Think You Can Vote For President On Nov. 6? Think Again

There are presently nearly 4,000 registered voters in Tewksbury who will not be able to vote in the Nov. 6 election unless they take additional steps.

According to Town Clerk Denise Graffeo, 3,978 of the town's 21,225 registered voters are presently considered to be "inactive" because they failed to return their 2012 Annual Town Census.

Graffeo said all voters on the "inactive" list were notified months ago and were given the chance to get back onto the active voting rolls.

"Any voter who does not respond to the annual census by the first Monday in June is made inactive and must be sent a confirmation notice by the Town Clerk," she said. "This mailing notifies the voter that their name has been removed from the active voting list and has been placed on the inactive voting list and provides the voter with an opportunity to activate themselves by signing the postage prepaid return card and returning it to this office."

Voters who have not yet filled out and returned the 2012 Town Census can still do so and be put back on the active voter list. Blank copies of the census can obtained on the Town Clerk website, or can printed out if a voter goes into the Town Clerk office.

According to Graffeo, "inactive" voters are not banned from voting on Election Day but it will take a little more time and effort and will likely slow down the voting process for all those in line. "Inactive" voters must provide ID matching the address listed on the Voter’s List as well as complete "an Affirmation form of Current and Continuous Residency."

"This takes the voter and warden time to complete, so we encourage all voters to complete a 2012 census form," said Graffeo.

If you are a Tewksbury resident and you are not yet registered to vote, you have until Oct. 17 to do so in order to vote in the Nov. 6 Election. You can register to vote by visiting the Town Clerk's office at Town Hall.

Town Clerk office hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Office hours will be extended until 8 p.m. for voter registration on Oct. 17.  Mail-In Voter Registration forms are available to download at the Town of Tewksbury’s website: http://www.tewksbury.net/Pages/TewksburyMA_Clerk/voterreg, and need to be postmarked no later than Oct. 17.