Elections and Voting – General Information; Accessible Voting
Register to Vote for Town Meeting and All Elections
You may register to vote or change your voter registration at the Town Clerk’s Office or through the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office online at REGISTERTOVOTEMA.COM
You can check your voter registration status CHECKSTATUS
Hours and Location for Election Day Voting
Polls are open on Election Day from 7 am to 8 pm.
Both precincts vote at the Hamilton-Wenham Recreation Gymnasium, located at 16 Union Street in Hamilton.
VOTING PRECINCTS: Hamilton has two (2) voting precincts. Precinct lists will be posted at every Election. Click here for the new precinct map effective January 1, 2022.
Election Day Voting Activities (Secretary of the Commonwealth Elections Division – Election Advisory #24-05)
Under Massachusetts law and regulations, electioneering, campaigning, signature-gathering and other political activities are prohibited within 150 feet of a voting location on Election Day and at early voting sites during voting hours. The 150′ rule is contained within MGL C.54 s. 65. The 150′ rule broadly prohibits political and campaign activities which means that a person may not do anything within 150′ of a voting location designed to aid or defeat a candidate or question being voted on in that location.
Prohibited activities include:
- Holding certain political signs
- Wearing certain political apparel (t-shirts, hats, buttons, pins, stickers, etc.)
- Handing out campaign literature
- Distributing stickers for write-in campaigns
- Shaking hands or otherwise greeting voters (while being a candidate on the ballot)
- Asking voters to vote in a certain manner
- Hindering or interfering with voters who are voting or on their way to vote
- Soliciting signatures on any type of petition whether or not it pertains to the current election
Campaign Signs – Hamilton Zoning By-Law
The Town of Hamilton Zoning By-law, 6.3 Signs, provides definitions and provisions regarding permanent and temporary signs throughout town. 6.3.1 states that “all signage on town property requires prior approval of the Board of Selectmen” and “all signage on school property requires prior approval of the school superintendent.” Town property includes, but is not limited to, land at the corner of Bay Rd and Walnut St where Cumberland Farms is located and the corner of Asbury St and Highland St where the gas station is located. Signs on Town property may be removed and stored in the Patton Homestead barn.
Vote By Mail Applications including Accessible Vote by Mail
Vote By Mail is available for all state and local elections. Click here for the current application.
In most elections in Massachusetts, voters can choose to vote by mail. If you are blind or have a vision impairment, have a mobility or dexterity disability, or have another disability that makes it difficult for you to mark a paper ballot, you can request an accessible vote by mail ballot. See accessible vote by mail ballot for information on applying for and using a mail-in ballot.
Accessible Voting at the Polls
Under federal and state laws, all polling places and voting options must be accessible to people with disabilities. Requirements include:
- Site access: Polling places, including early voting locations, must be accessible to enter, vote, and leave. Paths must be unobstructed and wide enough to freely pass through.
- Parking: If a parking lot is available at the polling place, minimum accessible parking requirements apply. Spots are available at the HW Recreation Center Gymnasium.
- Entrance: At least one entrance to the building must be accessible. If the main entrance to the building is not accessible, there must be signs to the accessible entrance.
- Ramps: If the entrance has stairs, a ramp must be provided.
- Voting equipment: All polling locations must have at least one accessible voting machine. The AutoMARK Voter Assist Terminals can assist visually impaired voters. It displays the ballot in high-contrast, magnified text and uses audio cues. The AutoMARK can also read you your ballot before you print it out and submit it.
Click here for more information about accessible voting.
Absentee Ballot Applications
Absentee Ballot Applications are available at the Town Clerk’s office by clicking here. For additional information – you may visit the Secretary of State’s website.
You can vote by absentee ballot if:
- You will be away from Hamilton 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
Eligibility to Vote
A United States citizen who is 18 years old on election day is eligible to vote. First-time voters should register ahead of time and become a pre-registrant so that when turning 18, they will automatically become registered in the State’s system. Contact us to find out how long prior to an election you must register. On Election Day, some voters may find that their names have been placed on the list of ‘inactive voters’. The inactive voters list is made up of registered voters who have not responded to the annual street list or subsequent confirmation notice. Inactive voters may still vote, but will first be asked to show identification and will be required to fill out an Affirmation of Current and Continuous Residence form; delays should be expected at the polls for these reasons. Note: Please read the State of Massachusetts information with respect to ‘Inactive Voter Status” to ensure a smooth process as you may need to bring identification with you.
Annual Town Meeting & Local Elections
Annual Town Meeting is held on the first Saturday of April at 9:00 am. In 2027, the meeting is Saturday, April 3.
Town Elections are held from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm the first Thursday after the opening of the Annual Town Meeting. In 2027, the Election is Thursday, April 8.
Election Responsibilities of the Town Clerk
- Processes Vote-by-Mail applications, mails ballots, processes returned ballot envelopes
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Maintains voter lists and pertinent information, and supervision of voter registration
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Manages voting procedures for local and state elections
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Prepares the ballots for Town elections
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Maintains campaign finance records
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Arranges for absentee ballot procedures and processing
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Instructs and supervises the election officers
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Records the election results
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Maintains Annual Census information and files
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Retains custody of the ballots and voting lists in the event of a recount
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Transmits election results from each precinct as well as the complete list of town officers to the Secretary of State within 24 hours of each election
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Serves as a member of the Board of Registrars registering all voters, records the party enrollment of each voter in the annual register, and receives and certifies the signatures of the voters on all petitions
