Voter Registration

Registering to vote in the Town of Essex has never been easier than it is today. Below are the various methods of voter registration available to qualified citizens.

In-Person Voter Registration

You may visit the Town Clerk's office, located in Town Hall and complete a voter registration form in person.

By-Mail Voter Registration

You may obtain a mail-in voter registration form from:

  • Town Clerk's Office at Town Hall
  • Secretary of State's Webpage (print the form, complete it and mail in to Essex Town Clerk's office)
  • United States Post Offices
  • Various other locations throughout the state

Mail-in forms may also be obtained by mail by calling the State Elections Division at 800-462-VOTE or by calling the Office of the Town Clerk at 978-768-7111. In addition, the State Registry of Motor Vehicles, various social service agencies, and military recruitment offices provide voter registration services.

Online Voter Registration and Voter Registration Status

If you have a Massachusetts drivers license or other MA ID from the Registry of Motor Vehicles you may register to vote, update your address, change your party or just check your voter status - all online! Go to: Secretary of State's Voter Registration Webpage

Voter Eligibility and Residency Issues

Any person is eligible to register to vote if they:

  • Are a Massachusetts resident
  • Are a United States citizen
  • Are 16 years old

Although you must be 18 years old to vote, you may pre-register to vote once you are 16 years old. If you are 16 or 17 years old, you may submit a voter registration form, whereby your name will be placed on a list of pre-registrants, and a pre-registration notice will be mailed to you, confirming receipt of your application. Once you become old enough to vote, an acknowledgement notice will be mailed to you confirming that your name has been moved from the list of pre-registrants to the list of registered voters.

Please refer to the manual Residency for Voting Purposes for more information about residency requirements. All registrants must attest, under the pains and penalties of perjury, that they are legally eligible to register to vote in Essex and that the information they provide is accurate and truthful. The penalty for fraudulent registration is a fine of $10,000 or imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both. 

Voter Application Options

When you register, you may choose to:

  • Become a member of a political party (Current parties are Democrat, Green Rainbow, Libertarian and Republican)
  • Choose to become Unenrolled -- a voter not enrolled in a political party - commonly referred to as "independent"
  • Select a designation for a political organization which has not achieved party status in the state

Remember, in primaries, if you have registered in a political party, you may only receive a ballot for that party. Unenrolled voters and those voters who have registered in a political designation may request any ballot in a primary election.