Register to vote (or change your party) by January 16

[ron_newman]

Massachusetts holds its presidential primary on Tuesday, February 5th. Unlike many previous years, this time our primary is early enough to really matter. Almost half of the states will be voting that day. Here is a list of candidates that will be on the ballot for each party (Democratic, Republican, and Green-Rainbow).

If you want to vote on February 5, you must be registered by next Wednesday, January 16 at 8 pm. This is also the deadline to change your party affliation. For instance, if you are now registered as a Republican and want to vote in the Democratic primary, you must change your affiliation to either Democrat or "unenrolled' by January 16. If you are registered as "unenrolled", you can vote in any (one) party's primary; doing so will not change your "unenrolled" status.

To register to vote in Somerville, go to the basement of Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Ave. Office hours are: today 8:30-4:30; Thursday 8:30-7:30; Friday 8:30-12:30; next Monday and Tuesday 8:30-4:30; next Wednesday 8:30-8.

To register to vote in Cambridge, go to 51 Inman Street (at Broadway - NOT City Hall). Office hours are: tonight and Thursday, 8:30-5; Friday 8:30-noon; next Monday 8:30-8; next Tuesday 8:30-5; next Wednesday 8:30-8.

You can also pick up a mail-in registration form at a library or post office. It must be postmarked by Wednesday, January 16 to count for this election.

As a moderator, I've told another member of this community that it's OK to post a poll here later today. Please confine all discussion of the primary to either this post or the upcoming poll post. Thanks.

Comments

[damsel-ophelia.livejournal.com]

Cambridge election department Phone: (617) 349-4361 - they were also nice enough to confirm my status.

Of note - if you have moved and changed your address with the registry on the website, this does not impact your voter registration. (oops)

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

I'd think they'd want to know for future reference, though, especially for local elections.

[ron_newman]

january 16 is also the deadline for changing your residence. If you don't do this, you'll have to travel back to your old precinct to vote.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

That's why I registered at Porter Square a few months back, to spare myself some pain (I like democracy, but I'm not going to go to Waltham on my lunch break!)

[damsel-ophelia.livejournal.com]

the registry, or the election folks? (please excuse the dumb, it's been a really bad morning!)

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

The election folks. They were awfully keen to know exactly where I was, every time I registered in a new area.

[damsel-ophelia.livejournal.com]

I'm kind of surprised the info didn't follow, but since I moved to Central Sq. from Davis Sq. - I'm glad I called!

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

I don't leave these things up to the efficiency of city government; they often put it off until the last minute.