By Beth David, Editor
Voters in Fairhaven and Acushnet are getting a jump on things by taking advantage of early voting this year. In person early voting is available until the 10/30. At the Council on Aging in Fairhaven on Monday, 10/26, the booths were almost all busy with voters and a steady stream of people all day, said Warden Linda Therrien. Early voting numbers were approaching the 2,000 mark by early afternoon.
Voters are checked in and out, just as they are on election day. But instead of putting the ballots through the counting machine, they are placed in an envelope and placed in the vault until election day.
In Fairhaven, on man said he thought there might be long lines on election day, so he decided to vote early. He said he did not want to use mail because, “I feel more connected this way.”
James said he had a little free time on Monday, so he would vote. He said he did not trust the mail.
“We’ve been doing pretty good for 243 years,” he said voting in person on the first Tuesday in November. “I’m not very confident. So this is convenient. I’ve had some reservations, the president has reservations (about mail-in ballots).
Bob Paine said he did not trust his ballot in the mail.
“I’ve done it all my life this way,” said Mr. Paine. “Always in person.”
Early voting in Acushnet is taking place at the Parting Ways Building at 130 Main Street, and in Fairhaven at the COA at 229 Huttleston Avenue, and will continue until Friday, 10/30. Voting hours are 8 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Acushnet will be participating in “advanced processing” of early voting ballots (see page 16). During advanced processing, ballots are removed from their envelopes, counted, and fed into the tabulators before Election Day. The public is allowed to be present to witness the process, and during this time the contesting of ballots is allowed.
Fairhaven does not participate in advanced processing, and will open and feed all mail-in and early voter ballots into the optical scanner on Election Day, 11/3.
Mail-in ballots may be dropped off in person. In Fairhaven there is a slot in the door of the clerk’s office to the right of the main door at town hall, 40 Center Street. In Acushnet there is a drop box outside the clerk’s office at the Parting Ways Building, 130 Main St.
On Election Day 11/3
The polls will be open on Tuesday, 11/3, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for those wishing to vote on election day at their regular precinct location.
The Fairhaven Council on Aging and the Acushnet Council on Aging provide rides to seniors for voting. In Fairhaven call 508-979-4029 at least one day in advance to schedule. In Acushnet call, 508-998-0280.
In Acushnet all precincts vote at the Acushnet Elementary School, 800 Middle Road.
In Fairhaven Precinct 1 votes at Town Hall, 40 Center Street; precincts 2 & 3 at Hastings Middle School, 30 School St.; precincr 4 at the Fire Station Meeting Room, 146 Washington St.; precincts 5 & 6 at the Recreation Center, 227 Huttleston Ave.
Contact your town clerk’s office: In Fairhaven, call 508-979-4023, Ext. 3; in Acushnet call 508-998-0200, Ext. 2.
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