Early voting starts today

Although the official voting day for Newton’s three override questions is Tuesday, March 14, residents can start casting their ballots via early voting from March 3 through March 7, and have until March 7 to apply for absentee or mail-in ballots if they’ll be out of town on the 14th.

But it remains to be seen if the various options for voting will lead to an increase in ballots, as Newton has seen a steady decline in turnout for override votes.

This year, residents will vote on three measures: A $3.5 million tax increase for work at the Franklin School, a $2.3 million tax increase for work at the Countryside School, and a $9 million increase in the general city budget, with $4.5 million earmarked for schools. That last increase would add $290 to the median homeowner’s yearly taxes in this coming year, and the other two increases are expected to add $183 by 2030.

Residents can vote in person at their normal precinct (see list at end of article) between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. on March 14. But they can also vote in person at City Hall for the next five days — early voting will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 3, March 6 and March 7, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. over the weekend, on March 4 and March 5. 

Officials sent out Vote By Mail applications in January, and the deadline for requesting a ballot for the override votes is March 7 at 5 p.m. Voters can send those applications or a signed request to the City Clerk’s Office that includes your name, the address where you are registered to vote, the address where you want the ballot to be sent and which election you would like a ballot for.


Sample ballot for March 14 override election

Last year, the City Council unanimously approved spending $210,000 on the special election. About $100,000 of that is budgeted for election workers and other staff, and $44,000 is earmarked for postage for mailers.

While previous overrides have seen fairly tight races, numbers declined by the most recent override vote. In 2002, 27,793 residents – about 57 percent of registered voters – came out to vote, approving that $11.5 million override 14,251 to 13,542. In 2008, 47 percent of Newton voters cast their ballots, and that time voted down a $12 million override, 11,118 to 13,331.

That 2008 override vote was held during a special election in May, while the 2013 override vote was during a special election in March. That ballot also contained three measures — an operating override for $8.4 million and two school construction overrides totaling $3 million — but only 32 percent of voters came to the polls, approving all three measures. The operating override passed by a margin of 9,653 to 8,203.

Dan Atkinson can be reached at datkinson@newtonbeacon.org

Where to vote on March 14

Ward 1, Precinct 1: LINCOLN ELIOT SCHOOL, 191 PEARL ST

Ward 1, Precinct 2: GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH , 76 ELDREDGE ST

Ward 1, Precinct 3: BIGELOW MIDDLE SCHOOL, 42 VERNON ST

Ward 1, Precinct 4: PELLEGRINI PLAYGROUND, 11 HAWTHORN ST

Ward 2, Precinct 1: ALBEMARLE FIELDHOUSE, 250 ALBEMARLE RD

Ward 2, Precinct 2: CABOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 229 CABOT ST

Ward 2, Precinct 3: CABOT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 229 CABOT ST

Ward 2, Precinct 4: NEWTON FREE LIBRARY, 330 HOMER ST

Ward 3, Precinct 1: SCANDINAVIAN LIVING CENTER, 206 WALTHAM ST

Ward 3, Precinct 2: TEMPLE SHALOM, 175 TEMPLE ST

Ward 3, Precinct 3: FRANKLIN SCHOOL, 125 DERBY ST

Ward 3, Precinct 4: FRANKLIN SCHOOL, 125 DERBY ST

Ward 4, Precinct 1: BURR SCHOOL, 171 PINE ST

Ward 4, Precinct 2: HAMILTON COMMUNITY CENTER, 545 GROVE ST

Ward 4, Precinct 3: WILLIAMS SCHOOL, 141 GROVE ST

Ward 4, Precinct 4: BURR SCHOOL, 171 PINE ST

Ward 5, Precinct 1: EMERSON COMMUNITY CENTER, 51 PETTEE ST

Ward 5, Precinct 2: HYDE COMMUNITY CENTER, 90 LINCOLN ST

Ward 5, Precinct 3: ZERVAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 30 BEETHOVEN AVE

Ward 5, Precinct 4: ZERVAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, 30 BEETHOVEN AVE

Ward 6, Precinct 1: BOWEN SCHOOL, 280 CYPRESS ST

Ward 6, Precinct 2: BOWEN SCHOOL, 280 CYPRESS ST

Ward 6, Precinct 3: HYDE COMMUNITY CENTER, 90 LINCOLN ST

Ward 6, Precinct 4: MASON RICE SCHOOL, 149 PLEASANT ST

Ward 7, Precinct 1: CHURCH OF THE REDEEMER, 379 HAMMOND ST

Ward 7, Precinct 2: BIGELOW MIDDLE SCHOOL, 42 VERNON ST

Ward 7, Precinct 3: WARD SCHOOL, 10 DOLPHIN RD

Ward 7, Precinct 4: WARD SCHOOL, 10 DOLPHIN RD

Ward 8, Precinct 1: OAK HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL, 130 WHEELER RD

Ward 8, Precinct 2: TEMPLE BETH AVODAH, 45 PUDDINGSTONE LANE

Ward 8, Precinct 3: COUNTRYSIDE SCHOOL, 191 DEDHAM ST

Ward 3, Precinct 4: SHUMAN COMMUNITY CENTER, 675 SAW MILL BROOK PARKWAY