How do I register to vote in Massachusetts?
To register to vote in Massachusetts, you must follow certain guidelines depending on your specific circumstance.
- For students: You can register to vote using your college address as your home address. If you are from out of state, you may choose to register to vote by absentee ballot in your home state if you consider your parents’ home to be your home. You cannot register to vote in two states.
- For military and overseas voters: You can complete an application and request an absentee ballot using the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP).
- For survivors of violence: Massachusetts participates in the Address Confidentiality Program to protect survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The program provides an alternate address for at-risk people if located through a public record search. Learn more about the Address Confidentiality Program by calling 617-727-3261 or 1-866-SAFE-ADD to talk to someone about registering for this program.
- For homeless or impermanent voters: You can register to vote using the address of a homeless shelter where you reside or the address of the place where you most often sleep at night.
- For incarcerated voters: If convicted of a felony, your right to vote is temporarily suspended. When your sentence is completed, you can re-register to vote.
You are not automatically registered to vote by completing a voter registration application. Election officials must verify the information you provided on your application. They will contact you when they approve your application or if they need more information to support it.
When is Massachusetts’s voter registration deadline?
The general deadline for voter registration, updating voter information, and changing political parties is 10 days before any election or town meeting.
If you register online, you must submit your application by midnight on the voter registration deadline.
For voter registration sent through mail, you should postmark your registration form on or before the voter registration deadline.
You can still register to vote if you obtained your U.S. citizenship after the voter registration cut-off. Register in person at your local election office up until 4 p.m. the day before Election Day. Bring a document confirming your naturalization ceremony after the voter registration deadline.
How can I check my voter registration status?
The Elections Division provides an online tool for checking voter registration status. To find your voter registration, you must provide your voting information, which includes your full name, date of birth, and zip code, at the address where you are qualified to vote.
What is early voting, and how can I participate?
Any registered voter in Massachusetts can vote early. Early voting in person is available for:
- Regular state primaries
- Regular state elections
- Presidential primary election
- Special elections are held on the same day as a statewide election
- Special elections for U.S. House of Representatives or U.S. Senate
In Massachusetts, you do not need a reason or an excuse for early voting. You can vote in person or voting by mail. You can cast your ballot at any early voting location in your municipality or city.
State law provides the voting period for in-person early voting. For statewide elections, the period for early voting happens during the weekend for each voting community. Local election officials may also set the early voting schedule in your community.
The local election office publishes the early voting schedule on the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts website at least a week before the early voting period starts.
2024 Early Voting Periods
- State Primary: August 24 – August 30
- State Election: October 19 – November 1
How do I request an absentee ballot in Massachusetts?
You must have a reason to request an absentee ballot in Massachusetts. This could be that you won’t be in town on Election Day, have a physical disability that prevents you from going to the polls, or cannot vote during Election Day for religious reasons.
You must request an absentee ballot in one of two ways by noon the day before Election Day. For Sunday or holiday elections, your request must be made by 5 p.m. on the last business day before the election. This can be done by:
It is important to state on your application whether you need the ballot for one or all of this year’s elections. You must register for a new absentee ballot each year. If you have a permanent physical disability, you can provide a doctor’s note to receive applications yearly.
Once you receive your application, you can submit it in person, by mail, by fax, or by email (signed and scanned). Remember you must return your ballots before the close of polls on Election Day.
If you are a military member living overseas, you can use the FVAP website to request an absentee ballot.
What do I need to bring to the polls in Massachusetts?
If you are a first-time voter in a federal election or your name appears on the inactive voter list, you may need proof of identification at the check-in table. Poll workers may also ask for your ID if you are casting a provisional ballot or if the poll worker has legal and practical reasons to verify your identification.
If poll workers ask you for identification, you may bring any document that has your name and address on it, such as:
- Driver’s license
- State ID card
- Recent utility bill, rent receipt, or lease
- A copy of a voter registration affidavit
- A letter from the housing office or school dormitory
- Other printed form of identification that shows your name and address
If poll workers cannot verify your registration status, they may issue you a provisional ballot. If you return with an acceptable ID before the polling location closes, the election officials will count your provisional ballot.
What special accommodations are available?
All polling places in Massachusetts are accessible for voters with disabilities. You can bring someone to the polls to help you with all parts of the voting process, including preparing your ballot.
Massachusetts polling places offer AutoMARK Voter Assist Terminals. These systems provide audio cues, contrast, and magnification for visually impaired voters
What do I do if I see something illegal at the polls?
If you feel that your right to vote has been violated or you are concerned about voter fraud or illegal behavior in a polling place, call the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Elections Division at 1-800-462-VOTE (8683). This call is free within Massachusetts.
You can also report voting law violations to the U.S. Department of Justice. If you feel your voting rights have been violated, you may contact a local Massachusetts attorney experienced in voting law.
Need More Information About Voting in Massachusetts?
The Massachusetts Secretary of State produces a comprehensive voting guide that explains the voting process and introduces the questions on the ballot and the list of candidates. Be sure to check the Election Division section of the Secretary of State website.
You Don’t Have To Solve This on Your Own – Get a Lawyer’s Help
Meeting with a lawyer can help you understand your options and how to best protect your rights. Consider contacting a civil rights attorney if you think your voting rights have been violated.
POLLING PLACE FINDER
