From the Town Clerk

Posted Tuesday, July 5, 2022 10:54 am

Hello All ~ Happy July. I can’t believe we are more than half way through 2022. I also can’t believe nine full years have passed since I became your Town Clerk. I have to say . . . time sure does fly when you are having fun!!! I am definitely having fun and absolutely love being your Town Clerk. Thank you for another exciting, interesting, challenging, and informative year!

6-11-2022 – SPECIAL TOWN ELECTION
As you are aware, Saturday, June 11, 2022 Rehoboth held a Special Election to fill the two vacated Selectman seats along with one Stormwater Officer position. The polls were open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM at the Francis Farm Community Complex – Museum Building. Of the 9,940 eligible voters, 879, or 8.84% of the voters participated in the Special Election. The election results appear below and on the Town Website @ https://www.rehobothma.gov/home/news/6-11-2022-official-special-town-election-results . Congratulations to all candidates who ran for office and welcome Selectman Johnson, Selectman Mills and Stormwater Officer Nunes to your newly elected positions. I wish you all well.

STREET LISTINGS
We received the Annual Street Listings based on the 2022 Census data we gathered this year. If you would like a copy, there is a $15.00 charge. You may purchase at town hall or online at https://www.invoicecloud.com/rehobothgovsvcs and click on Street Listings.

NON-RESPONDENTS TO THE 2022 REHOBOTH ANNUAL TOWN CENSUS
If you have not responded to the census, your voter status will change to inactive unless you return the signed confirmation card you received stating that you still live in the Town of Rehoboth. Last month we mailed 831 voter confirmation/inactivation cards to those Rehoboth voters who did not complete their 2022 Annual Town Census, as per Massachusetts General Law. Individuals that are on the Inactive Voter List (those who do not return our acknowledgement card or who have not answered our annual town census) will need to provide proof of continuous residency before being allowed to vote in any federal, state, or town election and/or town meeting. If you received a postage paid voter inactivation/confirmation card in the mail, please complete, sign and return to us as soon as possible so we may reinstate your “active” voting status ~ thank you. Please remember, we have several elections and town meetings coming up; therefore, you will want to make sure your voting status is “active” when you show up at the polls or town meeting. Thank you.

UPCOMING – AUGUST 6, 2022 – SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
The Rehoboth Board of Selectmen have voted to hold a Special Town Meeting on Saturday, August 6, 2022 at the Francis Farm Community Complex – Museum Building beginning at 1:00 PM to discuss and vote on the withdrawal of the Rehoboth K-8 from the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District. The K-8 Withdrawal Study Committee has a webpage located on the Town Website, which provides more information on the matter for the voters of Rehoboth to review prior to Town Meeting. The website can be found at https://www.rehobothma.gov/k-8-withdrawal-study-committee . The K-8 Withdrawal Study Committee will also be holding their second informational session at the Francis Farm Community Center – Francis Hall/Council on Aging building, located at 27 Francis Farm Road on Thursday, July 21, 2022 beginning at 7:00 PM. If you are not registered to vote and would like to participate in the August 6, 2022 Special Town Meeting, the voter registration deadline is Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 5:00 PM. You may also register to vote on www.RegisterToVoteMA.com We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming August 6, 2022 Special Town Meeting. You should receive your Town Meeting warrant, from the Board of Selectmen, by the week of July 18^th, if not sooner.

BUSINESS CERTIFICATES
Business owners are reminded that the application fee for a business certificate and/or business certificate renewal is $50.00 and that your certificate is valid for four years. If your business license is expiring within the next six months, you should have received your renewal letters and applications during the month of June. Please send in your notarized business certificate renewal, along with payment or stop by so we can notarize your signature and provide you with an updated business certificate. Thank you and we wish you well with your business.

DOG LICENSES
All dog licenses were due and payable by April 1^st. Unfortunately, a $15.00 late fee was assessed for any licenses that were not renewed by June 1^st, after a 60-day grace period. We still have 541 dogs that are unlicensed for this year. Total licensed dogs so far in 2022 is 1,771 as of June 28, 2022. A non-criminal citation with an additional charge of $25.00 will be issued for any dogs that are not licensed by July 15^th, so please, license your dog(s) to avoid any further late charges. 320 dog owner letters were sent during the beginning of June to remind dog owners to renew their dog’s license before the added expense of $25 is added to their dog’s license fee. If your dog has a valid rabies vaccine, you may register your dog online at www.RehobothMA.gov – click on “Online Payments” or go directly to: https://permiteyes.us/rehoboth/publichome.php to renew your dog(s) 2022 license. If you prefer to pay in person or drop off your payment in the drop box at Town Hall, 340 Anawan Street, that is also an option. If, unfortunately, your dog has moved or passed away, please let us know by phone 508-252-6502 X-3112 or X-3109, email TownClerk@RehobothMA.gov or by checking the Permiteyes website listed above and check off the box moved/deceased to update our database; we are so sorry for your loss. Thanks so much.

The Massachusetts VOTES Act – Signed into Law – 6-22-2022
On June 22, 2022, an election reform law titled “The VOTES Act” was signed into law. Among other things, the VOTES Act makes several of the temporary changes from the pandemic permanent. The new law also makes the absentee voting process and early voting by mail processes consistent. Below are a few highlights of the new “VOTES Act”:

VOTER REGISTRATION - Beginning July 22, 2022, the voter registration deadline for all elections and town meetings will be 10 calendar days before the date of the meeting or election and “in-person” registration hours were reduced from 8:00AM-8:00PM to 8:00AM-5:00PM.

VOTE BY MAIL - Effective immediately, early voting by mail must be available for all state elections, state primaries, and presidential primaries. Early voting by mail is also required for all local elections and preliminaries, unless the city or town opts out. In order to opt out of Vote by Mail for a local election, the selectmen, city council, or town council must hold a public hearing and public roll call vote to NOT allow Vote by Mail no later than 45 days before the date of the election. Cities and towns cannot opt out of Vote by Mail for a local election if the election is happening on the same day as a state election, state primary, or presidential primary. My personal belief, as your Town Clerk, is “Vote by Mail” should be available to all Rehoboth voters for all Elections; local elections as well as state elections. Therefore, I will not be requesting the Board of Selectmen “opt out” of the vote by mail process for local elections.
Vote by Mail Applications - As in 2020, the State Elections Division will be mailing Vote by Mail applications (postcards) at least 45 days before every regular state primary, state election, and presidential primary. The applications will be sent to everyone registered to vote by the 60th day before the election who has not already applied for a ballot. The applications will be pre-addressed to the Rehoboth Town Clerk’s Office and postage pre-paid. Unlike previous years, family members are now allowed to request an early Vote by Mail ballot on a voter’s behalf, as they currently can with absentee ballots. Similarly, family members are now permitted to return an early Vote by Mail ballot for the voter as well.
Application Deadlines - The deadline to receive a request for any ballot (early or absentee) to be mailed is now 5 business days before the election. A business day is any weekday that is not a legal holiday, so this will typically fall one week before Election Day.
- For the September 6th State Primary, because Labor Day is not a business day, the deadline to receive vote by mail applications in our office will be 5:00PM. Monday, August 29th.
- For the November 8th State Election, the deadline for our office to receive vote by mail applications is 5:00PM Tuesday, November 1st.
  - No ballots can be mailed to any voter whose application has not been received by 5:00PM on the 5th business day before the election.
  - However, “in-person” early voting is still available until the Friday before the election for applicable elections and in-person absentee voting is still available until noon on the day before the election (if that day is not a holiday).
- IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING - In-person early voting must now be offered for all regular state primaries, state elections, and presidential primaries. It must also be offered for special elections and primaries to fill vacancies for U.S. Senate or Congress. In-person early voting must also be held for any municipal elections being held on the same day as one of the above listed elections.

In-Person Early Voting Dates - In-person early voting for biennial state elections must be held from the 17th day through the 4th day before the election. In 2022, the early voting period for the November 8th State Election will begin on Saturday, October 22nd and end on Friday, November 4th.

Early voting for state and presidential primaries will begin on the 10th day before the primary and end on the 4th day before the primary. Early voting for the September 6th State Primary will begin on Saturday, August 27th (the same day as the voter registration deadline) and end on Friday, September 2nd.

In-Person Early Voting Hours – Those hours will be determined by the Town Clerk’s Office in conjunction with the Board of Selectmen. More information to come as we get closer to the September Primary and November Gubernatorial Elections.

In closing, Lynn, Odete, Logan and I wish you all a wonderful 4^th of July and a happy, healthy, safe, and memorable summer! Please stay healthy and safe!! I look forward to chatting with you again in August.

Sincerely,
Laura