Published in the February 20, 2020 edition.

By MARK  SARDELLA

WAKEFIELD — To describe the Town Clerk’s office as a beehive of activity these days would be to grossly understate the matter.

With census forms coming in, two elections on the horizon and early voting set to begin next week for the Presidential Primary (plus the Special State Rep election for precincts 4, 5 and 6) there’s more than enough to keep Town Clerk Betsy Sheeran, her staff and several volunteers busy.

And then, of course, there’s the day to day work of providing certified copies of birth, death and marriage certificates, issuing business certificates, registering dogs and posting public meetings.

Preparations are in place and early voting, which will take place from Monday, Feb. 24 to Friday, Feb. 28 for registered voters who wish to vote before the scheduled March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary and the Special Election for State Representative (precincts 4, 5 and 6).

Early voting will be held at the office of the Town Clerk in Town Hall, 1 Lafayette Street, during the following times:

• Monday, Feb. 24 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, Feb. 25 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, Feb. 26 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Thursday, Feb. 27 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Friday, Feb. 28 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Whether they vote early at Town Hall or vote on the March 3 Election Day, Voters in Precincts 4, 5 and 6 will only have to check in once and will be given two ballots – the Presidential Primary ballot and the Special Election ballot to vote for State Representative in the 32nd Middlesex District.

According to Town Clerk Betsy Sheeran, all requests for mail-in absentee ballots have been fulfilled and sent out. Overseas ballot requests have also been honored, Sheeran noted, with ballots mailed to eligible voters in at least three European countries and Australia.

The Town Clerk’s Office has been busy registering voters, but Sheeran stressed that anyone who registered after the Feb. 13 deadline will not be eligible to vote in the March 3 Presidential Primary.

Meanwhile, candidates running in the Town Election have been pulling and returning nomination papers at the Town Clerk’s Office. The last day to obtain papers to run in the Town Election is Friday, March 6. The last day for candidates to turn in signed nomination papers is Tuesday, March 10.

The deadline for registering to vote in the Town Election is Tuesday, April 7.

Meanwhile, Sheeran says that 90 percent of the census forms that have been returned have been entered into the system. She stressed that filling out and returning the census does not register you to vote.

Sheeran said that dog owners have also been coming in for licenses. She said that her office typically licenses about 1,600 canines each year. So far, about 750 have already been done.