By Sarah Marshall
According to Town Clerk Sue Audette, precincts and polling locations have changed for about 80% of residents since we last went to the polls.
If you want to vote in the state primary on September 6, check that your registration is up-to-date by August 27. You can check at this link, which will also tell you your new precinct number and polling place, and your party affiliation if applicable. If you need to register or update information, see this page for options. The last day to register for the general election on November 8 is October 29.
And now, back to our summer vacation . . .
THE AMHERST CURRENT 
My anecdotal observation talking at Town Hall with several dozen early voters this week about their old polling place versus their new one under our new map is that most, but clearly not all voters are keeping their old polling places. Residents of the old precinct 9 are generally going to the High School instead of Wildwood (no longer a poll location) to vote, for example. But the old precinct 8 (with its high turnout) is still going to Munson. Orchard Valley residents will still vote at Crocker. Our Town Clerk was caught trying to answer a question on the fly in a poll worker training. A quick comparison of the old and the new maps and the accompanying polling places indicate a bit less disruption than 80% of voters finding some place new to vote.
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Sarah, thank you(!) for this announcement and for providing the link to the state web site for people to check their voter registration and voting location for the primary (Sept) and general (Nov) elections if they choose to vote in person on those election days. Voting during the early voting period or by mail are two other great options. For the Sept 6th primary, early voting in-person in Amherst will be held at Town Hall on August 27th, and August 29th through Sept 2nd. The times are listed here: https://www.amherstma.gov/3665/Elections
Based on my time serving on the Districting Advisory Board looking at the voter and resident data by precinct/district, I think that most of the residents who are switching voting locations are college students including those in dorms who change residences each year (An estimated 60% of Amherst’s population are college students). Among active voters (defined as those people who are registered to vote & who have verified their current address by returning the annual town census or otherwise) with the redistricting, DAB’s analysis showed that with the redistricting over 80% of active voters remained in the same precinct, though with different precinct numbers (I am still getting used to the new nomenclature). The biggest change in terms of voting locations is that that Wildwood Elementary School is no longer a voting site and that those voters go to the Amherst Regional High School to vote in-person on Election Day.
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Thank you, Sarah!
I know you didn’t want to overwhelm folks with info, but hopefully readers already know that they can skip the polling place by Voting by Mail or Early Voting in person at Town Hall, both described at the website you linked.
I know many people love the feeling of voting at the polls on election day, BUT two things:
1. the in-person primary is the stupid date of Tuesday 09-06-22, yes the day after Labor Day because Massachusetts, AND…
2. the Tuesday 09-06-22 primary is the ONLY election that counts this year in Massachusetts — Massachusetts Democrats are likely to prevail Tuesday 11-08-22, but *which* Massachusetts Democrats is up to the tiny turnout on this badly scheduled primary
**The only real choice you have about numerous Massachusetts positions* in 2022 is the primary Tuesday 09-06-22 ** please remind your friends!
*
Governor (currently Baker): there are two Democrats on Democratic primary ballot, but Sonia Chang-Diaz officially dropped out this summer
Lt Governor (currently Polito): the Democrat who wins this three way race 09-06-22 is the next Lt Governor
Attorney General (currently Healey): the Democrat who wins this three way race 09-06-22 is the next Attorney General
Secretary of State (currently Galvin, Galvin on ballot): the Democrat who wins this two way race 09-06-22 is the next Secretary of State
Auditor (currently Bump): the Democrat who wins this two way race 09-06-22 is the next Auditor
{Governor’s} Councillor (currently Hurley): the Democrat who wins this four way race 09-06-22 is the next Councillor
Sheriff (currently Cahillane, Cahillane on ballot): the Democrat who wins this three way race 09-06-22 is the next Sheriff
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