What makes Acton a great place to live? The volunteers! Acton has over 40 boards and committees, through which many of your fellow Actonians already help determine the flavor of our town. As we roll into 2026, know that many boards and committees are looking for members.
You can see all of the open positions at the Acton Employment and Volunteer Opportunities website. Many committees meet monthly; that means that you can help your town with just a few hours a month.
While many positions are appointed, the following positions are elected every spring, by the registered voters of Acton. The number of seats up for election varies year to year. The number indicated represents how many positions are available in 2026.
- Moderator, One Year Term, 1 seat
- Select Board Member, Three Year Term, 2 seats
- School Committee Member (for the Acton Boxborough Regional School District), Three Year Term, 3 seats
- Acton Memorial Library Trustee, Three Year Term, 1 seat
- Acton Housing Authority Member, Five Year Term, 1 seat
- Acton Water District Clerk, Three Year Term, 1 seat
- Acton Water District Commissioner, Three Year Term, 1 seat
If you’re interested in running for one of these positions, nomination papers will be available from the Clerk’s office in early January. In the meantime, you can fill out arequest for nomination papers. If you have questions, contact the Clerk’s office.
To learn about running for local office, check out the (slightly outdated) information from theActon-area League of Women Voters.
Running for a town office
If you decide to run for town office, you need to be aware of the following dates by which certain things need to happen. Note that you also need to keep track of when the Town Clerk’s office is open.
Last day (at 5:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted) to:
- Obtain nomination papers for the Town Election: Saturday March 7. You must pick up nomination papers from the Town Clerk’s office (on the first floor of Town Hall) in person.
- File nomination papers with Town Clerk: Monday March 23. To file nomination papers, you must include at least 50 signatures from voters registered in Acton. Most candidates gather at least 70 signatures, just to make sure they have enough readable, valid signatures.
- Withdraw from the town ballot or file an objection: Friday March 27. For information about filing objections, seeMass general law, Chapter 55B, section 7.
In January, the Acton Exchange will publish more information about town elections, Town Meeting, and registering to vote.
In the meantime, think about adding volunteering for Acton to your list of New Year’s resolutions. This is one that you can follow through on!
