Q:Voting by mail is highly encouraged due to COVID-19.How does this work?
A:There are 2 methods of voting by mail during the COVID-19 situation; Absentee or Early voting.
Absentee Voting:In order to be eligible to vote by absentee ballot in Massachusetts, normally a voter must be prevented from voting at their polling place on Election Day, due to: – Absence from the voter's city or town on Election Day; or – Physical disability; or – Religious belief. However, due to COVID-19, Chapter 45 of the Acts of 2020 permits any person taking precautions related to COVID-10 in response to a declared State of Emergency shall also be eligible to request an absentee ballot. Absentee ballot applications can be downloadedhere
Early Voting: Typically, early voting is not permitted for local elections.However, Chapter 45 of the Acts of 2020 states: Notwithstanding section 25B of chapter 54 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, any eligible voter may vote early by mail for any annual or special municipal or state election held on or before June 30, 2020.
(b) Any qualified voter wanting to early vote by mail may file with their local election official an application for an early voting ballot. Local election officials shall send early voting by mail.
(c) Local election officials may substitute absentee ballots for early voting ballots for those voters requesting to vote early by mail in municipal elections.Early voting applications can be downloadedhere
There will be no early voting sites / voting locations for the Annual Election.
If you cannot download either application, a hand-written or typed note with your signature can be sent to the Town Clerk.You can mail it to 120 Main Street, North Andover to the attention of Trudy Reid, or scan and email to treid@northandoverma.gov. Note: A photo of the request taken with your phone and emailed is also acceptable.
Various forms of communicating your request is accepted for either the absentee or early voting ballot ….. however, the request must be in writing and must be signed by the applicant. (no calls, voicemails, etc.)
Q:I still have the ballot I requested and received an absentee ballot before the March 31 election was rescheduled.Is it still acceptable to return this ballot for the June 2nd election?
A:Yes, Chapter 45 of the Acts of 2020 signed by Governor Baker allows municipalities to use the earlier ballots that have already been printed.
Q:What is the different between Absentee Voting and Early Voting?
A:If one votes by absentee, and later changes their mind once the ballot has been returned, the voter may appear in person on Election Day to vote, as long as the absentee ballot has not yet been cast by the Election Staff.
Early voting does not allow this option.Once the early voting ballot has been returned, there are no other chances for the voter to change their mind.Accurate records are kept by the Town Clerks office on who requests absentee ballots and early voting ballots.
Q:Is there a recommended time to allow ballots to be mailed back and forth?
A:The “official” deadline to request a ballot by mail is Monday, June 1st – NOON TIME, and then ballots must be received no later than 8 PM Tuesday, June 2nd – Election Day.However, it can take up to three weeks to request a ballot by mail and receive it under normal circumstances even if all transactions occur within North Andover.With COVID-19 restrictions, this process is even slower.Therefore – it is important to request your ballot as soon as possible if you plan to vote by mail.
Q:When are Absentee Ballots counted?
A:Except for ballots which are rejected as defective, all absentee ballots are cast and counted by the poll workers on Election Day. Absentee ballots are included in the final tallies, and are counted whether or not an election contains a close race.
Q:What is the last day to register to vote for the new date of June 2nd?
A:Friday, May 22nd.This is for anyone new to town, or you have never registered to vote before.
Q:Does MA have online voter registration?
A:Yes, one can register on line at www.registertovotema.com – you just need a valid MA driver’s license.
Q:Can 16 and 17 year olds register to vote?
A:Yes, but it’s only a pre-registration.By law, you cannot vote until age 18.If one is turning 18 after the last day of voter registration but before the election, is it highly recommended you pre-register.This will allow you to vote on Election Day.This can be done on line at www.registertovotema.com, or down load a voter registration form here and mail to 120 Main Street, North Andover, Attn Town Clerk’s office or scan and email to treid@northandoverma.gov
Additional questions regarding the upcoming Annual Election scheduled for Tuesday, June 2nd should be sent to the Town Clerk, Trudy Reid at treid@northandoverma.gov
Due to the winds we are experiencing this week, please be sure to secure trash and recycling to minimize any mess. Trash should be bagged and tied tightly. Thank you!
Thank you to Sal’s Pizza for donating 25 pizzas to the Senior Center! The pizza was delivered to Fountain Drive along with face masks. It was enjoyed by many!
Deadline to Apply for North Andover COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant is this Monday, April 27, 2020 by noon.
The Town will be accepting applications for its Small Business Relief Grant program until this Monday, April 27th at noon. The Town will not consider applications received after that time and will make all decisions on grant awards by Friday, May 1st.
The grant provides eligible businesses with funds to pay one month of rent or a mortgage, up to a maximum of $3,000, which will be paid to a business' landlord or mortgage holder.
Thank you to all businesses that have applied thus far. More information about the grant program and an application can be found here: www.northandoverma.gov/covidbizrelief
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is offering a Small Business Recovery Grant Program that provides grants to hard-hit small businesses in Massachusetts to weather the immediate financial impact of closures and social distancing measures required to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Grants are up to $10,000 and can address immediate financial peril, limit layoffs, avoid gaps in employee benefits or insurance, mitigate economic instability and increase the likelihood of business survival.
To be eligible for funding, your business must
be a for-profit, small business with a Massachusetts address and location
-Please have all car passengers wear masks or a face covering.
-Meals will be placed in empty back seats or trunks only
Meals are available for pick up or delivery on Monday, Wednesday and Friday only. Families may take two days worth of meals. You will be asked to provide a confirmation number, people MUST pre-register for meals so that we have enough. Please pre-order your meals here: http://www.northandoverpublicschools.com/departments/food-service-menus/community-meals-during-school-closure or by calling 978-208-6070 the day before. Mondays meals should be called in on Friday by 12:00 pm.
Meal pick up is at the High School. If you pre-order food for pick-up, but become under isolation or quarantine, please call and we will assist you in arranging for a no-contact delivery instead.
Town of North Andover Updates on COVID-19 response
CONNECT WITH US: Text COVIDNA to 67283
SCHOOL CANCELED FOR REST OF YEAR
April 21, 2020 UPDATE
Current case count: 115
Active: 42
Recovered and out of isolation: 66
COVID-19 Related Deaths: 7
As a community, we continue to mourn our COVID-19 related deaths. My thoughts, and the thoughts of all of our neighbors, are with families who have experienced such loss.
All of the deceased patients were elderly with pre-existing medical conditions. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and all of our neighbors.
Today, Governor Baker closed public and private schools for the rest of the 2019-2020 school year.
Last week, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey launched a new website,frontlinema.org, to provide health care workers and first responders with resources such as alternative housing, guidance on accessing PPE & testing, and emergency child care options. There is also a section where the public can provide help to frontline workers through a donation or a message of support.
The Town continues its meal service program. We are requiring all car passengers to wear masks or a face covering. Meals will be placed in empty back seats or trunks only.
A message from Deanna Lima, the Community Support Coordinator:
NA residents continue to be highly responsive to their neighbors needs. After learning that food bank supplies were running low we received over 1000 items since Friday! There are many more drop offs scheduled. We have also matched residents willing to sponsor homebound seniors/veterans with special dietary needs.
Some residents have done collections of goods in their neighborhoods and made group donations to the food bank. Others have called regularly to ask what we are low on in order to purchase exactly what is needed.
Residents that have utilized the food bank have been humbled by this resource and all the support available in the town. The biggest comfort being that it's easily accessible, personal, and without judgment.
Now, more than ever, social connections matter…North Andover residents are truly concerned for each other and should be praised for such. Additionally, each and every staff member that I encounter on a daily basis in town hall/senior center has been not just a joy to work with, but truly has gone above and beyond the scope of their work to ensure the needs of the community are met.
Reminders
Town Meeting has been rescheduled to until June 16.
Town Election is rescheduled to until June 2nd and voting by mail and by absentee ballot is encouraged.
The Affordable Housing Trust and Board of Selectmen voted to allocate $100,000 for an Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The program will provide up to $1,000 of rental assistance per month for a total of up to 3 months to residents that are unemployed, furloughed or have had a significant decrease in income due to COVID-19. Information regarding details of the program along with the application can be found at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wJMGyIm0cYpECRUcJJYYL6Wg6ypthyx2/view. You may also request information by emailing lburzlaff@northandoverma.gov or calling the Town Manager’s office at 978-771-0837.
The Town is sponsoring the North Andover COVID-19 Small Business Relief Grant, which allows eligible small businesses to apply for a grant that will cover one month of rent or a mortgage payment for the business, up to a maximum of $3,000. Learn more and apply here:www.northandoverma.gov/covidbizrelief
Social distancing has been shown to be the most proven method of preventing the transmission of COVID-19, but this can also be an issue for individuals who communicate primarily through face to face interactions, such as seniors. Please take a look at some tips and guidance for Seniors, in regard to social distancing by clicking on this link Seniors, Social Distancing and COVID-19.
With the rise in total cases of COVID-19 across the country, it has become common to see individuals at grocery stores and out in public wearing masks and gloves. When used correctly, personal protection equipment or PPE can help protect you and those around you from the COVID-19 virus. Please read our tips and other information regarding the Proper use of PPE.
The Town has also implemented one way walking recommendations around the town common and high school track to encourage social distancing while exercising. Please take a look at our Exercising in Public guidance.
Covid-19 is easily transmitted from person to person and concerns have arisen over virus transmission in apartment complexes, condominiums and multi-unit buildings. The North Andover Health Department would like to provide you with tips and suggestions for both staff and residents, to work in unison to keep the property safe. Please read our Guidance for Apartment Complexes, Condo Associations and other Multi-unit Living Facilities.
Meals are available for pick up or delivery on Monday, Wednesday and Friday only. Families may take two days worth of meals. You will be asked to provide a confirmation number, people MUST pre-register for meals so that we have enough. Please pre-order your meals here: http://www.northandoverpublicschools.com/departments/food-service-menus/community-meals-during-school-closure or by calling 978-208-6070 the day before. Mondays meals should be called in on Friday by 12:00 pm.
Meal pick up is at the High School. If you pre-order food for pick-up, but become under isolation or quarantine, please call and we will assist you in arranging for a no-contact delivery instead.
The COVID-19 hotline will still be available at 978-208-6070. Messages left on this line are sent directly to Town staff and will be answered during regular business hours.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has provided the following information
for all residents:
Many of the things you do to help prevent colds and the flu can help protect you against other respiratory viruses, including COVID-19:
Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Clean things that are frequently touched (like doorknobs and countertops) with household cleaning spray or wipes.
Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Use a tissue or your inner elbow, not your hands.
Stay home if you are sick and avoid close contact with others.
There are currently no vaccines available to protect against this novel coronavirus infection.
We continue to encourage social distancing. Please see our Social Distance Guidance here. The best way to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 is to avoid large crowds and stay home with your families. This is of the utmost importance. Please join us in stressing this to your neighbors and friends. We do understand that at some point you may need to go to a potentially crowded or busy establishment, such as a grocery store. We encourage you to follow our Tips to Shop Safely during COVID-19, found here.
The best source of guidance and recommendations is the DPH website:
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