Nomination Papers  

March 2012 Town Election

Calendar of Key Dates

Nomination and Petition Papers for Municipal Elections

The first step to running for office or placing a question on the ballot is to gather the required number of signatures of registered voters on petition papers. The number of signatures depends on the office or the type of question.

Once the signatures are gathered, the petition papers are submitted to the Town Clerk/Board of Registrars for certification.  If the required number of signatures is certified, the candidate or question will appear on the ballot.  guidelines and instruction for seeking elected office or placing a question on the local ballot are available from the Town Clerk's office.

Guide to Seeking Elected Office in Lexington 2012
 

2012 ELECTION CALENDAR

DATE-EVENT

2012 CANDIDATE DEADLINES

DATE-EVENT

SCHEDULE-EVENT

Late Dec. as voted by Board of Selectmen-Warrant Closure Deadline

56 Days prior to election-Deadline for Incumbent Town Meeting Members

51 Days prior to election-Deadline to obtain Nomination Papers

49 Days prior to election-Deadline to submit signed Nomination Papers

33 Days prior to election-Deadline for Candidates to Withdraw

20 Days prior to election-Voter Registration Deadline

7 Days prior to election-Warrant Posting Deadline

Friday prior to Monday Election-Absentee Ballot Deadline

First Monday in March, unless otherwise declared-Annual Town Election

Usually Last Monday in March-Annual Town Meeting - Session 1

Town Committees 

(elected on March Presidential Primary Ballot)

Each political party may elect a town committee consisting of three to thirty-five members in each town for a four-year term. Members of town committees serve in the following capacities:

    Represent their party at the local neighborhood level;

    Promote the objectives of the party; and

    Work for the nomination and election of party candidates.

Three ways to run for town committee:

Incumbent members of the current committee often form their own slate;

An interested person may request a place on this slate by contacting the chairperson whose name is available from the local election office in the city or town hall;

A candidate may run on another slate; a candidate may run as an individual

Nomination papers are available beginning August the year prior to the State Election, in the Elections Division, Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, One Ashburton Place, Room 1705, Boston, MA 02108 or thereafter at the Lexington Town Clerk's Office, Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Nomination papers must be submitted to the office of the Lexington Town Clerk/Board of Registrars for the certification of names by the following November.

Nomination papers must be picked up from the Town Clerk's Office and filed with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

Additional information is available from both the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth and the Office of the Lexington Town Clerk.  

Secretary of the Commonwealth - ELECTIONS DIVISION