Absentee Ballots

 
Massachusetts allows voters to vote by absentee ballot if the registered voter is one of the following:
  • will be absent from your city or town on election day
  • have a physical disability that prevents voting at the polling place
  • cannot vote at the polls due to religious beliefs

Absentee Voter Applications

You may have an absentee ballot mailed to you or you may vote at Town Clerk's Office by filing out one of the following Absentee Voter Applications:

Massachusetts Absentee Ballot Application

2024 Walpole Absentee Ballot Application

Absentee Ballot Application - Living Outside of the US

Absentee Ballot Applications are valid only for the current calendar year.*

*Please note an application must be submitted each calendar year to receive an Absentee Ballot in the mail.

Selection of Ballot Types:  In a primary elections, a voter who is not registered in a political party must specify the ballot of the party of choice in the application.  You will not become registered in a party because of your participation in a state primary. Voters who are registered in a particular party MUST take that party ballot after the deadline to change a party or register to vote.

Mail the completed application to:

Walpole Town Clerk's Office
135 School Street
Walpole, MA 02081

Email the completed application to:

          townclerk@walpole-ma.gov

Absentee ballots are generally available 2-3 weeks prior to an election. 

Deadlines to Apply for an Absentee Ballot

The deadline to submit an Absentee Ballot application to receive an absentee ballots by mail is 5:00 PM on the 5th business day before an election.  

The deadline to submit an Absentee Ballot application to receive an absentee ballot in person is 12:00 PM on the day before an election.

A voter who is admitted to a health care facility after noon of the seventh day prior to an election may apply for a ballot up until the close of polls and may request to have the ballot hand delivered.  

Return of Absentee Ballots

Mailed Absentee Ballots include a return envelope that can be mailed or hand delivered to the Town Clerk's Office.  Ballots can NOT be returned to the polling location on election day. They must be returned to the Town Clerks office who will deliver them to the polls on election day.  All Absentee Ballots must be received before the close of Polls on election day to be counted.  

Track your Absentee Ballot

You can track your absentee ballot request to see if the Town Clerks Office has received and processed your application. You are able to see when a ballot was sent to you and how as well as when the returned ballot has been received in the Office of the Town Clerk.   

Voters Living Outside of the U.S.

Members of the Uniformed Services or U.S. citizens residing outside the U.S. may request an Absentee Ballot be emailed, faxed or expressed mailed to them.  See above to download this application.  For those submitting their ballot electronically (either fax or e-mail), it must be returned to the Town Clerks Office by the Close of Polls on election day.  For Federal & State General Elections, those submitting their ballot by mail, it must be postmarked by election day and received at the Town Clerks office by 5:00 p.m. EST, 10 days after the election.  Visit FVAP.gov for more information. 

 

Permanently Disabled Voters

A voter who is permanently disabled need not submit a request for an Absentee Ballot every election.  If such a voter submits a note from a registered physician indicating that he is disabled permanently, the Town Clerk will automatically send an application for an absentee ballot each year for all elections during the year.