If you have been looking for your annual local census form, which also includes the dog license application, you did not misplace it. It has not gone out yet. That’s because Tewksbury is adding a new voting sub-precinct, and most precincts will be changing. The Town Clerk’s office is waiting to mail out the local census forms until after the Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s Office updates the voter registration database.

Tewksbury’s 2020 population is 31,342 residents, which represents an 8.2% increase of 2,381 new residents compared with the 2010 census. Once that census data was released, each city and town was required by law to establish new precinct lines, with some restrictions: No precinct may contain more than 4,000 residents, and every precinct’s population must be within 5% of the average. The plan the Clerk’s office came up with accomplishes those objectives, but some 500 residents will see their voting precincts change.

The Town Census will identify every household’s precinct number and voting location. Please look for your local census forms in the upcoming weeks. When you do receive it, please return it as soon as possible.

For dog owners, there is no need to wait for the mailed application, you may renew your dog ‘s license online.