Nomination Procedures

Nomination papers are available in the Town Clerk's Office beginning the first week in January for all elected town offices. The annual town election is held on the first Tuesday in April.

• Town-wide candidates need to obtain 50 certified signatures. We advise a candidate to obtain additional signatures. All signatures are returned the Town Clerk's Office.
• Town meeting reps need to obtain 25 signatures from their precinct. We advise a candidate to obtain additional signatures. All signatures are returned the Town Clerk's Office.

Effective January 1, 2022, there are eleven precincts in town. Each precinct has 15 town meeting representatives for a total of 165 representatives. Their terms are for three years. At every town election there are at least five town meeting representative positions per precinct that are up for election.

The 2020 Census data resulted in the addition of two precincts and one polling location. The State Redistricting Committee was authorized by the Governor to draw the Legislative redistricting lines prior to the cities and towns drawing their precinct lines. Chelmsford leadership offered several options for the committee to consider. However, old precinct lines were still used to determine the new district lines. This resulted in Chelmsford having three legislative districts and two of our eleven precincts being split. Precincts 3 and 5 will have at least four different ballot styles for every state election until the results of the next federal census in 2030 are implemented. Please contact your State Legislators if you have any questions.