The Town Clerk’s Office said Monday afternoon there will not be in-person early voting available for the June 9 election, where people will decide a three-year, three-tiered override (up to $15 million) that would increase property taxes permanently. A second $2.3 million trash override is also on the ballot, as well as local races for Select Board, School Committee and other positions.
Later that night, Town Clerk Robin Michaud posted to social media that she is on medical leave and that a final decision has not been made regarding in-person early voting. “We may be headed to not having EV but haven’t made the decision,” she wrote. Michaud did not respond to requests for comment.
Massachusetts first allowed in-person early voting for presidential elections in 2016 and later expanded it to state and federal elections generally. Marblehead’s Board of Registrars voted to allow early voting in the two local elections last summer.
Registrar Margie Herrick reacted to the Clerk’s Office initial comment that early voting would not be available. “I was not consulted on that decision. If consulted as a registrar, I would have argued strongly that this is such an important vote for the future of our town that we should strive to make voting available to as many Marbleheaders as possible.”
The Current asked Michaud what prompted the decision not to hold in-person early voting. We also asked how many people voted early in last June’s town election and the July referendum on the MBTA Communities Law.
After the 2024 presidential election, Michaud told the Current that 7,672 votes were cast during the early voting period and through mail-in ballots, representing 45.45% of the town’s 17,099 registered voters. That pre-Election Day total includes 2,976 in-person early voters and 4,696 returned mail-in ballots.
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer believes any hurdles to in-person early voting “are not insurmountable,” adding, “I think you would want residents to have as much opportunity to vote as possible.”
Select Board Chair Dan Fox says in-person early voting is key.
“It was available for both the general election and the 3A referendum last year,” Fox wrote to the Current. “Early voting increases access and participation for residents who may not be able to vote on a single designated election day. Many people balance demanding work schedules or other obligations that can make it difficult to get to the polls during limited voting hours.”
Fox added: “Early voting provides flexibility and helps ensure that more voices in the community are heard. By spreading turnout across multiple days, it can create a smoother and less stressful experience while maintaining the integrity of the voting process. Most importantly, voting should be as accessible and convenient as possible for every eligible resident. Expanding opportunities to vote strengthens civic participation and helps build greater confidence and engagement in our local democratic process.”
Resident Christine Nuccio is hoping Marblehead voters will have the option to vote in person early.
“Marblehead has an established precedent for early voting,” Nuccio said. “We should encourage as many voters to participate in the June 9 election as possible; early voting will allow voters who can’t vote on June 9 to cast their ballots early in this important election. The point is to increase voting, not limit it.”
