Every month, using various data, WFP will compare the three towns that the paper covers: Holden, Paxton and Rutland.

We start off with number of registered voters and party affiliations in each town. According to Secretary of the Commonwealth Timothy Galvin’s Election Division, Massachusetts recognizes two political parties: Democrat and Republican. The vast majority of voters in each town are registered as Unenrolled, which many people refer to as Independent, but the correct term is Unenrolled.

In addition to Democrat, Republican, and Unenrolled, there are more than 25 political designations in the state, which were created when 50 or more voters submitted a petition to the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office for recognition. Some are humorous (the Pizza Party) while others were founded on a political or social idea or cause.

While each town clerk’s office handles in-person voter registration, you can also register to vote by mail or online through the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website at https://www.sec.state.ma.us/OVR/

WFP thanks the town clerks of the three towns for their assistance in obtaining this information: Jeanne Hudson, Holden; Laurie Becker, Paxton; Anita Carlson, Rutland.