From the Seekonk Town Clerk’s Office

Nothing says Spring like the Blizzard of 26. Speaking of the blizzard, we want to take this opportunity to give a great big shout out and say THANK YOU to our DPW crew, all the plow drivers who helped, and the Police, Fire, & Communications Departments who worked tirelessly though the storm. Thank you for keeping us safe!

We also want to thank all the residents who helped a neighbor, or shoveled a path, sidewalk, or fire hydrant, and some of you, even a street. We appreciate your help!

Something to look forward to is a little extra daylight. Don’t forget to Spring forward on March 8^th by turning the clocks ahead one hour.

“I VOTED” STICKER WINNERS were announced at the February 18, 2026 Select Board meeting.  The winning designs will be printed and distributed to voters at the April 6, 2026 Town Election.

Our office received 78 total submissions. The designs were voted on by blind vote only categorized by grade level (K-2, 3-5, 6-8 & 9-12). Thank you to all our judges who participated in this contest. Our judging panelists were from School Dept, Cultural Council, Select Board, Library, Human Services & Town Administration. None of our judging panelists had children participating in the contest.

The winners for the “I Voted” sticker contest are Dhea Nassar  (K-2), Mya Goncalves (3-5), Brooke Raez (6-8),  Jaylyn Albano (9-12). We sincerely thank all the students who participated. We thoroughly enjoyed receiving your drawings.

ANNUAL SEEKONK TOWN ELECTION - MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2026

Seekonk High School (gymnasium), 261 Arcade Avenue from 7:00AM-8:00PM

The list of the candidates running for elected positions on April 6^th are:

Board of Assessors (1 seat/3-year term)

• Janet Ruth Parker (incumbent)

Board of Library Trustees (two seats /3-year terms)

• Fred A. Slemon, Jr. (incumbent)
• Catherine Elizabeth Capello (incumbent)

Planning Board (one seat/5-year term)

• Sandra F. Escaler (incumbent)

School Committee (one seat /3-year terms)

• Andrew J. Tessier

Select Board (2 seats/3-year term)

• Michelle A. Hines (incumbent)
• Robert Archambault
• Elizabeth Ann Elmasian

Town Clerk (3-year term)

• Kristen P. L’Heureux (incumbent)

Town Moderator (3-year term)

• Michael Andrew Durkay

Water Commission  (1 seat/3-year term)

• Robert Anthony Stoops

IMPORTANT DEADLINES:

• Candidates to withdraw is March 4, 2025 at 5:00PM.
• If you are not a registered voter, the last day to register for the town election is March 28, 2026 at 5:00PM To register to vote or check your voter status please go to: vote.gov/register/ma
• Applications for both absentee and vote-by-mail must be received by the Town Clerk by 5:00PM on March 28^th.  We recommend applying earlier than the deadline to be sure it is received in time.

A Sample Ballot for the town election is expected to be available in early March and will be posted online on the Town Clerk’s page. It will also be posted at Town Hall, Human Services, and the Public Library.

If you have a ballot to drop off on April 6^th please put it in the ballot drop box located at the front doors of Town Hall. We will be checking the drop box throughout the day to be sure your vote counts. These ballots cannot be delivered in person to the polling location. 

ABSENTEE, VOTE BY MAIL, AND EARLY VOTING

Absentee  and mail-in ballot requests must be completed yearly. Forms can be found on the Town Clerk’s webpage (under helpful documents) at https://www.seekonk-ma.gov/280/Town-Clerk or by calling our office (508) 336-2920.

To qualify as an absentee voter:

• You will be away from your town on Election Day
• You have a religious belief that prevents you from voting at your polling location on Election Day
• You have a disability that prevents you from voting at your polling location
• You are on active military duty
• You are a U.S. citizen living outside the U.S.
• You are requesting an emergency absentee ballot due to hospitalization
• You are currently incarcerated for a reason other than a felony conviction

If you do not qualify for as absentee voter,  you can complete the vote by mail application.  

IMPORTANT: Whether you are voting by mail or in-person, please be sure to completely fill the oval in with a black ball point pen or fine-tip felt marker only. Do not put an “X” or check mark. The voting machines will not read it.

We anticipate in-person early voting will be offered at the Town Hall in the Select Board Meeting Room during the following hours:

ANNUAL TOWN CENSUS

Thank you for all those who have returned their 2026 Town Census/Street Listing form. If you have not returned it yet, please do so as soon as possible. Please be sure to update and/or make any changes to the form, sign, and return it to our office by mail, in-person, or by leaving it in the drop box located at the front entrance of Town Hall. Please be sure you SIGN and date the census form before sending it in. We have received many that are not been signed. 

IMPORTANT - Under Mass General Law Chapter 51, Sections 4 and 6, residents are required to complete and return the annual street listing (census) form. The law specifies that the form must be signed by an adult resident of the household to validate the information provided and to allow the Town Clerk to update records, including voter registration status. Without a signature, the clerk cannot remove or update a person’s information in the municipal database.

Examples:

• If you are a registered voter and you requested us to update your name, party, or address on your census form, we are not able to do so if you did not sign the form. Also, if the form is signed by another member of your family, your census will be counted but we will not be able to make the change to your voter registration. If more than one person in your family would like to make a change to their voter registration, each person is required to sign the form to make these changes.
• You cannot register to vote using a census form. If you have a Massachusetts Driver's License or ID, you can register to vote online by going to registertovotema.com. If you don't, you can still use that website but you will need to print your form, sign it, and mail it to our office. You can also download and print your own voter registration form at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/languages/register-by-mail-forms.htm
• You are urged to check the information contained on the form, make any necessary corrections, sign the form and return it to the Clerk's Office as soon as possible. Ignoring the first mailing leads to additional costs to taxpayers since the Clerk’s Office is required to print and mail additional notices which will incur added postage expenses. If you or someone listed in your household has moved, please include a forwarding address. Space has been provided at the bottom of the form to provide this information.  This information will allow our office to send a letter to you or any person listed to obtain their approval to remove them from the town’s information database. Without their signature MGL does not allow the clerk to delete a person from our files.

We are often asked why the census is so important. The census 1) maintains accurate and current voter registrations; 2) we can apply for grants to offset costs or fund projects; 3) helps project future school enrollment/registrations; 4) assists public safety in responding to emergency calls; 5) assists the town and state in calculating state and federal aid; 6) serves as proof of residency for in-state college tuition, job applications, adoption, military/veteran/social security benefits, etc.

As per Mass General Law Chapter 51, §4, failure to respond to the census mailing for two consecutive years will result in removal from the active voting list and you will be placed on an “inactive” voting list. If the Town Clerk’s Office does not have proof you reside in Seekonk, you may be asked to show proof of residency and sign an Affirmation of Current and Continuous Residence form at an election.

2026 RABIES CLINIC

The Rabies clinic is open to Seekonk and non-resident animal owners of dogs, cats and ferrets. Dr. Truesdale from Central Ave Veterinary Hospital will be administering the vaccinations. The Town of Rehoboth will be joining us.

DATE:              Saturday, March 14, 2026

TIME:              9:00 AM – 12:00 PM         

PLACE:            Seekonk Public Safety Building, Fire Division 500 Taunton Ave, Seekonk, MA

FEE:                 $15.00 per animal – CASH ONLY      

DOG LICENSING PROCUDURES

Massachusetts General Law requires dogs to be licensed annually. Proof of current rabies vaccination is required. DOG TAGS EXPIRE MARCH 31st. Failure to comply will result in issuance of MGL violation & fine.  If your license remains delinquent after May 31st, a late fee of $25 per dog will also apply.

All dog licensing is now ONLINE!  Payments can still be made in-person or by mail, but the licensing process requires an online registration. If you have any difficulty completing your application online, please call us and we are happy to walk you through the process over the phone OR you can stop by our office with your valid rabies certificate and we can assist you at our kiosk station.

Fees for licensing: Spayed/Neutered = $10 per dog, Un-Spayed/Un-Neutered = $20 per dog.  Licensing fees are waived for residents over the age of 70, however late fees & violation fines will still apply.

Tax Collector’s Reminders

If you have any questions concerning any of the following, please call the tax collector’s office directly at 508-336-2930.

Did you know the Registry of Motor Vehicles issues motor vehicle excise tax bills throughout the year?  The majority are issued in February and due in March. If you have not received your bill by  March 1^st please contact the Tax Collector’s Office at 508-336-2930.

If you no longer have the vehicle, please see the reverse side of the excise tax bill for instructions and provide the information to the Tax Assessor’s Office.

Motor Vehicle Excise Tax commitment #1 & 7  was issued February 9^th  and due March 11^th

FY 26 Disposal Bills were mailed on September 18, 2025 and were due October 21, 2025 ($315.00 per unit). Demand notices were mailed November 18^th and were due December 2^nd. For your updated balance, please contact the collector’s office. 

Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes:

• Further collection notices will be issued for any unpaid Fiscal Year 2025 balances.
• Fiscal Year 2026 Preliminary Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Bills were mailed the first week in July.
• The first quarter payment was due by August 4, 2025. The second quarter was due by November 3, 2025.
• Actual Real Estate and Personal Property Tax Bills were mailed at the end of December.
• The third quarter was due February 2^nd and fourth was due May 4^th

If you are wondering how much you paid in real estate taxes last year, the information can be found on the Collector’s webpage on the Town’s website under “How Much Did I Pay in Real Estate Taxes Last Year.”

Please note: The Tax Collector’s office does NOT process the Water Department’s bills and cannot accept payments for the Water District. Please mail or drop off your payment to Seekonk Water District, 50 Water Lane, Seekonk, MA 02771

We continuously strive to provide accessible information to our residents as quickly as possible. In order to serve you better and for faster service, please contact the office you need directly. Below is the list of offices with their direct telephone numbers.  

Animal Control - 508-336-6663

Assessor’s Office - 508-336-2980 (property values, excise tax questions, exemptions, maps)                                       

Building/Inspectional Services -508-336-2990 (state building, electrical, fuel, gas, and plumbing codes, enforces zoning by-laws)

Collector’s Office -508-336-2930 (payments/bills for real estate & personal property tax)       

Conservation Office- 508-336-2943

Public Works (DPW) - 508-336-7407 (trash, blue bags, recycling, snow removal, bulky item pick up)

Finance Office - 508-336-2933

Fire (non-emergency) - 508-336-8510

Health Department - 508-336-2950 (dumpster permits, burial permits, Title V)

Human Services - 508-336-8772

Library - 508-336-8230

Planning/Zoning - 508-336-2960

Parks & Recreation - 508-336-2942

Police (non-emergency) - 508-336-8123

Town Administrator/Select Board - 508-336-2910

Town Clerk’s Office - 508-336-2920 - (Vital records, dog/kennel licenses, business certificates, elections. Cemetery), 

Treasurer’s Office - 508-336-2970 -  (payroll, retirees’ contact, employment verification)  

Veteran Services - 508-336-2940

We hope March is a more gentle and kinder month than February has been to us. I know we are looking forward to Spring in our office. We hope you have a wonderful month. As always, please contact us (508) 336-2920 or by email at townclerk@seekonk-ma.gov if you have any questions. Thank you for taking the time to read the Town Clerk’s Office monthly update. 

~Kristen and Shandra