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Town Clerk
Mission Statement
The Town Clerk's office is the information center for local residents and citizens at large. It is our goal to provide courteous, competent and efficient service to these customers. The Town Clerk's office is the keeper of all Town records, both vital and historical. We have always and will continue to preserve and maintain these records in an effort to provide Town Officials and residents with requested information in a timely manner for generations to come. Because voting is a fundamental civil right, it is our intention to conduct elections fairly and in compliance with all State and Federal laws, providing the right to vote to every citizen eligible to do so.
Responsibilities
The Grafton Town Clerk:
- Serves the residents of Grafton as the official custodian and record keeper of Town Meeting records and vital records dating from the present back to the early 1800s. This office also performs genealogical research.
- Is the chief election official, recording official, registrar of vital records (births, deaths and marriages), as well as the public records official.
- Issues state licenses and permits, including marriage licenses, business licenses (DBAs) and renewals, dog licenses, fuel storage licenses, raffle/bazaar permits, and requests for public documents.
- Is responsible for all elections, census and voter registration and absentee ballots, preparation of ballots, voting equipment and voter lists, certification of nomination papers and initiative petitions and reports official election results to the Secretary of State of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as overseeing the polling place and the conduct of all elections and election-related activity.
- Records and certifies all official actions of the Town including town meeting legislation and appropriations, Planning and Zoning Board decisions and is the keeper of the Town Seal. The Town Clerk also submits bylaws and zoning ordinances to the Attorney General for approval.
- Administers the oaths of office and maintains appointments and resignations of all Town Officials and bears the responsibility to ensure compliance with the State Open Meeting Law and Conflict of Interest Law by posting all public meetings of government entities.
- Responds to inquiries from the public, as well as, from other departments, boards and committees.
Chief Election Official
The Town Clerk is the Chief Election Official and is authorized by state law to administer elections and election-related functions. In addition to the Town Clerk, the Town of Grafton has three Registrars of Voters who are appointed by the Select Board, each serving a three-year term. The Registrars of Voters must always represent each of the two leading political parties. The daily administration of elections processes is managed by the Town Clerk.
The Office of the Town Clerk is essentially the custodian of the past and a link to the future.
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Kandy Lavallee
Town Clerk CMC / CMMC
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Town Clerk's Office
Physical Address
30 Providence Road
Grafton, MA 01519
Phone: 508-839-5335, ext. 1300Fax: 508-839-4602
Hours of Operation
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
8:30 am to 4:30 pm - Tuesday
8:30 am to 7 pm - Friday
8:30 am to 1 pm
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday
- How do I license my dog?
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Dogs that are six months of age or older that reside in the Town of Grafton must be licensed by June 1st. A $10 late fee (per dog) will be applied for licenses obtained on or after June 1st (other than for new dogs).
There are three ways to obtain your dog's license:
- In person at the Town Clerk's office. Be sure to bring a current rabies vaccination certificate and proof of spaying/neutering. The Clerk's office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm; Tuesdays nights until 7 pm.
- By mail. Just complete and mail this form to the Clerk's office. Along with the form, we need a current rabies vaccination certificate and proof of spaying/neutering. Be sure to enclose a check made payable to the Town of Grafton for the proper fee with your request. We will process your request and mail the license back to you.
- Online. Access the online payment center. This option can be used to license or relicense your dog only if you know that the Clerk has the current rabies certificate, as well as proper spay/neuter information, for your dog.
The license fees are as follows:
- Neutered/Spayed dogs, $10
- Male/Female (Unaltered) dogs, $15
Please note: A copy of a current rabies vaccination certificate is required for all dog licenses.
- Where do I get a copy of my birth certificate?
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All birth certificates prior to 1915 are public records. Most birth certificates after 1915 are public records, but there are a few exceptions (i.e., your parents were not married at the time of your birth). If you question whether your birth record is a public record or not, call the Town Clerk's office at 508-839-5335, ext. 1195 and we will be happy to check the status of your birth record. If your record is restricted, you will need to show ID when retrieving your birth certificate.
If you were born in Grafton or your parents were residents of Grafton at the time of your birth, you may obtain your birth certificate at the Town Clerk's Office. You can obtain your birth certificate three ways:
- Come to the Town Clerk's office (if you call ahead at 508-839-5335, ext. 1195, we can have it ready for your pickup). The fee is $10 per copy, cash, check or credit card (there is a slight fee when using a credit card).
- Request by mail. Please send your completed application, a check for $10 payable to the Town of Grafton and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
- Order and pay online using your credit card. Visit our online payment center.
Your birth certificate is also available in the city or town where the hospital you were born in is located, or at the State Department of Vital Statistics:
Registry of Vital Records
Department of Public Health
150 Mt. Vernon Street
Dorchester, MA 02125-3105 - Where are the precinct locations for voting?
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We have two voting locations. Precincts 1, 2 and 3 are at the Grafton Middle School (22 Providence Road) and Precincts 4 and 5 are at Millbury Street Elementary School (105 Millbury Street).