerk by November 8.

In Norfolk, in-person early voting is held at the Town Clerk’s Office, Norfolk Town Hall, 1 Liberty Lane on the following days and times: Oct. 19 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Oct. 20 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Oct. 21 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Oct. 22 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Oct. 23 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Oct. 24 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Oct. 27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Oct. 28 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Oct. 29 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Oct. 30 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

In Wrentham, in-person early voting is held in the 2nd floor conference room at Town Hall, 79 South St. on the following days and times: Oct. 19 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Oct. 21 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Oct. 22 from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 23 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Oct. 24 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Oct. 28 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Oct. 29 from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 30 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

In separate interviews discussing elections, Town Clerks Greene and Thompson shared observations about the primary on September 3 and elections in general. Both noted that this year’s primary had few contested races which likely contributed to the low turnout. Thompson remarked that this was the first election in recent memory for which there were no write-in votes for either Bill Belichick or Tom Brady.

Details of the primary election in Wrentham, such as results by precinct and party and including the write-ins, are listed in the “09-03-24 State Primary - Minutes” available at https://www.wrentham.gov/264/Election-Results. Norfolk’s results are summarized at https://norfolk.ma.us/departments/town_clerk/election_resources.php.

In discussing election security, Greene encouraged anyone with concerns to come to the Town Clerk’s office and ask. One quick example relates to mail-in ballots. Thompson shared that voters sometimes come to the Town Clerk’s Office saying they never requested a ballot; when presented with the application bearing their signature, their concerns are addressed. 

Both Greene and Thompson encouraged everyone to vote, noting “your vote counts.”

For more information, visit norfolk.ma.us/departments/town_clerk or wrentham.gov/257/Town-Clerk.