Registering To Vote in Massachusetts
To register to vote in Massachusetts, you must follow certain guidelines depending on your specific situation.
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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.
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For military and overseas voters: You can complete an application and request an absentee ballot using the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP).
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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 who could be 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.
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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.
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For incarcerated voters: If you are incarcerated in a correctional facility because of a felony conviction, your right to vote is temporarily suspended. Once you are released, you can register or vote if you otherwise meet the voter qualifications, even if parole or probation continues.
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.
What Is the Voter Registration Deadline in Massachusetts?
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 the 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 Do 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.
Early Voting in Massachusetts
If you plan to engage in early voting in Massachusetts, you must do so within the timeframe prescribed by state law.
In 2022, lawmakers in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts passed the VOTES ACT OF 2022, which extended the early voting period for most types of elections.
Specifically, the new early voting periods are as follows:
Counties and municipalities can set their own early voting periods. If you plan to vote early in an upcoming election, check online to see what the open period is.
Any registered voter in Massachusetts can vote early. Early voting in person is available for:
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Regular state primaries
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Regular state elections
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Presidential primary election
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Special elections held on the same day as a statewide election
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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 vote by mail. You can cast your ballot at any early voting location in your municipality or city.
State law sets the in-person early voting period. For statewide elections, early voting occurs on the weekend in 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.
Can I Vote Using a Mail-In Ballot?
Some people think that an absentee ballot is the same thing as a mail-in ballot. This isn’t the case. One of the primary differences between the two is that you need to provide a reason or excuse for requesting an absentee ballot, while you can vote by mail without giving a reason.
Under Massachusetts law, any registered voter can choose to vote by mail-in ballot. You don’t need to list a reason or excuse.
How To Request a Mail-In Ballot
There are several ways you can request a mail-in ballot. Most people request a mail-in ballot application online. This is faster and ensures state election officials receive it, which isn’t always the case when you mail, email, or fax your request.
When you receive your mail-in ballot, you will also receive a postage-paid, pre-addressed return envelope. You can complete your application and mail it back to your local election office. You can also hand-deliver it to your local election officials or place it in a mail ballot drop box.
Under Massachusetts law, election officials must send a mail-in ballot application to all registered voters at least 45 days before a statewide election. If you did not receive the vote-by-mail application the state sent, you can submit a vote-by-mail ballot application yourself.
You must be registered to vote before casting your ballot by mail. If you are not already registered, you must do so before submitting your ballot. Since mail-in ballots are time-sensitive, it’s best to register to vote at least two to three weeks before the next election.
Voting by Mail in Massachusetts
While all voters have the option of voting by mail, it’s not something you should decide lightly. If you plan on voting by mail but do not send your ballot in on time, you may lose your chance to vote. Massachusetts law does not allow voters to drop their mail-in ballot off at a polling place on election day.
Election officials must receive your mail-in ballot no later than 5 p.m. at least five business days before an upcoming election. If you miss this deadline, officials will not accept your mail-in ballot.
The good news is that the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts offers an online “Track My Ballot” tool that tracks:
- The date the state mailed your vote-by-mail application
- The date election officials received your ballot
- Whether the state accepted or rejected your ballot
If you do choose to vote by mail, you can choose to do so on an election-by-election basis or you can request to vote by mail for all elections.
How To Request an Absentee Ballot in Massachusetts
Massachusetts voters can request an absentee ballot for most elections. Massachusetts law requires that you provide a legitimate reason for why you need an absentee ballot.
Some of the acceptable reasons for casting an absentee ballot include:
- You will be out of town on Election Day
- You cannot vote in-person for religious reasons
- You have a disability that makes it difficult or impossible to vote in-person at a polling location
You must request an absentee ballot in one of two ways by noon the day before Election Day. For Sunday or holiday elections, you must request it by 5 p.m. on the last business day before the election. This can be done by:
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 Identification 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 voter 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:
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Driver’s license
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State ID card
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Recent utility bill, rent receipt, or lease
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A copy of a voter registration affidavit
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A letter from the housing office or school dormitory
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Another 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.
Your Voting Rights in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
As a registered voter in Massachusetts, you enjoy certain rights. These rights arise out of both the U.S. and State Constitutions and Massachusetts‘s voting laws.
At a minimum, residents of Massachusetts enjoy the following voting rights:
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The right to vote free from interference or coercion
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The right to vote in private
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The right to request a sample ballot
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The right to a provisional ballot
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The right to wait in line after the polling place closes
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The right to sit in a chair rather than waiting in a long line at the polling location
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The right to request curbside voting
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The right to bring someone with them to the polling place to assist them in the voting process
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The right to accessible voting machines and equipment
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The right to abstain from voting
Of course, this is not an exhaustive list. Visit FindLaw’s article on ” Voting Rights” to learn more about your rights under state and federal law.
If anyone violates these rights, you may have a valid legal claim. The best thing to do is meet with a Massachusetts civil rights attorney to find out what your options are.
Accommodations for Voters with Disabilities
All polling places in Massachusetts are accessible for voters with disabilities. If you need assistance because of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write, you may bring a person of your choice, other than your employer or a union representative, to help you vote.
Massachusetts polling places offer AutoMARK Voter Assist Terminals. These systems provide audio cues, contrast, and magnification for visually impaired voters.
What To Do If You See Illegal Activity at the Polls
While voters have certain rights when it comes to casting their ballot, there are also laws about what you cannot do while at the polling place. Some prohibited behavior involves interfering with another person’s right to vote, while others concern actual harassment or bullying by third parties.
If you witness or experience any illegal or suspicious behavior while at the polling location, the first thing you should do is alert a poll worker. If they are not able to help you, ask to see a supervisor. At a minimum, they’ll be able to tell you how to report the activity.
Some examples of the sort of illegal behavior you may witness include the following:
Your safety comes first. So it’s best to not try to deal with someone you think might be violating these rules on your own. Let the election officials investigate the behavior and decide what to do about it.
You should also consider contacting the Massachusetts Secretary of State Elections Division if you witness illegal activity at the polls or if someone violates your voting rights. You may also want to seek legal advice from an experienced Massachusetts civil rights attorney.
Aside from your safety, the most important thing is that you do not leave the polling place until you have cast your ballot. Your voting rights are vital, and you should not allow another person to interfere with your right to vote.
Getting Legal Help
If you believe someone has violated your rights while at the polling place, contact an experienced Massachusetts civil rights attorney. Not only do you have a right to cast your ballot in private, but you also have the right to cast an early mail or absentee ballot.
A skilled attorney can also help if you encounter illegal activity while at a polling location. This includes anything from outright bullying to observing someone forcing another person to vote a certain way.
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