The deadline to register to vote is 10 days before the election.

You can register to vote in person at Town Hall during business hours, online (scroll down to find the link) or by mailing or emailing a copy or photo of a paper application (see links below).

You can check your voter registration details and polling location.

State law requires the Town Clerk’s Office to notify voters who did not return the census that they are on the inactive voter list by sending a postcard.  Returning the postcard puts you back on the active voter list.  Inactive voters are eligible to vote in all elections.  You can find more information about inactive voter status on the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website. 

Residents or voters with a Massachusetts driver’s license or state ID can use the online system to register or update their registration.

Online Voter Registration 
• Register or Pre-Register to Vote
• Check Registration Information
• Update Address and/or Party
• Update Name

Voter Registration Application
Voter Registration Information from the Secretary of the Commonwealth
Cancel Your Arlington Registration

Registering in another community in Massachusetts automatically cancels your Arlington registration. Voters moving to another state can use the cancellation form to notify the Town Clerk. Cancellation requests must be made in writing and signed by the voter.

Applications to vote by mail are by calendar year. Applications for local elections were included in the Town Census mailing in January.  Voters will receive postcards in July from the state election office to apply for mailed ballots for the September Primary and November General Election 2026.

Apply for a Mailed Ballot
Any signed form or note requesting a ballot can be accepted and no excuse is necessary for voters who chose to vote by mail. You can mail, drop off, or email a photo of your note or application to townclerk@town.arlington.ma.us 

Vote by Mail – Apply Online – no form or signature needed
Vote by Mail – Paper Application 
Information about voting by mail
Accessible Voting Online Application - vote online using your computer
Accessible Voting Paper Application - vote online using your computer
Details about Accessible Voting - in person or by paper ballot

A family member can complete and submit a full-page Vote by Mail application on someone’s behalf, but can only fill out a ballot under limited circumstances. 

You can use Track My Ballot to see when your ballot was mailed to you or received back by the Clerk's Office. If your ballot was Accepted, you cannot vote in person or ask to change your vote or ballot. If your ballot was rejected or not returned, you may vote in person.

There is a separate section of this page with information for overseas voters.

Return a Mailed Ballot
All ballots must be received by 8 pm on Election Day to be counted. If you do not return a ballot that was mailed to you, you may vote in person.  Once you return your mailed ballot, you cannot change your mind and vote in person.

There are several options for returning your ballot. You may return your ballot by:
• Mailing it back using the envelope provided
• Hand-delivering your ballot to Clerk's Office in Town Hall any time before the polls close on election day
• Using a Ballot Drop Box
   730 Mass Ave – in front of Town Hall
   85 Park Ave – ACMi Studio
   175 Mass Ave – Fox Library

Ballots cannot be dropped off at a polling place on Election Day.

Vote Early in Person

Early Voting will be conducted in the Town Clerk's Office on the second floor of Town Hall. There is an elevator in the main lobby. No application is needed for in-person early voting and no excuse is necessary to vote during these hours. 

Saturday August 22 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Sunday August 23 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Monday August 24 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tuesday August 25 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Wednesday August 26 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Thursday August 27 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Friday August 28 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Voters who miss the early voting days and will be unable to vote in person on election day because they will be out of town or due to their religious observance may vote absentee in the Clerk's Office during regular office hours by completing an absentee voter form and ballot. An appointment is required for absentee voting - please contact the Clerk's Office to make an appointment for a date after the ballots have been delivered. 

Candidates & Questions on the Ballot shows the order candidates and questions will appear on the ballot.

A Sample Ballot for each precinct lets voters see exactly what their mailed ballot or election day ballot will look like. 

Information About the Ballot Questions

Candidate Statements for Town Meeting Races

You can look up your precinct using Where Do I Vote?

If you need to confirm your registration or look up your current party or status, you can do that online.  There is more information in the Voter Registration section of this webpage. 

Write-in candidates will find information in the "What Candidates Need to Know" section and are encouraged to notify the Town Clerk before election day that they are running.  They may submit a candidate statement for Town Meeting before March 11 at 5 pm.

The Town Election on March 28, 2026 is a Saturday, so school is not open.

If school is open on Election Day, parking near the polling place may be limited and voting at the beginning and end of the school day could be more crowded.

Where Do I Vote?
Map of all the precincts (PDF)
Individual maps of each precinct (PDF)
Addresses of the polling places

View an Interactive Precinct Map, which features polling locations and elected Town Meeting Members.

Information about the number of seats to elect in each precinct, if there are vacancies to fill, details about how the vacancies are filled, how to submit a candidate statement, and information about write-in campaigns can be found in this memo about Town Meeting Races. 

You can review the Candidates Certified to appear on the ballot, but because they can withdraw until February 24 at 5 pm the list is not final and the order candidates appear will be determined by a random drawing.  

Learn more about how to run for Town Meeting in this Town Meeting FAQ.

Request a copy of the Town Meeting Member Contact List and it will be emailed to you promptly.

Town Meeting Members who were previously elected do not need to collect signatures on nomination papers, but must return a form indicating they are running for re-election. The form is  mailed in January to Members whose term is ending at the upcoming election. 

Town Meeting Members who were appointed must run for election and collect signatures on nomination papers in order to remain on Town Meeting. 

Town Meeting Members must live in their precinct. You can look up your precinct using Where Do I Vote?

Candidates must be registered to vote in Arlington. If you need to confirm or update your registration, you can do that online.  There is more information in the Voter Registration section of this webpage. 

Learn more about Town Meeting and how to run for Town Meeting on the About Town Meeting page.

Town Bylaw sets the date for the Annual Town Election on the first Saturday of April, subject to Select Board approval. Local elections are non-partisan. This year the election is March 28, 2026.

You can review the Candidates Certified to appear on the ballot, but because they can withdraw until February 24 at 5 pm the list is not final and the order candidates appear will be determined by a random drawing.  

What offices are elected in Arlington? Read an explanation of the offices elected town wide. 

Information to help candidates can be found in the "What Candidates Need to Know" section, candidates should review the election calendar posted there for filing deadlines. 

In 2026 the following offices will be on the ballot:

Select Board - elect two for three-year terms
School Committee - elect three for three-year terms and one for a one-year term to fill a vacancy
Board of Assessors - elect one for a three-year term
Housing Authority - elect one for a five-year term

Deadlines for candidates to take out and return papers can be found in the Election Calendar. 

Townwide candidates must file campaign finance forms with the Town Clerk whether or not they raise money. (Read a summary of the forms and which to use for your campaign.)

Town Meeting candidates do not need to file with the Town Clerk and may spend money without reporting it.

Ballot Question Committees must file with the Town Clerk.

Campaign Finance for Municipal Candidates is a guide prepared by the Office for Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) with step-by-step instructions for new candidates on the procedures and forms.

Municipal Candidate Tutorial Video summarizes, in just over six minutes, the filing requirements for municipal candidates filing locally. 

Understanding the M101 with links to the common forms and simple explanations, including ballot question committees.

How to Complete the M102 is an illustrated guide on how to complete the campaign finance form.

Municipal Forms
Forms, Guides, and Fact Sheets
Videos - look for Candidates and Committees Who File Locally

Anyone interested in running for office in Arlington can contact the Town Clerk to learn more about how to get started.

If you want to run as a write in candidate please contact the Town Clerk before election day. In general, we recommend providing voters with your full name and the race you want to be written in for. You can provide a slip of paper with the information as long as you speak to voters outside the 150' line at the polling location. Stickers are not ideal as they tend to jam the voting machines.  Write in candidates for Town Meeting may submit a candidate statement by contacting the Town Clerk.

Track My Ballot is an online tool you can use to confirm the status of your request to vote by mail.

“Pending” indicates the application was received and will be mailed when the ballots arrive.

If you get an error message when you search for your name and address, you may need to check the address or spelling or it could mean that an application was not received. It may take a few days to process if volume is high.

Also note that you can only enter a zip code or the name of the town into that form.

Call the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-316-3070 or email townclerk@town.arlington.ma.us and be sure your message includes your name and address.

US Citizens living abroad are eligible to vote in all local, state, and federal elections.  It is not necessary to be registered to vote, but the application to vote should be submitted in the last place you lived in the US. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: All applications must specify which elections (local, primary, general) you want to vote in.  Use Question 6 on the form.  This is a requirement before we accept your application and enter your request for a ballot. 

The Federal Voting Assistance website walks you through how to fill out your application so all the questions are answered completely.

Federal Post Card Application 

The standard absentee application should be submitted well before the deadline if you choose to use it. It does not include all the information to enable overseas voting so the Clerk's Office will contact you to process it.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth has a website with information for overseas or military voters.

Overseas and Military Voters can choose how to receive their ballot:

online - we will send you links to a website that will let you vote on your computer and return the ballot and affidavit without printing anything

email - we will email you a pdf of the ballot and the forms to sign; you print them, fill them out, and then fax or email a scan or photo of the forms back

mail - we can mail you a ballot at your overseas address; you will need to pay return postage unless you are mailing from a US Post Office

Which elections you want to receive ballots for - "all elections" will include any local elections that year.  If you want to vote in a primary election you must specify which party ballot (Democratic, Libertarian, Republican).  

You must be a registered voter. Students ages 16-17 may also apply to the Town Clerk and complete additional forms through the guidance office at their school.

If you are interested in learning more, please complete the online application.  The Town Clerk's Office will contact you about training.

Prior to each election, all election workers will be emailed a link to sign up for specific shifts for the next election. If you would like to be paid, you can complete payroll forms. Many people volunteer their time - it's up to you and you can change your status later. 

Wardens $230
Clerks $215
Inspectors $195

Half rate for half day shifts.  We pay $15/hour for training time, for staffing early voting hours and for assisting the Clerk's Office with preparing ballot mailings.