The Watertown Board of Election Commissioners said that residents may have been removed from the voter registration list if they have not returned their City Census this year. The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 8 election is just a couple weeks away.
The return rate for the City Census was lower than previous years, and as many as one-third of voters may be removed from the list, according to an announcement from the Board of Election Commissioners.
Residents can check if they are registered to vote on the Secretary of State’s website and providing their name, date of birth and zip code. Click here to go to the website.
Those who have been removed from the voter list can restore their active status in several ways, including submitting a census at the City Clerk’s office in City Hall, 149 Main St., requesting an early voting ballot, or renewing online (you must have a license or ID issued by the Massachusetts RMV). See details below.
U.S. Citizens who are not registered can register in-person at the Clerk’s Office, by mail, or online if you have a license or ID issued by the Massachusetts RMV. The the deadline to vote in the November election is Oct. 29 at 5 p.m. Find out more below.
The City of Watertown sent out the following information:
Dear Watertown Residents,
It’s election season and now is time to confirm your voter registration. This year, the response rate to the city census was unusually low. As a result, many Watertown voters (about 1 in 3) are currently on the inactive voter list. Even if you have voted as recently as last year, you will be listed as inactive if your census reply was not received this year.
Voters on the inactive list are allowed to vote, but extra steps are required, and it will take a few extra minutes to check in. In order to make everyone’s experience at the polls as easy as possible, all voters are encouraged to confirm their registration status by visiting https://www.sec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch/MyVoterRegStatus.aspx or contacting the City Clerk’s office at 617-972-6486 by 5 p.m. on October 29, 2022.
Residents on the inactive list may restore their status as an active voter by:
- Returning their census form in person or by mail to the Clerk’s office at 149 Main St. (blank census forms are available from the Clerk’s office and at https://www.watertown-ma.gov/312/City-Census-Street-Listing)
- Sending an email confirming their full name, address, and that there are no changes to their census from the previous year to census@watertown-ma.gov
- Submitting an application for an early voting ballot, available from https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/Vote-by-Mail-Paper-Application-2022.pdf, to the Clerk’s office
- Requesting an early voting ballot at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/MailInRequestWeb/MailInBallot.aspx
- Visiting the Clerk’s office on the first floor of the administration building at 149 Main St. to confirm their information in person
- Renewing their voter registration online at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/OVR/ (Massachusetts RMV ID holders only)
It’s also not too late for any citizens of the United States who will be at least 18 years old on November 8th to register to vote. New voters may register, and registered voters who have moved or changed their name may update their information by:
- Registering or reregistering online at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/OVR/ (Massachusetts RMV ID holders only)
- Printing, completing, and returning a voter registration form available online at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/Voter-reg-mail-in.pdf
- Visiting the Clerk’s office at 149 Main St. to complete the required form in person
Any materials must be received by 5 p.m. on October 29, 2022 to be processed before the general election. The Clerk’s office can be reached at 617-972-6486 or cityclerk@watertown-ma.gov and will assist residents and voters with any concerns related to the registration process.
Thank you, and please remember to vote,
Watertown Board of Election Commissioners