From the Town Clerk

Hello All ~ Happy February ~ I hope you are staying warm and healthy!   As a friendly reminder, Real Estate Tax Bills were due Wednesday, February 1^st.  Payment can be made via mail, drop box outside of town hall (340 Anawan Street) or online @ https://www.rehobothma.gov/ .  If paying online, please scroll down to “Online Payments” and then click “Tax Payments” on the Town’s homepage.

Thank You ~ Rehoboth Garden Club!
Thank you, Rehoboth Garden Club, for placing the beautiful holiday wreath on the front of Town Hall.  All the Town Hall employees thank you for making our holidays so special with your beautiful wreaths! 

2023 Rehoboth Town Census
By now, you should have received your 2023 census form, dog license renewal, re-introduction to the online-dog licensing program flyer, note from the Department of Health & Human Services and our Town Nurseuman HHHHHHhH along with our 2023 calendar/town directory.  Unfortunately, I was notified by our census printer that 70 census mailers in Precinct 4 were shorted a calendar; my sincere apologies.  Therefore, if you did not receive a 2023 calendar, please let us know and we will mail one to you.  This year’s calendar features an aerial view of Rehoboth’s Francis Farm Community Complex located at 27 Francis Farm Road.  Thank you, David Andrade, Rehoboth resident and representing W. Parmentier Photography for your photographic/drone talents.  Thank you, voters of Rehoboth, for approving the purchase of Francis Farm, Rehoboth’s generational legacy at our May 11, 2021 Annual Town Meeting for our residents/voters/town employees to enjoy for generations to come.  We hope you find the calendar and town directory a helpful tool.  I would also like to thank the many residents for their kind comments on how useful the calendar and directory are to them throughout the year.  If you would like an extra 2023 calendar for you or your family, just call, e-mail our office or stop by Town Hall.  If you did not receive your census mailer, please let me know at 508-252-6502 x-3110 or email me LSchwall@RehobothMA.gov. 

I would like to thank the numerous households that quickly reviewed their census data, made any necessary changes, and returned the forms to us ~ thank you all !!!  If you have not returned your census, please take a moment and send it back please.  Census forms were due to our office by January 31, 2023.  This year, residents were afforded the opportunity to drop off their census forms at the outside drop box at Town Hall (340 Anawan Street), fax, mail, or scan and e-mail them in.  We also left census drop boxes around the Town (Town Hall foyer, Bristol-Savings Bank lobby, Blanding Library lobby and the COA Senior Center at Francis Farm).  It is exciting to see that residents are able to choose the most convenient way to respond to their 2023 Census.  I would especially like to thank those families who processed their census forms and dog tags online.  Our office is processing your census changes and preparing the documents for our Registrars.  During the months of February/March, the Registrars will begin contacting those residents who have not returned their 2023 census forms.  Please respond as soon as possible so we do not have to bother you with a phone call ~ thank you.

As an added feature on the 2023 Census form, if you are a registered voter, you will note an (A) or (I) under the first column of the census “Voter Status”.  Your political party is listed in the last column “Political Party”.  Under Voter Status, “A” represents an active voter; “I” represents an inactive voter.  Please contact our office as soon as possible if you have an “I” after your Voter Status.  Also, many people seem to be confused with a political party of “U” by their name.  The State considers all “Independent” voters as “Unenrolled”; therefore, the letter “U” appearing in the political party column.  Independent is the same as Unenrolled.  An Unenrolled or Independent voter has the opportunity to choose the Party ballot they wish to vote during a Primary Election. 

Just a reminder, the census form does not register you to vote or allow you to change your political designation.  We’ve come across many census forms in the past with the party designations crossed out and replaced with something else or a designation added to individuals who are not currently registered to vote.  If you would like to register to vote or make a change to party designation, you must complete the appropriate forms as we need your signature to either register you to vote, change your political party affiliation, or remove you from our voter rolls.  This can be done in person, by mail, or online.  Simply call us at 508-252-6502 x-3109, x-3112 or x-3110 or e-mail us at LSchwall@RehobothMA.gov.  If you prefer to register or change your political affiliation online, please go to www.RegisterToVoteMA.com.  Mail-in voter registration applications are also available @ https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/Voter-reg-mail-in.pdf - please complete the application, save it, and e-mail, drop off or mail the signed form to us.  In order to be eligible to vote in the upcoming Annual Town Election on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, all voter registrations and/or political party changes must be made no later than 5:00 PM on Saturday, March 25, 2023 for the 4-4-2023 Annual Town Election.   

The Annual Town Election
The Annual Town Election for the Town of Rehoboth will be held on Tuesday, April 4, 2023 with the polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. – All four (4) precincts will be voting at one Polling Location: Francis Farm Community Center (27 Francis Farm Road) – Museum building.  If you would like to review the facility and layout of the polling location, please visit the Town Website at:  https://www.rehobothma.gov/home/news/rehoboth-changes-its-centralized-polling-location-francis-farm-community-center-museum 

Nomination papers are now available for any registered voter in Rehoboth wishing to run for election on the Town ballot and who chooses not to seek a nomination through their registered party’s caucus process.  Nomination papers may be picked up by prospective candidates, at the Town Clerk’s office (340 Anawan Street/Route 118) beginning January 4, 2023 and must be returned, signed by a minimum of 50 registered voters.  All signed and completed nomination papers are due back to the Board of Registrars at the Town Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m. on, or before, Tuesday, February 14^th.

Positions to be elected on the ballot for 2023 are Moderator (one for 1 year), Board of Selectmen (two positions for 3 years), Assessor (one for 3 years), School Committee (two for 3 years), Housing Authority (one for five years), Planning Board (two for 5 years), Park Commission (one for 5 years), Constable (one for 3 years) and Water Commissioner (two for 3 years).

The Republican Town Committee Caucus will be held on Wednesday, February 8, 2023 in the COA-Senior Center (Francis Hall Building) at the Francis Farm Community Center – 27 Francis Farm Road at 7:00 PM.  An alternate date/inclement weather date of Wednesday, February 15, 2023 - 7:00 p.m. (Arcade Building), has also been scheduled, at the Francis Farm Complex. 

The Democratic Town Committee Caucus will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2022 at the Blanding Public Library – Goff Memorial Hall, 124 Bay State Road, at 10:00 AM. 

The final voter registration date, to be eligible to vote in the Annual Town Election, is scheduled for Saturday, March 25^th from 8 AM to 5 PM 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 & Mail-In Ballot Requests
Applications for absentee ballots are available as of January 3^rd 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.   Most voters do not qualify to receive an absentee ballot to be sent to them.  Massachusetts allows voters that QUALIFY to vote by absentee ballot if the voter is one of the following:

• Will be absent from your city or town on election day.
• Has a physical disability that prevents voting at the polling place.
• Cannot vote at the polls due to religious beliefs.

If you do not qualify for an “Absentee Ballot”, you can vote by mail by completing the “No Excuse” Vote by Mail ballot application detailed below this paragraph.  The filing deadline to apply for a mailed absentee ballot request is five (5) business days before Election Day-Thursday, March 30^th at 5:00 PM; “in-person” absentee ballot requests for the April 4, 2023 Annual Town Election remain 12:00 p.m. on April 3, 2023, day before the election. Completed ballot requests/applications must be returned to the Town Clerk’s Office no later than 5:00 PM on Thursday, March 30, 2023.  All absentee ballots must be returned to the Town Clerk’s Office by mail or dropping off in the outside Ballot Drop Box (located at Town Hall) no later than 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.

No Excuse Early Voting By Mail – “Vote By Mail”
Due to the 2022-Votes Act legislation approved in June of 2022, those voters who do not qualify for an Absentee Ballot may vote by mail by completing the “Vote by Mail” application @

https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/Vote-by-Mail-Paper-Application-2023.pdf

Applications for ballots to be mailed to a voter must be received by the Town Clerk by 5PM on the 5th business day before an election.  We recommend applying earlier than the deadline as the US Postal delivery services outside of Rehoboth are not consistent and can range from 2 to 11 days.  

Town Clerk Online Payments
As a reminder, we continue to offer the option of a Credit/Debit card or EFT/ACH payment system, available on the town website under online payments and then clicking on “Town Clerk Payments”. This feature enables you to conduct several town business functions online, such as requesting copies of birth-marriage-death certificates, business certificates, etc. through the town website @ https://www.rehobothma.gov/  (Click on Online Payments then Town Clerk Payments) or go directly to town clerk online payments page by going to https://www.invoicecloud.com/rehobothgovsvcs.  Paying by Debit/Credit Cards or EFT/ACH payments is also available when visiting the Town Clerk’s office. We hope this added feature makes our town services more accessible and convenient for the residents.  In 2022 we had a total of 648 individuals take advantage of our credit card/EFT payment system, which is up 18 transactions from 2021. The online activity this past year (2022) generated receipts of $12,197.58.  The reported revenue for 2022 represents receipts for items such as genealogy fees, business certificates, raffle permits, dog licenses, birth/death/marriage certificates, street listings and various miscellaneous items related to the clerk’s office. 

2023 DOG LICENSES
The 2023 Dog Licenses are now available and may be purchased through the Town Clerk’s Office.  Again in 2023, residents will be able to renew their dog licenses online with a Debit/Credit Card or Electronic Check (ACH/EFT).  Those dog owners who registered their dogs on our new online dog licensing program “Permiteyes” in 2022, know they were able to register their dogs online through the town’s permitting program on the Town Website @ https://www.rehobothma.gov/home/pages/online-permitting - please look for the Green “Dog Licensing” button and search for your dog’s record.  Instructions on how to use the new online permitting program can be found on the flyer included in the Census 2023 mailer or online at:

https://www.rehobothma.gov/town-clerk/pages/dog-licenses .

REMEMBER – when trying to locate your dog’s record online keep the search simple – choose “single dog” from the dropdown menu as your field #1, street name only not RD or ST as field #2 and either your last name only or dog’s name as your field #3.  The more detailed your search the less likely you will be able to find the dog’s record.  If you know you registered your dog last year and cannot find him/her this year, please call our office.  Please do not create a new application for your dog.  Thank you!

Whether renewing online, via mail, in person, through the outside drop box or census drops around town, dog license applications must be accompanied by a current year rabies certificate (with a vaccination date covering the current licensing year) and proof of spay or neuter [if applying for the $10 licensing fee] unless we already have your documentation on file in the Clerk’s Office.  If you are unsure, please give our office a call and we can tell you how up-to-date our information is or you can simply search the information on the Permiteyes Dog Licensing program located on the town website:  https://www.rehobothma.gov/home/pages/online-permitting . 

Reminder, all residents 70-years old or over do not need to pay the $10 or $20 yearly dog licensing fee. As you may remember, I submitted an article at the May 8, 2017 Annual Town Meeting (Article 15) requesting Town Meeting vote to accept MGL CHAPTER 140 SECTION 139(c), which states “No fee shall be charged for a license issued under this section for a service animal as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act or regulations promulgated thereunder. No fee shall be charged for a license for a dog owned by a person aged 70 years or over in a city or town that accepts this provision”.  Town meeting did approve the acceptance of MGL Chapter 140 Section 139 (c), which permits the Town Clerk’s Office to waive dog licensing fees for service animals and for dogs owned by any Rehoboth resident 70 years of age and older.  Proof of rabies vaccinations for each dog and proof of the dog owner’s age (70 or older) is required.  As per Town Counsel, the waiving of fees does not include Kennel Fees.

2023 – ANNUAL RABIES CLINIC
Keep them safe . . . inoculate!  The Annual Rehoboth-Seekonk $12 Dog and Cat Rabies Clinic is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, March 11, 2023.  Again, this year the rabies clinic will be held at the Seekonk Public Safety Complex, Route 44 (500 Taunton Avenue), rather than the Seekonk Public Works Department Garage.  The Rehoboth Town Clerk’s Office Staff will be there to renew your 2023 Dog Licenses.  If you would like to help us register the residents for their dog and cat rabies shots, please let us know.  Please check the Town Website for up-to-date Rabies Clinic information at https://www.rehobothma.gov/town-clerk/pages/dog-licenses.  For more details either on the rabies clinic or helping us staff the event, please call 508-252-6502 X-3112, 3109 or 3110 ~ thank you.

Town Hall Mail & Online Payments
Very Important – Please, it is requested that when you send correspondence to any office at the Town Hall, you only include information specific to the department you want to communicate with.  As an example, residents might send in their tax payment along with their census form or dog license.  Tax payments go to the Tax Collector whereas census forms or dog licenses go to the Town Clerk’s Office.  By including multiple offices in one envelope, it may delay processing your requests or payments.  Also, there are two separate “Online Payment” accounts on the Town Website:  Tax Payments and Town Clerk Payments.  Please make sure if you are processing your taxes online you are selecting Tax Payments and for all Town Clerk payments online (Business Certificates, Birth – Marriage – Death Certificates, Genealogy Fees, Raffle Permits, Street Listings and Voter Lists) that you are selecting “Town Clerk Payments” and not Tax Payments.  Please Note:  Effective 1-1-2022 all Dog Licensing online payments, now appears under “Online Permitting” located on homepage of the website @ www.RehobothMA.gov , not Invoice Cloud.  Thank you for your assistance. 

Business Certificates
Business owners whose business certificate will expire January through June of 2023 should have received a reminder for renewal.  The renewal fee is $50.00 (certificate renewal is good for four years) and checks should be made payable to Town of Rehoboth.  You may now renew online using a debit/credit card or electronic check at

http://www.town.rehoboth.ma.us/town-clerk/pages/business-certificates .

If you have any questions on any of the above items, please feel free to contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 508-252-6502, X3109, X3112 or X3110.

As a reminder, the Town Offices will be closed on Monday, February 20^th in honor of President’s Day.  We hope you enjoy the President’s Day holiday.  Also, a Happy Valentine’s Day to all from the Town Clerk’s Office. 

Even though recent weather has been cool, we have been blessed with a warmer than normal winter, with plenty of rain and it is encouraging that the days are getting longer.  Spring cannot be too far behind. Thank you all – please stay healthy and safe!!  I look forward to talking with you in March ~ Laura