Registration Deadline to Register to Vote in Presidential Primary

DANVERS, MA - The next scheduled election in Danvers is the Presidential Primary on Tuesday, March 1. People who are not registered to vote may register in person at the Town Clerk’s office, 1 Sylvan St., or online, before the February deadline.

The last day to register to vote or change party affiliation for the Presidential Primary will be Wednesday, Feb. 10, according to the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s Elections Division. At the presidential primary, voters select a candidate to represent their party for president at the November presidential election.

Kathleen Woytovich, assistant Town Clerk, said people in town have been registering to vote for the upcoming election.

This year, there is a new party, the United Independent Party, Woytovich said. She said some people might be confused by the word “independent” in the party’s name, and she is cautioning people to be sure what party they actually want to register for - is the party they register for.

“It can be confusing,” Woytovich said.

When you register to vote, you may choose to enroll in a political party or political designation or may choose to remain “unenrolled,” which is commonly referred to as independent. If you do not enroll in a party, you may still vote in state and presidential primaries by choosing a party ballot and will remain unenrolled, according to the state’s Elections Division.

Once you make an enrollment choice you may change your enrollment status by notifying your election official in writing at least 20 days before an election.

If you enroll in any of these four parties you may vote only in that party’s primary: Democratic (D), Republican (R), Green-Rainbow (J), or United Independent Party (CC). Enrollment in a political party does not affect your right to vote in the general election.

The polls of for the upcoming primary will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and all the town’s precincts will cast ballots in the Vye Gym, Danvers High School, 60 Cabot Road.

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