[Amended 4-24-1972 ATM, approved 1973 Annual Town Election; Laws 1998, c. 445; approved 1999 Annual Town Election]
Regular Town elections for the elective offices specified in this Charter and for other elective offices as required by the General Laws shall be held twenty-seven days before the Annual Town Meeting. The polls shall not close before 8:00 p.m.
[Amended 9-30-2009 STM, Art. 10, approved 2010 Annual Town Election]
Except for the election of Town Meeting Representatives, in the event that there are more than three candidates for each office to be filled, a preliminary election will be held forty-nine days before the regular Town elections. The two candidates receiving the greatest number of votes will be eligible to run for that office and will be placed on the ballot for Town officers at the regular election. No preliminary election will be required for Town Meeting Representatives.
[Amended 1-17-1977 STM, approved 1977 Annual Town Election; 5-1-2023 ATM, Art. 40, approved 2024 Annual Town Election]
A polling place shall be made available for each of the precincts for all elections.
[Amended 4-30-1979 ATM, approved 1980 Annual Town Election; 5-24-2010 ATM, Art. 61, approved 2011 Annual Town Election]
Nomination papers for elected Town offices other than Town Meeting Representatives must be filed with the Board of Registrars forty-nine days prior to the date of the preliminary Town election and with the Town Clerk thirty-five days prior to the date of the preliminary Town election and shall be signed by not less than one hundred registered voters of the Town, increased by one-fifth thereof. Nomination papers for the office of Town Meeting Representative must be filed with the Board of Registrars forty-nine days prior to the Annual Town election and with the Town Clerk thirty-five days prior to the annual Town election. Incumbents seeking re-election may designate only the word "re-election" on their nomination papers and on the ballot.
[Amended Laws 1984, c. 267, approved 1985 Annual Town Election; amended [Amended 1-17-1977 STM, approved 1977 Annual Town Election; 12-2-2019 STM, Art. 18, approved 2020 Annual Town Election]]
The names of candidates for town office shall be placed in numerical sequence based upon a random number drawn by the candidate or their representative at the time of filing nomination papers. This number shall be affixed to the nomination papers of the candidate in their presence or in the presence of their representative by the town clerk. Candidates for the final election that have been nominated in a preliminary election shall draw for their ballot position on the day following the preliminary election. In the event the candidate or their representative cannot be present for this drawing of ballot position, the town clerk shall draw for the candidate.
[Amended 4-28-1980 ATM, approved 1981 Annual Town Election]
Except as indicated in this Charter, no elected or appointed official may hold more than one Town office recognized and established by this Charter. Elected or appointed Town officials shall be defined as follows:
A. 
Elected officials: one elected by ballot to a Town office established by this Charter, or to a Town board, Town authority, or Town commission established by the General Laws.
B. 
Appointed official: one appointed by an elected official, elected board, or appointed by the Town Manager to an appointed Town office specifically established by this Charter, or to a Town board, Town authority, or Town commission established by the General Laws.
Charter Commissioners may be elected or appointed from any of the registered voters of the Town, whether they are candidates for another Town office or an incumbent elected or appointed official. A Charter Commission shall mean a commission established by state statute or referendum organized for the purpose of revising or creating a Charter for the Town of Stoughton.
Federal, state, county, or regional elected or appointed officials shall not be considered as disqualified to be elected or appointed to any Town office established by this Charter.
[Amended 4-28-1980 ATM, approved 1981 Annual Town Election]
No person may be a candidate for more than one Town government office at each election, except as a candidate for a Charter Commission, as defined in § C8-6.
[Amended 4-30-1979 ATM, approved 1980 Annual Town Election; 5-7-2007 ATM, Art. 59, approved 2008 Annual Town Election]
Nomination of candidates for town meeting representatives shall be from among the registered voters of the precinct. Nomination papers shall bear no political designation, and shall be signed by not less than fifteen qualified registered voters of the precinct in which the candidate resides to have the candidate's name to be placed on the ballot. No nomination papers will be valid in respect to any candidate to which this section applies, unless written acceptance is endorsed thereon or attached thereto. No person shall be elected to the office of town meeting representative by write-in votes, unless having received a minimum of twelve votes; and has signed, and returned within three days of issuance, an acceptance of notification of election issued by the Town Clerk or by the Board of Registrars of Voters.