Voting By Mail

2023 ANNUAL TOWN ELECTION: VOTER GUIDE
   
All registered voters qualify to vote by mail in the Annual Town Election on Monday, March 27, 2023.  All voters are required to submit a 2023 Vote By Mail Application. The application can be returned to the Town Clerk's Office by mail or submitted via email to townclerk@lincolntown.org.

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Vote by Mail 2023 Application                          **APPLICATION DEADLINE- Received at Town Clerk's Office:
Annual Town Election: March 27, 2023                                                            Monday, March 20, 2023 at 5PM

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GENERAL INFORMATION FOR VOTING ABSENTEE OR NO EXCUSE EARLY VOTING BY MAIL

  • Ballots are generally available for mailing 2-3 weeks prior to an election.
  • Absentee and Vote By Mail Applications require a signature.  We are unable to process the application and mail the ballot if the application is not signed.

Deadlines to Apply for an Absentee or Early Vote by Mail Ballot

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.  The deadline to submit the application to the Town Clerk's Office is Monday, March 20th by 5pm.


Submitting your Absentee or Early Vote by Mail Application:

                                       Town Clerk's Office

                                       16 Lincoln Road

                                       Lincoln, MA 01773


  • Drop off the signed application in the ballot box located in the rear entrance of Town Hall.

Return of Absentee or Vote by Mail Ballots
Mailed Ballots, for state elections, include a postage pre-paid return ballot envelope that is addressed to the Town Clerk's Office.  You may return your ballot by mail (please see deadlines below) or hand deliver your ballot by placing it in the drop box outside of the Town Offices (deadline is close of polls on Election Day). 

Voters who receive a vote by mail ballot but have not returned it prior to Election Day may appear to vote in person and cast a ballot on Election Day.  Any voter that has returned a vote by mail ballot (or voted early in person) is not permitted to appear to vote in person on Election Day.

Deadlines for Ballots to be Returned and Counted

Local Election:

  • Ballots returned in the drop box must be received by 8PM on March 27th.
  • Ballots returned by mail by 8pm on March 27th.
     

We recommend voters return their ballots in the drop box outside of the town offices by the close of polls on Election Day to ensure it is counted.


Track your Mailed Ballot - State & Federal Elections Only
You can track your mailed ballot request to see if the Town Clerk's Office has received and processed your application. You are able to see when a ballot was sent to you and when the returned ballot has been recorded as received in the Office of the Town Clerk. This feature is available for State and Federal Elections only, it is not available for Town Elections.

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ABSENTEE BALLOTS

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

Absentee Voter Applications
Absentee ballots can only be MAILED to those who qualify, upon receipt of a completed and signed absentee ballot application.  You may not pick up an absentee ballot.

Delivery of Absentee Ballots - Special circumstances
A voter who is admitted to a health care facility after noon on the seventh day prior to an election may apply for a ballot up until the close of polls and may request to have the ballot hand delivered.  Please contact the Town Clerk's Office to request an application for this special circumstance.  

Voters Living Outside of the U.S.
For Federal & State General Elections only, members of the Uniformed Services or U.S. citizens residing outside the U.S. may request an Absentee Ballot be emailed, faxed or mailed to them. See below to download this application. For those submitting their ballot electronically (either fax or e-mail), it must be returned to the Town Clerk's Office by the Close of Polls on Election Day. For those submitting their ballot by mail, it must be postmarked by Election Day and received at the Town Clerk's office by 5:00 p.m. EST, 10 days after the election (excluding Primary Elections).

Permanent Absentee Voters

A voter who is a permanent absentee voter does not need to submit a request for an Absentee Ballot every election. If such a voter submits a note from a registered physician indicating that they are unable to get to the polls, the Town Clerk will automatically send an application for an absentee ballot each year for all elections during the year.  The permanently disabled voter will only need to sign and return the application in order to qualify to receive absentee ballots for all elections that year.  

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EARLY VOTING (by Mail or in person) FAQ:

If I applied for a vote by mail ballot can I appear to vote in person at an early voting site or at the polls on Election Day?

YES - If your vote by mail ballot has not been received back to the Town Clerk’s Office, you may still appear to vote in person at the polls on Election Day or at an early voting site.  Should your mail-in ballot be received after you voted early in person or at the polls on Election Day that ballot will be rejected and will not be counted.

NO - If a vote by mail ballot has already been received back by the Town Clerk’s Office.  A returned vote by mail ballot is considered cast and you will not be eligible to vote by mail, early in person or in person at the polls on Election Day.

If I vote early in person can I appear to vote in person at the polls on Election Day?

NO - If you appeared to vote early in person your ballot will be considered cast and you will not be eligible to vote by mail, or in person at the polls on Election Day.  Voting in Person at the Polls after submitting an early ballot is prohibited as outlined in 950 CMR 4 7.19.

When & how is an early voter's ballot (by mail or in person) cast?

All vote by mail and early voting in person ballots will be opened and inserted into a tabulator before election day or fed through the tabulators at the polls on election day.  These ballots will be kept secured, locked, and unexamined until the polls are closed on Election Day.