The deadline to register to vote is 10 days before the election.

You can register to vote in person at Town Hall during business hours, online (scroll down to find the link) or by mailing or emailing a copy or photo of a paper application (see links below).

You can check your voter registration details and polling location.

State law requires the Town Clerk’s Office to notify voters who did not return the census that they are on the inactive voter list by sending a postcard.  Returning the postcard puts you back on the active voter list.  Inactive voters are eligible to vote in all elections.  You can find more information about inactive voter status on the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website. 

Residents or voters with a Massachusetts driver’s license or state ID can use the online system to register or update their registration.

Online Voter Registration 
• Register or Pre-Register to Vote
• Check Registration Information
• Update Address and/or Party
• Update Name

Voter Registration Application
Voter Registration Information from the Secretary of the Commonwealth
Cancel Your Arlington Registration

Registering in another community in Massachusetts automatically cancels your Arlington registration. Voters moving to another state can use the cancellation form to notify the Town Clerk. Cancellation requests must be made in writing and signed by the voter.

You can use Track My Ballot to see when your ballot was mailed to you or received back by the Clerk's Office. If your ballot was Accepted, you cannot vote on Election Day. If your ballot was rejected or not returned, you may vote on Election Day.

Ballots cannot be forwarded by the post office - provide us directly with the address for your ballot mailing.

On Election Day you can return a mailed ballot any drop box or to the Clerk's Office in Town Hall.  You cannot return your ballot to your precinct. 

Apply for a Mailed Ballot
Any signed form or note requesting a ballot can be accepted. You can mail, drop off, or email a photo of your note or application to townclerk@town.arlington.ma.us 

Vote by Mail – Apply Online – no form or signature needed
Vote by Mail – Paper Application 
Information about voting by mail
Accessible Voting Online Application - vote online using your computer
Accessible Voting Paper Application - vote online using your computer
Details about Accessible Voting - in person or by paper ballot

A family member can complete and submit a paper application on someone’s behalf, but can only fill out a ballot under limited circumstances.

There is a separate section of this page with information for overseas voters.

Return a Mailed Ballot
Ballots returned to a drop box must be received by 8 pm on Election Day to be counted. 
Ballots mailed inside the US must be postmarked on or before Nov 5 and received by Nov 8.
Ballots mailed from outside the US must be postmarked on or before Nov 5 and received by Nov 15. 

There are several options for returning your ballot. You may return your ballot by:
• Mailing it back using the envelope provided
• Hand-delivering your ballot to your local election office
• Dropping your ballot off at an early voting location during early voting hours
• Using a Ballot Drop Box
   730 Mass Ave – in front of Town Hall
   85 Park Ave – ACMi Studio
   175 Mass Ave – Fox Library

Ballots cannot be dropped off at a polling place on Election Day.

Vote Early in Person

If you will be out of town on Election Day, please contact the Town Clerk's Office to schedule a time to vote absentee between 8 am and 12 pm on Monday, Nov 4.  

US Citizens living abroad are eligible to vote in all local, state, and federal elections.  It is not necessary to be registered to vote, but the application to vote should be submitted in the last place you lived in the US.  The state has an information page for overseas voters. 

Apply using the Federal Post Card Application before the Oct 29 deadline. 
Submit a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot BY EMAIL until 8 pm Arlington time on Nov 5 and it can be counted.  Submit BY MAIL from outside the US, postmarked on or before Nov 5 and it can be received until Nov 15. 

Overseas and Military Voters can choose how to receive their ballot:

online - we will send you links to a website that will let you vote on your computer and return the ballot and affidavit without printing anything

email - we will email you a pdf of the ballot and the forms to sign; you print them, fill them out, and then fax or email a scan or photo of the forms back

mail - we can mail you a ballot at your overseas address; you will need to pay return postage unless you are mailing from a US Post Office

Which elections you want to receive ballots for - "all elections" will include any local elections that year.  If you want to vote in a primary election you must specify which party ballot (Democratic, Libertarian, Republican).  

Track My Ballot is an online tool you can use to confirm the status of your request to vote by mail.

“Pending” indicates the application was received and will be mailed when the ballots arrive.

If you get an error message, you may need to check the address or spelling or it could mean that an application was not received. It may take a few days to process if volume is high.

Call the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-316-3070 or email townclerk@town.arlington.ma.us and be sure your message includes your name and address.

Arlington has two ballots because we are included in two districts of the Massachusetts Legislature.

Specimen Ballot Precincts 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13-21
Specimen Ballot Precincts 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
There are 5 ballot questions and the state will be providing a voter information guide to explain the issues.  The red booklet will be mailed to all voters and will be posted here when it's available. 

Precincts 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 have a sixth non-binding advisory question.  

The Voter Information Guide about the ballot questions in online.

You can look up your precinct using Where Do I Vote?

If you need to confirm your registration or look up your current party or status, you can do that online.  There is more information in the Voter Registration section of this webpage. 

Write-in candidates will find information in the "What Candidates Need to Know" tab and are encouraged to notify the Town Clerk before election day that they are running. 

2024 Town Election Calendar - information for candidates and important deadlines

Town wide candidates must file forms with the Town Clerk whether or not they raise money.

Ballot Question Committees must file with the Town Clerk.

Town Meeting candidates do not need to file with the Town Clerk and may spend money without reporting it.

Overview of campaign finance rules and forms
Visit the Office for Campaign & Political Finance website

Anyone interested in running for office in Arlington can contact the Town Clerk to learn more about how to get started.

If you want to run as a write in candidate please contact the Town Clerk before election day. In general, we recommend providing voters with your full name and the race you want to be written in for. You can provide a slip of paper with the information as long as you speak to voters outside the 150' line at the polling location. Stickers are not ideal as they tend to jam the voting machines.  Write in candidates for Town Meeting may submit a candidate statement by March 12 at 5 pm.

Town Bylaw sets the date for the Annual Town Election on the first Saturday of April, subject to Select Board approval.  

What offices are elected in Arlington?

Voters interested in running for election can get nomination papers from the Town Clerk's Office.  Papers are available in early January for the following April. Information to help candidates can be found in the "What Candidates Need to Know" tab.

In 2025 the following offices will be on the ballot:

Select Board - elect one for a three-year term
School Committee - elect two for three-year terms
Moderator - elect one for a three-year term
Board of Assessors - elect one for a three-year term
Housing Authority - elect one for a five-year term

For Town Meeting races, we will publish information about vacancies by precinct in December. Town Meeting Members who were previously elected do not need to collect signatures on nomination papers, but need to return a form indicating they are running for re-election. That form will be mailed in January to Members whose term is ending at the upcoming election. 

Town Meeting Members who were appointed need to run for election and collect signatures on nomination papers. Learn more about Town Meeting and how to run for Town Meeting on the About Town Meeting page.

School will not be open on Tuesday, September 3, 2024 during the Presidential Primary.

If school is open on Election Day, parking near the polling place may be limited and voting at the beginning and end of the school day could be more crowded.

Where Do I Vote?
Map of all the precincts
Individual maps of each precinct
Addresses of the polling places

You must be a registered voter. Students ages 16-17 may also apply to the Town Clerk and complete additional forms through the guidance office at their school.

If you are interested in learning more, please complete the online application.  The Town Clerk's Office will contact you about training.

Prior to each election, all election workers will be emailed a link to sign up for specific shifts for the next election. If you would like to be paid, you can complete payroll forms. Many people volunteer their time - it's up to you and you can change your status later. 

Wardens $230
Clerks $215
Inspectors $195

Half rate for half day shifts.  We pay $15/hour for training time, for staffing early voting hours and for assisting the Clerk's Office with preparing ballot mailings.