September 27, 2022 By Carol Britton Meyer
Hingham citizens wishing to cast ballots in the Nov. 8 state election have a number of options: vote by mail, vote early in person, absentee vote, or vote in-person on election day.
Town Clerk Carol Falvey has announced in-person early voting hours at Hingham Town Hall starting Oct. 22 -- which is also the last day to register to vote to be able to attend the Nov. 1 Special Town Meeting regarding the proposed new Foster School and public safety facility -- through Nov. 4.
The schedule is as follows:
- Saturday, Oct. 22: 10:00 AM- 4:00 PM
- Monday, Oct. 24: 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
- Tuesday, Oct. 25: 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM
- Friday, Oct. 28: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
- Saturday, Oct. 29: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. This is also the last day to register to vote for the November 8 state election.
- Monday, Oct. 31: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
- Tuesday, Nov. 1: 8:30 AM to Noon (Town Clerk's Office will close at noon to prepare for the STM at 7:00 PM).
- Wednesday, Nov. 2: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
- Thursday, Nov 3: 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
- Friday, Nov. 4: 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Vote by mail option
As an option to early voting, all registered voters qualify to vote by mail in the Nov. 8 election. All Hingham voters who have not already chosen to receive a vote by mail ballot for the Nov. 8 state election have been sent a vote-by mail application from the Secretary of State’s office. The Town Clerk’s office will process the applications and mail the requested ballots to voters. "We have not yet received the ballots from the Secretary of State's Office," Falvey told the Hingham Anchor.
"Early by-mail voting makes it easier to exercise your fundamental right as an American," Falvey said. "We're asking Hingham citizens to minimize the costs associated with early by-mail voting by returning the ballots they requested!"
Falvey noted that more than 1,200 residents asked for and received early mail-in ballots for the September Primary but did not return their ballots.
"This cost the community money in terms of postage ($1,400) and valuable time," Falvey said. "Early by-mail voting involves 12 steps on the part of the Town Clerk's Office versus three steps for day-of-election voting, so we're asking citizens to please send in the ballots that they request."
If submitting a vote by mail application, be sure to SIGN the card. The application deadline is 5:00 PM on Tuesday, Nov 1.
"If requesting a Mail-In Ballot, you must sign the brown return envelope," Falvey advised.
All ballots placed in the new Town Clerk Drop Box in front of Town Hall must be returned by 8:00 PM on November 8 (unless being sent via USPS -- see below). All ballots should be placed in the drop box earmarked for ballots and not in the drop box at the end of the Town Hall driveway.
All ballots being returned by mail from within the United States must be postmarked by Nov. 8 and received by the Hingham Town Clerk's Office no later than 5:00 PM on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022.
All ballots being returned by mail from outside the U.S. must be postmarked by Nov. 8 and received by the Hingham Town Clerk's Office no later than 5:00 PM on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022.
Nov. 8 in-person voting
In-person voting for the state election will take place Tuesday, Nov. 8, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting precincts are as follows:
Precincts 1-4 will vote at Hingham High School, 17 Union St.;
Precincts 5-7 will vote at Hingham Middle School, 1103 Main St.;
Precinct 7A will vote at Willard Square, Linden Ponds, 201 Linden Ponds Way.
Some streets are in new precincts -- find you precinct here: https://www.hingham-ma.gov/957/Precincts-Voting-Locations
Call the Town Clerk’s Office with any questions: (781) 741-1410 or email us at TownClerk@hingham-ma.gov.
Visit www.RegisterToVoteMA.com for voter registration information and the https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/ link on the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts website for further information about early voting, absentee voting, the Nov. 8 election, candidates, and the statewide ballot questions.
More information to come
Stay tuned for updates, including information about the four statewide ballot questions and the local Hingham ballot questions related to the proposed new Foster School and public safety facility.