On Monday, Nov. 18, the town’s Election Commission held a public session of the post-election tabulation process, with about 180 ballots counted, according to Pat Dolan.
The final results will be submitted to the state next week, completing the extensive process required to certify the vote.
“All votes are hand-counted by people working in pairs, reading the information to each other to verify,” Dolan explained, adding that the process also involves recounting election-day ballots for accuracy.
The commission began the process on Nov. 5 and has worked steadily since. Post-election tabulation includes ballots cast after 3 p.m. on Election Day, as well as mail-in ballots postmarked by Nov. 5 and received by Nov. 8. Overseas ballots, which have a 10-day window, were included if they arrived by Nov. 15.
The final step involves counting federal write-in ballots in a public meeting. However, the process is not complete until all data is submitted to the state.
“About eight different spreadsheets are sent in,” Dolan said. “We don’t call them [the ballots] official until they’re all combined.”
For ballots with errors, the options depend on the timing. During early voting by mail, voters can be contacted to correct mistakes. But once post-election tabulation begins, “At this point, they’re rejected,” Dolan noted.
To safeguard against double counting, trust and teamwork are key.
“Trusting your counters” is essential, Dolan said. “Sometimes mistakes happen, but that’s why we work in pairs.”
After tabulation, physical ballots are stored in a secure vault for 22 months, along with their envelopes. These records can only be removed after Sept. 5, 2026.
Dolan acknowledged the adjustments made under The VOTES Act, which introduced new rules for election procedures.
According to Common Cause Massachusetts, The VOTES Act, signed into law by Governor Charlie Baker in 2022, represented the largest expansion of voting access in Massachusetts in years. Formally titled “An Act Fostering Voting Opportunities, Trust, Equity, and Security,” the law permanently changed election practices across the Commonwealth, including:
● Allowing voters to vote by mail without an excuse
● Expanding early voting options
● Ensuring incarcerated eligible voters can request and cast mail ballots
● Reducing the voter registration deadline from 20 days to 10 days before an election
● Joining the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) to maintain accurate voter rolls
Dolan noted that the changes have streamlined election procedures locally while improving accessibility. For instance, mail-in voting and early voting options allowed more residents to participate in the election process ahead of Election Day.
“We’ve had issues with inactive voters in the past” but this year, “Taylor O’Neil did a great job on social media encouraging people to check their voter status,” Dolan said. She also noted that returning census ballots helps residents maintain active voter status.
