Register to Vote

Registering to Vote
In order to register to vote in North Reading you must be:

  • a U.S. citizen
  • a resident of North Reading
  • at least 16 years old (for pre-registratration*)

In addition, you must swear or affirm to the following oath:
"I hereby swear (affirm) that I am the person named above, that the above information is true, that I AM A CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES, that I am at least 16 years old and I understand that I must be 18 years old to be eligible to vote, that I am not a person under a guardianship which prohibits my registering to vote, that I am not temporarily or permanently disqualified by law from voting because of corrupt practices in respect to elections, that I am not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction, and that I consider this residence to be my home."  

The affidavit is signed under the “pains and penalties of perjury.”

Residency Requirement
There is no pre-existing residency requirement -- only that you are currently a resident of the Town.  However, a valid Massachusetts Drivers License or the last four digits of your Social Security Number must be provided on the voter registration affidavit.  An affidavit which does not include this information cannot be verified and such persons will be required to provide identification at the polls.

Where to Register
You may now register directly on-line through the Secretary of State's on-line portal, provided that you have a valid ID from the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

You may also register in person at the Town Clerk’s Office during regular business hours, through the Registry of Motor Vehicles, through various other State Agencies, or by completing a mail-in voter registration affidavit and returning it to our office.  To obtain a mail-in registration card, contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 978-357-5230, contact the Secretary of State's Office at 1-800-462-VOTE or visit the Secretary of State’s Office Elections Division.

Acknowledgement of Voter Registration
After you have registered to vote, you will receive an acknowledgement letter from our office that will verify the information on your voter registration affidavit and will also state your precinct and polling location.  In addition, you may call our office or click onto the following link at the Secretary of State's Office for information on your voting location.

If you do not receive an acknowledgement letter from this office within a reasonable amount of time from the date you registered, or if the information contained in your acknowledgement letter is incorrect, please contact our office immediately.

Pre-registering to Vote *
Though you must be 18 years old to vote, you may pre-register once you are 16 years old.  If you are 16 or 17 years old, you may register online, by mail, or in person and your registration will remain in a "que" of pre-registrants until you turn 18.  At that time, your registration affidavit will automatically be processed and you will receive an acknowledgement letter from the Town Clerk's Office.  The information in this letter should be verified for current accuracy as it is based on information provided at the time of pre-registration (address, political party preference, etc.).  Identification requirements also apply to pre-registrants.