Board of Registrars Meeting: January 28, 2025

Present (In-Person): Cynthia Morgan, Rebecca Kraemer, and Alissa Horsung

Attendees (Remote): None

Location: Town Hall, 6 Town Hall Drive, Princeton, MA 01541

Meeting Minutes

The meeting was called to order at 8:30AM.

• The Board accepted the resignation letter submitted by chairman, Philip O’Brien.
• The Board discussed filling the vacancy from the resignation, as the term would be ending on March 31, 2025. Town Clerk Alissa Horsung noted that she will post notification of the vacancy and application process on the town website. The Board discussed the qualifications of a registrar as defined by MGL, including the requirement where a qualified individual applying must have been enrolled in the one of the two leading political parties for at least the previous two years.
• The Board then reviewed the election calendar for 2025. It was noted that there were no state elections planned for 2025. The Board went over the voter deadlines for the annual town election and town meeting.
  • The Citizens’ Caucus to nominate candidates to appear on the 2025 town election ballot is scheduled to be held at 7pm on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. The signed Citizens’ Caucus nomination paper is due to the Town Clerk on 5pm, Monday, March 17, 2025.
  • Nomination papers will be available on Tuesday, February 18, 2025 and the last day to obtain and file nomination papers with the Board of Registrars is set for 5pm, Monday, March 24, 2025.
  • The last day to file an objection to a nomination or for a candidate to withdraw name from ballot is 5pm, Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
  • The voter registration deadline for the town election and town meeting is 5pm, Friday, May 2, 2025.
  • The last day to request a mail-in early ballot/mail-in absentee ballot application for the town election is 5pm, Monday, May 5, 2025.
  • The last day to vote absentee in-person is 5pm, Thursday, May 8, 2025.
• The Board then discussed early voting for the town election. Alissa noted that the voter turn-out for the 2023 local election was low both for election day voting and the vote-by mail/absentee requests. Based on labor costs and expected lower turn-out in voting early in-person for the local election, discussion of opting out of early voting-in-person for the local election was had.
  • It was moved and seconded to opt out of early voting in-person for the local election. Vote was unanimous at 8:42am.  
  • Alissa will notify the Select Board of the Board’s vote to opt out of early voting in-person.
• The Board discussed the use of board member signature stamps by the Town Clerk’s Office if a member may be unavailable to sign prior to a nomination/petition paper deadline.
  • It was moved and seconded to authorize the Town Clerk’s Office to perform all actions required by the Board of Registrars, according to 950 CMR 55.02 (12) and MGL Ch 53, Section 7. Thus the authorization of the use of signature stamps for nomination papers and petition papers. Vote was unanimous at 8:43am.
• The Board then reviewed the updated Board of Registrars handbook revised by the Elections Division of the Secretary of the State’s Office in 2024.
• The Board then planned to schedule a meeting in Spring. A tentative date was set for March 20, 2025 for noon.
• It was them moved and seconded to dissolve the meeting. Vote was unanimous at 9:13am.

The meeting dissolved at 9:13am.

Respectfully submitted,

Alissa Horsung,

Town Clerk