Students, Other Amherst Residents Can Vote Early on Campus

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Amherst residents, including UMass Amherst students, can vote early for the November election on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Oct. 24, 25 and 26 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in 420 Student Union.

The on-campus site is one of several in Amherst that will be open to any town voter at various times between Oct. 22 and Nov. 2.

There will be no voting on campus on election day, Nov. 6.

Amherst town clerk Margaret Z. Nartowicz advises students to check on their voter registration status well before the Oct. 17 voter registration deadline, and to register at their new address (if applicable) by the deadline. 

She says students frequently appear on voter checklists as “inactive” at a non-current local address because the voter registration system doesn’t automatically track address changes as voters move, even if it’s only from one dorm to another. 

If inactive and unable to produce evidence of the old address, the student would likely be allowed to vote a “challenged” ballot but would first be required to sign the ballot, take a challenged voter’s oath and attest that they’ve continually resided in the town. 

Students can check their voting status at the Commonwealth’s Elections Division website. Students who live on campus should enter their room number (as the street number) and dorm name (as the street address) in this format: 123 “UM XXXXXX” (ex. UM FIELD, UM JOHN Q ADAMS, etc.). 

Alternatively, students are welcome to call the town clerk’s office at 413/259-3035 to check their voter status. Students who live in Amherst can register to vote in person at the town clerk’s office, 4 Boltwood Ave., by mail or online at the Elections Division website.