Voter registrations spike for Clinton, Trump showdown

Oct 20, 2016

Say what you want about Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump, but the presidential race has undeniably mobilized Wareham voters.

“This will be the fourth presidential election I’ve overseen,” said Town Clerk Mary Ann Silva on Thursday. “My office has never been this busy.”

Oct. 19 marked the final day for people to become registered voters in time for the presidential election, set for Nov. 8.

Silva said her staff has processed many more voter registration applications than usual leading up to the deadline. On Oct. 17, 156 applications were submitted. On the morning of Oct. 20, 92 applications submitted the day before were waiting for Silva and her staff.

“We’ve had an extremely high volume of voter applications,” said Silva, noting that the final count of newly registered voters wouldn’t be known until Monday.

While many people registered online through the Registry of Motor Vehicles’ website – applications that are routed to the Wareham Town Clerk’s office electronically – others submitted applications via mail.

“Even though yesterday was the cut-off, we have to wait five days,” said Silva. “If an application comes in postmarked Oct. 19, it must be entered into our system.”

In addition to handling a slew of new voter registrations, Silva said her office has fielded many calls from people curious about early voting.

New this year, Massachusetts residents will be allowed to vote before Nov. 8 without needing an absentee ballot. Those ballots are reserved for people who are unable to vote on that day due to religious beliefs, a disability or because they will be out of town.

Silva said interest for early voting has been high.

“We’ve received many phone calls, many visitors and handed out a lot of information about early voting,” said Silva.

Early voting is available to all registered voters. Ballots may be cast in person or by mail. In Wareham, ballots may be cast in person at Memorial Town Hall, 54 Marion Road, on the following dates and times:

• Monday, Oct. 24, 8:15 a.m. until 4 p.m.

• Tuesday, Oct. 25 and Thursday, Oct. 27, 8:15 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

• No early voting on Friday, Oct. 28

• Saturday, Oct. 29, 8 a.m. until noon

• Monday, Oct. 31 and Thursday Nov. 3, 8:15 a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

• Friday, Nov. 4, 8 a.m. until noon.

Those who cast their ballots during early voting will not be able to vote on Election Day. For more information on early voting, call the Town Clerk’s office at 508-291-3140.