Annual Elections and Town Meeting

FROM THE WORTHINGTON TOWN CLERK:

In response to the State of Emergency and concerns about COVID-19 and its implications for election administration, the Governor signed a law authorizing the Board of Selectmen to vote to postpone the local election which was originally scheduled for May 2, 2020. A copy of the law may be viewed here. At its meeting on March 31, 2020, the Worthington Board of Selectmen voted to postpone both the election and the Annual Town Meeting. At its meeting on April 28, 2020, the Selectboard voted to hold the Town Election on June 27, 2020.  A date for Annual Town Meeting has not been set and the Select Board plans to revisit the subject at their May 26, 2020 meeting.

The law requires the Town to post public notice of the postponed election and rescheduled election date on its website and to broadly publicize the postponement and rescheduling. Worthington is posting this notice on the website and at the Town Hall and will provide additional notice through the CivicReady notification system and issue a press release to the Hampshire Gazette and the Country Journal. The Post Office bulletin board will not be used due to space restrictions and social distancing requirements.

The law establishes a new voter registration deadline as the 10^th day before the rescheduled election. The last day to register to vote is June 17, 2020. 

The law authorizes the Town to reuse election materials.  The Town will be using the official and absentee ballots created for the May 2, 2020 election.  As required by the law a sample of the ballot may be viewed here.

All voters are encouraged to vote by mail. Space is tight at Town Hall and in-person voting may need to be limited to one voter at a time.

In light of widespread practice of social distancing, the law provides for two alternatives to voting in person:

 First, the law allows any person taking precautions related to COVID-19 to vote by absentee ballot. Any eligible voter may apply for an absentee ballot by filling out the absentee ballot application available here. Applications may be returned by placing in the lock box on the Town Hall ramp or by mail.

Second, the law provides for early voting by mail. Any eligible voter may apply for an early voting ballot by filling out and returning the early voting application available here. Applications may be returned by placing in the lock box on the Town Hall ramp or by mail.

The ballots are identical and will be mailed to you. They must be returned by mail or via the lock box on the Town Hall ramp.

An application can be mailed to you along with the ballot –  leave your name, voting address & MAILING address on 238-5577 x110 or email a request to townclerk@worthington-ma.us

Ballots must be received by election day to be counted

Thank you,
Katrin Kaminsky
Town Clerk

Sample-Ballot