Town Clerk Notices for December

Info on:

• Voter registration and absentee ballots for presidential primary election
• Popular dog names - 2007
• Dog licenses
• Reminder to return census forms

Presidential Primary is now February 5, 2008. The deadline to register to vote OR change your party will be January 16, 2008. The Clerk's office will be open until 8:00 pm. The filing deadline for absentee ballots is noon on February 4, 2008. The Clerk's office will be open from 9:00 - 12:00. It is not too early to request absentee ballots if you qualify, and know you are unable to get to the polls on February 5. You will need to choose either that the ballot be mailed to you, or you can vote at town hall. If you choose to vote at town hall, please be aware the application states "I will call the town clerk and vote at a time arranged with the clerk". While I make every attempt to be here during posted business hours, there are times that I'm out of the office. Often I can make special arrangements, please call ahead.

Renewal of annual absentee ballot applications for 2008 are now due. If you are disabled, you may qualify for a permanent absentee application. A letter from your doctor is required stating that you are unable to travel to the polls because of illness or a disability. In these cases, a ballot for every election is automatically sent to your home.

If you are the parent of an 18 year old, please be advised that all new 18 year olds receive a letter from me regarding voter registration information. The presidential election usually draws a large crowd of this age group. If they are away at school, you may pick up an absentee ballot application at town hall or download a copy. Political party information is required for primary applications. Your college student may be asked to mail proper identification. Be sure to allow time for these transactions; they most likely will wait till the last minute.

In 2007, the most popular name for dogs was Bailey followed by Lilly, Max and Molly (3 way tie). New popular names added to the list this year were Brandy and Sophie. Buddy and Rocky were still popular but lost their top spots. Most popular breed was the Labrador Retriever followed by the Golden Retriever and German Shepherds. We saw an increase in popularity with Shelties, Shih-tzu, Chihuahuas, Lhasa Apsos and Weimaraners. There were 676 dogs on record and 4 licensed kennels.

Dog licenses expire December 31^st. If you no longer own a dog that was licensed this year, please let me know so we can remove the dog's name from our records. Dog licenses for 2008 are now on sale at the Town Clerk's office. All dogs age 6 months or older must be licensed under MA state law. The annual fee in the Town of Dunstable is $6.00 for a spayed/neutered dog and $10.00 for an unaltered dog. A late fee of $10 will be assessed after March 1. A current rabies certificate must be on file with the Town Clerk to purchase a license. Applications will be mailed with the annual town census, or downloaded at www.dunstable-ma.gov. Kennel licenses must have the approval of the Animal Control Officer. Please contact the Clerk's office for the status of your dog's rabies certificate if you are unsure.

Please return your annual town census by January 10. It is especially important this year due to the early date of the primary. Thank you!