With the Nov. 5 election just a couple weeks away, between hundreds of residents have taken advantage of early voting.
According to Pat Dolan, from North Attleborough’s Elections Commission, approximately 200-300 people have been taking advantage of early voting each day that it has been offered. Early voting has been offered at Town Hall since Oct. 19 and will continue through Nov. 1 at noon.
Though early votes are cast before Election Day, they will not be counted until all ballots are in, including those from Election Day and those voting overseas.
Dolan said that early voting has been progressing smoothly, noting that it helps “take the strain off the polls” by reducing and spreading out foot traffic on Election Day. She explained that this election marks North Attleborough’s first large-scale implementation of early voting and mail-in ballots, methods introduced before the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, before 2020, many states required a specific reason to vote absentee, such as military service or being overseas at the time of the election. However, during the pandemic, numerous states relaxed these requirements, making absentee voting accessible to the general public. Dolan noted that the expanded systems for online ballot requests have made voting more accessible, particularly for overseas voters.
Dolan also clarified the distinction between mail-in and absentee voting. While mail-in voting is available to all, absentee voting requires a valid reason.
In terms of staffing, Dolan reported that North Attleborough is “pretty well staffed this election,” with many new poll workers eager to assist in the voting process. She expressed confidence, saying, “We are confident now because of early voting.”
With a well-prepared team of poll workers and increased use of early voting, election season in North Attleborough is running smoothly. As the community approaches the Nov. 1 early voting deadline, Dolan remains optimistic about voter turnout and the efficiency of the election.
