Haverhill City Clerk Linda L. Koutoulas.
In time for local elections, residents may now register online to vote.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William F. Galvin announced Tuesday the state had become the 21st to allow online voter registration.
“This important advancement will make registration easier and more convenient as well as cut costs relating to the printing of voter registration forms,” according to a statement.
Pending a sufficient number of candidates, Haverhill City Clerk Linda L. Koutoulas has scheduled the preliminary municipal election for Tuesday, Sept. 22. A minimum of either three candidates for mayor, 19 for city council or seven for school committee would trigger a September preliminary run-off. The final, or general, municipal election takes place Tuesday, Nov. 3, and would have a maximum two candidates for mayor, 18 candidates for nine city council seats and six contenders for three school committee seats.
To use the state’s new online voter registration, residents must have a valid driver’s license, learner’s permit, or non-driver identification issued by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV).
Residents can apply online by visiting Secretary Galvin’s website at www.sec.state.ma.us and clicking the “Massachusetts Register to Vote Online” button to access the online application system. The system may also be used to update voter addresses or change party affiliation.
“Any Massachusetts citizen who has a valid identification card issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles will be able to use the online system to apply to register to vote, update their address or change their party enrollment. Massachusetts citizens who do not have identification issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles can still complete an application online which they can print, sign and mail or hand-deliver to their local election official.”
The voter registration deadline for the preliminary election is Wednesday, September 2 and the deadline for the general election is Wednesday, October 14. The Haverhill city clerk’s office will be open until 5 p.m. on both dates for those wishing to register to vote in person.