March 29, 2024

From the Town Clerk

Posted

Hello All ~ I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends. I wish you all a wonderful and safe holiday season.

11-6-2018 Gubernatorial Election
The Gubernatorial Election had a tremendous turnout ~ 60% (5,273 voters) voiced their opinion at the November 6, 2018 Gubernatorial Election. Voter turnout was up 10% from the previous Gubernatorial Election back in 2014. Thank you all who came out to vote; either early voting (781 voters), absentee voting (134 voters), or in-person voting on November 6th (4,358 voters). Thank you to those of you who waited on the lengthy lines. The official election results can be found on the Town Website @ https://www.town.rehoboth.ma.us/sites/rehobothma/files/news/rehoboth-official_tally-state_gubernatorial_election-11-06-2018-final-signed.pdf

As many of you noticed, we introduced a new piece of election equipment (Poll Pads – an iPad that can be used for instant voter lookup) at the October/November Early Voting Sessions and 11/6/18 Gubernatorial Election. The Poll Pads worked beautifully for both Early Voting and the Election. Due to the added equipment, I added an additional election inspector at each precinct to operate the new piece of election equipment with grant money I received from State Elections. Contrary to a few of the rumors I have heard, the introduction of the new piece of election equipment was not the cause for the lines at the polls. In fact, once the Poll Pads/iPads receive final approval by State Elections Division, (and we do not have to flip through the paper voter check-in and check-out books to locate registered voters) the check-in and check-out process will take less than 30 seconds as opposed to the current paper process, which takes several minutes to locate a voter and check them off on the voter list. The Poll Pad process also ensures that Inactive Voters, Unregistered Voters, Early Voters and Absentee Voters are referred to the Warden or Clerk for further information, rather than holding up the check-in/check-out lines to determine why their name was not on the paper list.

Quite honestly, the long lines at the November Election were due to (1) increased voter turnout (which was fantastic!!!); (2) paper check-in and check-out process required by the State; (3) the length of the ballot and (4) a large number of voters chose to read the ballot questions in the booth rather than researching their voting decisions prior to coming to the polls. As you know, the State sent the “red” Voter Information booklets to every household a month prior to the election so the voters had ample time to research their decision on the ballot questions and the Gubernatorial sample ballots were posted around town (12 posting locations) and on the front page of the Town Website since October 12, 2018. Throughout the day we had an average of 340+ voters come through our precincts every hour the polls were open. At 8:00 p.m. the Constables at each voting precinct stood at the end of the voting lines to permit every voter arriving at the polls prior to the 8:00 p.m. deadline the right to vote. People were still voting at 8:25 p.m. on Election Day.

As a result, in addition to thanking the voters who came out to vote, I would personally like to thank our Election Workers who really went above and beyond this Election. Thank you to our Wardens, Clerks, Constables, Inspectors, Election Equipment “Set-Up/Take-Down” Crews, Highway Department, Registrars, and our Assistant Town Clerk, Lynn Shaker, for their help in providing the Rehoboth voters another successful Election! Thank you also to Aaron and the Dunkin Donuts staff for the Election Worker early morning coffee and donuts and thank you Billy, Sara, and the Vino’s staff for our delicious dinner delivered to all three precincts! Additionally, thank you to all who assisted with the Early Voting sessions held from October 22nd-November 2nd. It was a long two weeks, but the voters really appreciated the opportunity to vote early. We held our second Early Voting session for a two-week period leading up to the 11/6 Election. We had two late night sessions and one Saturday session. Those voters who came early to vote did not have to wait in line and had the convenience of voting either sitting around the Selectmen’s meeting table or standing at the voting booth. They also had the convenience of deciding when/what day and time they wanted to vote rather than trying to make it to the polls before they closed. The bottom line is Early Voting works for everyone.

ANNUAL TOWN CENSUS
Our Annual Town Census Forms for year 2019 will be mailed to all households in Rehoboth during the first week of January. The Board of Registrars is required to conduct an annual listing of residents as of the first of January each year. In addition to the name, address, telephone number, date of birth, occupation, veteran status, and number of dogs, the form includes a section for school information required by the school department. Please note a section for e-mail addresses and cell phone numbers. If you no longer have a home phone and use a cell phone, please let us know so we can update our records ~ thank you.

As a reminder, failure to return the completed census form may result in voters being placed on an “inactive” voting list or being removed from the voting list. Please do not let this happen to you – please return your census as soon as you receive it in January. Simply review the pre-printed Census Form, make corrections, sign it, and return it no later than January 31st. You can choose to return the Census Form via the U.S. Postal Service, utilize the Census drop off boxes at Town Hall, Blanding Library, Bristol County Savings Bank, or the Senior Center. Additionally, you may scan your signed and completed census forms and email them to either LSchwall@town.rehoboth.ma.us or LShaker@town.rehoboth.ma.us. We look forward to hearing from you in January.

New residents may receive blank forms, which they are asked to complete and return. If you do not receive a Census Form, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office 508-252-6502 X-3110 or X-3109. Blank Census forms are also available on the town website @
http://www.town.rehoboth.ma.us/town-clerk/pages/census-information

Results of the census are used to prove residency for a variety of reasons. The data is also used for state college entrance applications, veterans’ benefits, amending and establishing birth records, locating missing persons, establishing precinct lines, predicting future school enrollment, state and federal funding to the town, police and fire protection, updating the voting list, and other legal purposes. Please return your census as soon as possible ~ thank you.

For the convenience of dog owners, we have again included with the Census, an application for the 2019 Dog License(s). This gives dog owners the opportunity to license their dogs well before the annual April 1st due date should they want to license their dogs early. Dog license applications must be accompanied by a current rabies certificate (with a vaccination date of May 1, 2019 or later) and proof of spay or neuter, unless we already have it on file in the Clerk’s Office (if applying for the $10 licensing fee). If you are unsure, please give the office a call and we can let you know what we have in our database. Dog owners should note that the license(s) will not be returned unless a stamped, self-addressed envelope is included (the current postage will be printed on the dog license application). For your information, Seekonk and Rehoboth will be teaming up again on Saturday, March 9, 2019 for our Sixth Annual Rabies Clinic at the Seekonk Highway Department (corner of Route 44 & Lake Street) 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon. Details will be printed in the 2019 Census mailer.

If you are returning your dog tag application as well as your census forms, residents are asked to return their completed forms via mail, e-mail, or place their form in one of the “Census” containers located at the drop off locations mentioned earlier in this article. The containers will remain at these locations through the end of January for your convenience.

NOTE: Residents are requested to please send in their census forms as quickly as possible regardless of whether or not they license their dogs at this time.

ANNUAL TOWN ELECTION – APRIL 1, 2019
The Annual Town Election for the Town of Rehoboth will be held on Monday, April 1, 2019 with the polls open from 7 am to 8 pm. All three precincts will be open.

For those who do not participate in a political party’s caucus process, nomination papers will be available as of January 2, 2019 for any registered voter in Rehoboth wishing to run for election on the Town ballot. The nomination papers may be picked up by prospective candidates at the Town Clerk’s office and must be returned, signed by a minimum of 50* registered Rehoboth voters, to the Board of Registrars at the Town Clerk’s Office (148 Peck Street) by 5 p.m. on Monday, February 11th.

* The signature minimum changes after each gubernatorial election as per MGL Chapter 53 – Section 6. The 11-6-18 election changed our minimum signature requirement for nomination papers from 38 to 50 (1% of the entire votes cast for governor at the preceding biennial state election ~ 5,154 x 1% = 52 ~ MGL 53:6 = maximum of 50 signatures for nominations of town office or regional district school elected positions).

Positions to be elected on the ballot for 2019 are Moderator (one for 1 year), Selectmen (one position for 3 years), Treasurer (one for 3 years), Assessor (one for 3 years), School Committee (one for 3 years), Constable (three for 3 years), Planning Board (one for 5 years), Park Commission (one for 5 years), Housing Authority (two for 5 years), and Water Commissioner (two for 3 years and one for 1 year).

The final voter registration date, to be eligible to vote in the Annual Town Election, is scheduled for Tuesday, March 12th from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Town Clerk’s Office.

Prospective voters are reminded that they may also register to vote online at www.RegisterToVoteMA.com , by calling the Town Clerk’s Office to request a Mail-In voter registration form, or download a form @ http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/Voter-reg-mail-in.pdf

ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUESTS
Applications for absentee ballots are available as of January 2nd and may be obtained from the Town Clerk’s Office or online @ https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/absentee/English-Absentee-Ballot-Application.pdf. An absentee ballot may only be obtained by written request and with the voter’s original signature. Filing deadline for an absentee ballot request for the April 1, 2019 Annual Town Election is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, March 29, 2019.

TOWN OFFICES CLOSED
The Town Offices will be closed on Monday, December 24th and Tuesday, December 25th, 2018, in observance of the Christmas Holiday.

TOWN CLERK – OUT OF THE OFFICE - SURGERY
For those of you who know me, you have noticed my limping for the past few years. As a result, I am scheduled for my first of two knee-replacement surgeries during the first week of December. I had to schedule my surgery around our Election and Town Meeting schedule, which has been quite difficult over the past two years. I will be out of the office during the month of December and will be advised by my physician when I can return to work. I plan on working from home, in between my physical and occupational therapy sessions. If you need my help, please send me an e-mail and I will respond as soon as I am able. Lynn will be holding down the office if you need something done immediately. I look forward to seeing you in 2019!

Lynn and I would like to wish you all a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season and peace and prosperity to all Rehoboth residents for the New Year. It is truly an honor to serve as your Town Clerk. Thank you for a wonderful year and past five years!

Sincerely,
Laura & Lynn

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