Town Clerk

JOB OPPORTUNITY:

Interim Town Clerk

Annual Town Meeting and Town Election: Saturday, May 9th, 2026

Date, Time, Location, and Voting

Shutesbury will hold our Annual Town Meeting and Town Election on Saturday, May 9. Polls will be open from 8:30am to 3:30pm. The election will be held at the same time and place as our Annual Town Meeting, at the Shutesbury Elementary School gymnasium. Note that Annual Town Meeting begins at 9am but the polls will be open half an hour before that.

To vote in Town Election and/or Town Meeting, you must be a resident of Shutesbury (see the guidance from the Secretary of the Commonwealth on what constitutes "residence" for voting purposes). You do not need to own property in Shutesbury to vote in the Town Election and/or Town Meeting; if you rent your home in Shutesbury, you are still allowed to vote here as long as you are a resident.

Sample Ballot

Click here for the sample ballot for the 2026 Town Election and here for an explanation of the ballot question.
Vote By Mail
The Town is again providing Vote By Mail (VBM) as an option for this election. Note that even if you voted by mail in past elections, the Secretary of the Commonwealth requires a new VBM application every calendar year. You can complete the VBM application online or print it out and mail it to: Shutesbury Town Clerk / P. O. Box 276 / Shutesbury, MA 01072. VBM ballots can be returned by mail using the envelopes provided with the ballot or put in the secure dropbox located next to the front driveway at Town Hall and must be received by 3:30pm on May 9.

Poll Workers Needed
Our community works best when we work together! We are looking for folks to help out with both the election and Town Meeting in a number of positions: checking voters in and out, counting Town Meeting votes, and tallying election ballots after the polls close. These positions pay $15/hour and you must be a registered voter in Shutesbury to work in them. Please sign up soon and let us know how you can help!

Key Dates for the Election & Town Meeting

April 8: Select Board scheduled to meet to review and approve Town Meeting Warrant articles.

April 25: Meet the Candidates Forum, 11am-12pm, at the Shutesbury Public Library.

April 29: Last possible day to register to vote in time for the local election.

April 30: Last possible day for Select Board to approve Town Meeting Warrant.

May 1: Campaign finance reports due.

May 2: Deadline to signup for free childcare during Town Meeting (9am-1pm).

May 4: Last possible day to submit a Vote By Mail application in time for the local election.

May 9: Election Day (polls open 8:30am-3:30pm) and Annual Town Meeting Day (starts at 9:00am).

Contact Information
If you have any questions about the election or need assistance, you can contact Matteo Pangallo, Interim Town Clerk/Election Administrator, by emailing [email protected] or calling 413-259-1204 or dropping by Town Hall during office hours (Mondays and Wednesdays 1pm-2pm and Fridays 10am-12pm).

Informational Links

Date of Annual Town Meeting Bylaw, Citizen Petitions, Annual Town Meeting Warrants Bylaw, Town Moderator

News & Updates:

Attorney General's Office Approved May 2025 Annual Town Meeting Bylaws

The Shutesbury Town Clerk is responsible for administering elections, registering vitals, preserving town records, providing access to public records, issuing dog licenses and so much more!

If you do not find what you are looking for on this page, call the Town Clerk Office at 413-259-1204.

Vote by Mail Application

Print the Vote by Mail application, fill it out, and return it to the Town Clerk Office to receive a mailed ballot. Applications can also be filled out electronically, as long as your electronic signature is made in substantially the same manner as your handwritten signature (in other words, using a tablet pen or similar tool).


Dog Licenses 

*** Dog Licenses are now by calendar year, not fiscal year***

Click here to download the application

Paper copies of the application are available at the Town Clerk Office.

All dogs in Shutesbury are required by law to be licensed every year and have a current rabies vaccination. If you're not sure if you need to get your dog needs a new tag, check the color: 2026 tags are orange. These are two excellent reasons to renew your dog tag today!

Submit your application in person at the Town Clerk Office (first door on your right when you walk into Town Hall) by mail or via the black drop box on the lawn in front of Town Hall. If you want the license mailed back to you, include the application, a check filled out with black ink, and a self-addressed return envelope with 2 stamps.

Notary Public

Notary services are available at the Town Clerk office. There is no fee for these services. Call ahead to make an appointment or walk in during usual office hours.

Voter Registration

Use this online tool created by the Secretary of the Commonwealth to find out your current voter registration status:

Helpful hint: If you can't find your registration, and you have a mailing zip code other than 01072, try using 01072 instead of your alternate (01002, for example) zip code. This is one of the few times in life when the difference between residential and mailing addresses actually matters.

http://www.sec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch/MyVoterRegStatus.aspx

Register to vote:  Use the Secretary's website, call Town Clerk (413) 259-1204 to have a mail-in voter registration form sent, or register at the Registry of Motor Vehicles when you renew your driver’s license.

Massachusetts also has On-Line Voter Registration:  https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr

Register today!

 

Citizen Petitions

A Citizen's Petition is a proposal brought to Town Meeting by a citizen or group of citizens which will appear as a warrant article to be voted on.  Crafting a successful petition takes time and information gathering is important. For an information sheet that describes the process, click here. 

 

Public Records Requests

Many citizens would like to know more about the activities of committees and boards in town.  You may find the information you are seeking on a board or committee's page on the town website.  If the information is not there or you don't have web access, you are welcomed to make a public records request to the Town Clerk.

Under state Public Record Law,  the requests for Shutesbury public records are made to the Town Clerk, who serves as our Records Access Officer.  You will receive a response within 10 business days. Requests can be made in writing or by email.  Please include your contact information.  For more on the Public Records law, click here.

Shutesbury has guidelines for the Public Record here.  

The Massachusetts Public Records Guide

If you would like to request a recording of a Shutesbury public meeting, please check the Shutesbury Public Meetings Youtube channel to see if it has been uploaded there already before requesting a recording from the Town Clerk.

 

Minutes for Meetings

The Open Meeting Law Guide describes the requirements for minutes on pages 15-16 and can be read here.  

Here are samples of minute templates that meet the OML requirements in different styles.    

Table Format  

Narrative Format 

Your committee may have their own format that meets the requirements. You can get copies of these forms in the lower right-hand mailbox in the hallway at Town Hall and from the stand outside the Town Clerk's office. 

 

Mandatory Ethics Training for All Employees and Volunteers

Upon appointment or hire and on an annual basis thereafter, the Town Clerk is required by statute to provide all municipal employees and volunteers with a copy of the Conflict of Interest Law and to obtain a signed receipt from the employee/volunteer. Additionally, all employees and volunteers must complete an online ethics training and multiple choice exercise within 30 days of beginning public service and every 2 years thereafter.  This information and training is to ensure understanding of the Massachusetts ethics code. In 2023, the State Ethics Commission released a new online Conflict of Interest Law training program which can be accessed at the link below. Follow the instructions to create your account. Please be careful when selecting a public body from the dropdown menu to click on SHUTESBURY, not Shrewsbury. 
 

Required Information for Appointed and Elected Members of Shutesbury Government

People new to a board or position should get sworn in at the Town Clerk's office and I can hand you the full folder of information. For those who want to read or print themselves a copy of information sheets, the documents are linked here.

 

DBA information and forms

Information and forms for a DBA certificate can be found here.

Call the Town Clerk at 259-1204 to schedule an appointment if you need a DBA.

 

Filing Marriage Intentions

Marriage Intentions available by appointment

The current town clerk is not a Justice of the Peace, so marriages are not performed in the Shutesbury Town Hall.  Before the marriage ceremony there is a two-step process in my office to obtain a marriage certificate to be signed by an officiant at the ceremony.  These two steps require a three -day waiting period..

A List of Marriage Officiants Currently In Shutesbury (if you would like to be added to this list, please email the Town Clerk): 

Dina Stander, 413-237-1300,  https://www.dinastander.com/celebrant-services

You can also find a list of Justices of the Peace at https://www.mjpa.org/ or use the yellow pages.

Here are the Instructions: 

First, both people come in to fill out the intention filing, take an oath, and sign the documents. This takes about 30 minutes. The intention filing is good for 60 days before it expires.  The cost for filing is $15. Certified copies of the final license are $5 /each. 

After a required three-day waiting period, only one person needs to return to proofread and pick up official copy of the license.  The license is taken to the ceremony or service and signed by the officiant who conducts the marriage.  The signed license is returned to the Town Clerk to file with the state and make certified copies for your records.   

 

Order a Vital Record (Birth, Marriage or Death Certificate)

  • Submit request by phone, fax, or email [email protected].
  • Include any known information - name and date preferred.
  • Include a $5 per copy payment - cash or check made out to "Town of Shutesbury"
  • Include a self-addressed stamped envelope or you
    can pick up the certificate at the Town Clerk's office.

 

Search Vital Records

Genealogists are welcome to email specific inquiries. This office will evaluate what is
available and send an estimated cost to complete the research and make copies as requested.