Absentee Voting

An absentee voter is any registered voter who wishes to cast an absentee ballot at an election, and who requests an absentee ballot as provided by law. The absentee voter does not need a reason for voting by absentee ballot. (MRSA Title 21-A, Section 1.1, Section 751)

Absentee ballots are made available at the Office of the Town Clerk at least thirty (30) days before an Election; availability ends 3 business days prior to election (typically a Thursday). The Town Clerk posts a public notice on this website under the Public Notices section on the home page, in the Morning Sentinel, and at six (6) public locations in town as to when the ballots are available for each Election (Town Office, Police Station, Lawrence Public Library, Fairfield Post Office, Shawmut Post Office & Hinckley Post Office).

There are 5 ways to request an absentee ballot:

1. Registered voters of Fairfield may vote absentee in person at the Town Office during the hours of the Town Clerk. An application is not required if the voter votes in person at the Clerk's Office. Residents who are not registered to vote may register to vote during these hours and request an absentee ballot at that time. For more information on how to register to vote, click here. 
2. Registered voters of Fairfield may call the Town Clerk at (207) 453-7911 to request an absentee ballot for themselves only. The Town Clerk will complete the application and a ballot will be mailed directly to the voter at the mailing address provided.
3. Requests for an absentee ballot for an immediate family member must be made at the Town Clerk's office, as these requests need to be made in writing on the application provided.
4. Registered voters of Fairfield, Hinckley and Shawmut may request an absentee ballot electronically through the Secretary of State's website. Click here to request an absentee ballot electronically.  Once the State-approved form is filled out, the Secretary of State's office will notify the Fairfield Town Clerk's Office for processing and the voter will receive the ballot in the mail by the United States Postal Service.
5. Registered voters of Fairfield may fill out and sign an application to request a 3rd party to deliver the absentee ballot to them.  The Clerk will give the absentee ballot to the 3rd person named on the application and that person will deliver the ballot to the voter.  In this case, when the voter votes, the absentee ballot envelope must be signed by the voter and also signed by two witnesses, or one "special" witness (ie - a notary public, a municipal clerk, or clerk of courts).

Due to State law, voters can no longer vote by absentee ballot during the 3 business days prior to an Election, unless the voter signs an application provided by the Secretary of State, stating one of the following reasons for requesting an absentee ballot on that day:

1. Unexpected absence from the municipality during the entire time the polls are open on Election Day. (ie - you didn't know you were going to be away until the date you are requesting the ballot). 
2. Unexpected physical disability or an incapacity or illness that has resulted in the voter's being unable to leave home or a hospital or other treatment facility. (ie - you became ill unexpectedly on the date you are requesting a ballot). 
3. Inability to travel to the polls if the voter is a resident of a coastal island ward or precinct (this would not apply to Fairfield residents, as Fairfield does not have a coastal island ward or precinct).