Marblehead’s Board of Registrars voted Tuesday to implement in-person early voting for both the June 10 municipal election and the July 8 special referendum on MBTA zoning, marking the first time the town will offer early voting for local elections.
Town Clerk Robin Michaud said the decision comes as the town prepares for what could be high-stakes voting on Article 23, the multifamily zoning measure approved at Town Meeting that faces a referendum challenge. The registrars must vote to authorize early voting for local elections, unlike state elections where it’s mandated.
The Marblehead Board of Registrars, composed of four voting members — Michaud, Margaret Herrick, Tim Swigor and Anthony Chama— is responsible for maintaining accurate voter rolls, overseeing election procedures and ensuring fair access to the electoral process.
The in-person early voting will likely take place during business hours at the Town Clerk’s Office in Abbot Hall, Michaud said. She expects to recommend five days of in-person early voting — Monday through Friday the week before each election — to the Select Board, which must approve the final schedule.
For the September 2024 primary election, only 170 people used in-person early voting for the entire week, Michaud noted. However, she emphasized that the July referendum represents “a different animal” that could draw higher participation.
The decision addresses calls from residents like Nick Ward, who urged expanded voting access during a Select Board meeting in which it set the special election. Ward argued that broader accessibility, including mail-in and in-person early voting options, would help residents engage with the contentious MBTA zoning referendum.
The referendum will determine whether to uphold Article 23, which creates overlay districts allowing multifamily housing in three areas of town and could permit up to 600 additional housing units. Resident John DiPiano submitted more than 1,200 petition signatures to trigger the special election.
For the referendum to overturn Town Meeting’s decision, a majority must vote no and those “no” votes must equal at least 20 percent of registered voters — approximately 3,315 votes from the town’s 16,576 registered voters.
Michaud said she would ask the Select Board to vote on in-person early voting hours and days during its May 28 meeting. She estimated the special election will cost approximately $12,000, separate from the regular June 10 municipal election already scheduled.
