Voter Info

Registering to Vote
Information for New Voters
Absentee Voting
Rights as a Voter

To register to vote in this state, you must be:

• Currently living in Massachusetts. No length of stay required.
• A U.S. citizen.
• 18 years old by the date of the next election.

Fill out a registration card. Mail it to your town or city clerk/election department. You may also register in person at your town hall or city election department. Get a card from a local non-profit, election clerk or library. Go to the website of the MA Secretary of State to print out a registration form.

Registration cards must be postmarked or delivered 20 days before an election.

No. Your registration is valid unless you:

• Changed your address
• Changed your name
• Did not vote in two consecutive State Elections and have moved. State elections are held in every even year -- 2004, 2006, 2008 etc.

Make sure to re-register at your new address by filling out another registration card.

Yes. If you moved within your town or city, you may still vote at the polling place where you voted in the last election. If you moved to a new town or city, you may only vote at the old polling location if your move was in the six months before the election.

You have three options:

1. Register in a Party: You may register to vote in one of the four parties in Massachusetts who have qualified for official party status--Democrat, Green-Rainbow, Libertarian or Republican.
2. Register with No Party Affiliation: In Massachusetts, you may list yourself as "Unenrolled" which means you do not have a party designation.
3. Another "Political Designation": You can also choose from a party that is not considered an official party in Massachusetts. If you choose a separate party affiliation, unlike unenrolled, you may not vote in a major party primary (Democrat, Green-Rainbow, Libertarian or Republican).

Names and contacts of 4 major parties and other political designations
http://www.state.ma.us/sec/ele/elepar/paridx.htm

Being unenrolled in Massachusetts means that you are registered to vote but not a member of a party. You may still vote in a Democratic, Green-Rainbow, Libertarian,or Republican primary without affecting your “unenrolled” status.

The only exception is once every four years in the Presidential primary. Your party affiliation is automatically changed to the party primary you vote in. To switch back to unenrolled” you have to fill out a party change card after voting. These cards are available at every polling location in a Presidential primary.

Yes. As a new citizen, you may register to vote after the deadline. Go in person to the Election Department at City Hall up until 4 PM on the day before the election. You must bring your dated naturalization papers for them to copy. (MGL Chapter 51, Section 50)

Mandatory Information

• Name First Name. Middle Initial or Name. Last Name. Other- Jr. III etc.
• Former Name if you are changing your name.
• Current Street Address and Apt # for your voter registration. No PO Boxes.
• Mailing Address if you use a Post Office Box.
• Birth Date
• Party affiliation. “Unenrolled” for no party.
• Old registration address if you were registered before.
• Date
• Signature
• A Number: You must also provide a Drivers License # or the last four digits of your Social Security #. If you don't have these, write “None”.

What is optional? Phone Number… or information that does not apply to you like change of name or an old address if this is your first time registering.

Only in certain circumstances:

• First Time Voter--If you are a first time voter who registered through the mail.
• Didn’t Return Census Form--If you did not return your annual census form collected by every town and city in Massachusetts. (Massachusetts is the only state in the country to tie your voter status with an annual census form).

• Valid Photo Identification (Drivers License, State ID issued for Non-Drivers, Student ID, Passport)
• Utility Bill (gas, electric, cable, oil, water -- no cell phone bills).
• Recent Bank Statement
• Government document like a paycheck stub.

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City Elections - Odd Years:
Non-Partisan City elections are held in the odd years 2005, 2007, 2009, etc. The preliminary election is in September to narrow the field to two candidates per seat. The Final Runoff Election is the first Tuesday in November.
State and Federal Elections - Even Years:
Massachusetts and U. S. elections are held in the even years 2004, 2006, 2008, etc. The Primary election is in September. The General election is the first Tuesday in November. 

Whom can I vote for?

City Elections:*

• Mayor
• City Council/ Alderman
• School Committee
  *Offices and length of term vary

State Elections:

• Statewide offices--Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Treasurer, Secretary of State and State Auditor (4 year terms)
• State Legislature--40 State Senators and 160 State Representatives (2 year terms)
• Governor's Council--8 Members (2 year terms)
• County Offices--District Attorney, Sheriff, Clerks of Court, County Commissioners, Registrar of Deeds, Registrar of Probate (terms vary)
• Ballot Questions--Initiatives, Referenda, Constitutional Amendments, Local Advisory Public Policy Questions by House or Senate districts.

Federal Elections:

• President/Vice-President (4 year term)
• U.S. Senate (6 year term)
• U.S. House of Representatives (2 year term)

Where you vote depends on where you live.
Your street address is part of a ward and precinct.
You will vote at the polling location designated for your ward and precinct.
Go to www.WhereDoIVoteMA.com to confirm your polling location

You may vote by an absentee ballot if you (1) will be out of your city or town on election day, (2) are physically unable to go the polls, or (3) cannot vote at the polls due to religious beliefs.

• Print Absentee Ballot request form here. Remember to sign the form and get it in the mail well ahead of the election.
• If you will be out of town, you may vote in person at the Election Department up until noon the day before the election.

Yes. Register at your new address by filling out a registration card and mailing it to your local Election Department. If you haven’t changed your address you may be able to vote at your old address. Call your local election department.

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Yes. You may vote by absentee ballot if you:

• will be absent from your city or town on election day, and/or
• have a physical disability that prevents your voting at the polling place, and/or
• cannot vote at the polls due to religious beliefs.

Apply in writing to the Election Department in your city or town and include your:

• name
• address as registered
• address where you wish the absentee ballot sent
• in a primary, the party ballot you want, and
• your signature

Download an Application Form

Yes. A family member may apply for you.

If you wish to vote by absentee ballot for more than one election in a year you may make one application and request that ballots for all elections during that calendar year be sent to you.
If you vote by mail, make certain the application arrives at your election clerk early. Remember, the ballot must be mailed to you.

Yes. You can apply and vote at the same time for 2-3 weeks before an election. Call your election clerk to make certain that the absentee ballots are available.

You may vote at the Election Department office at City Hall or request that the ballot is mailed to you. The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot is noon of the day before the election.

Yes.

No.

You may ask any person to help you. The helper must print his or her name and your name on the brown envelope, write the reason you needed help and then sign his or her name as the assisting person.

Yes. Federal law requires polling places to be accessible to all voters.

Yes. You must apply to the your local election office to do so. File a letter from your doctor with the Boston Election Department. The doctor must state that you are permanently unable to cast your ballot at the polling place due to a physical disability.
The Election Department will automatically mail you an application for an absentee ballot for all elections in a calendar year. You must sign the application and send it back. Call the Election Department for more information about how to register to vote at home or to request that a mail-in registration form be sent to you.

Yes, as long as that individual is not under a court ordered guardianship which specifically prohibits voting. Any patient in a nursing home must be a registered voter in order to vote by absentee ballot and must fill out an absentee ballot application.
If the clerk designates a health care facility in writing 28 days before the election, the ballot must be hand-delivered to such facility by a Registrar. If the patient states that he/she has entered a hospital after noon of the fifth day before the election, the ballot may be hand-delivered to the voter; otherwise, the ballot should be mailed to the voter at the facility. Consult the administration of the nursing home for further instructions.

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You have a right to get instruction on how to use a voting machine before you vote.

You may bring someone into the voting booth with you. You only have to ask the warden or person in charge of the poll for permission which they must grant.

All polling locations by law must be accessible to everyone.

You can vote with an absentee ballot. Get an absentee ballot application from a Boston VOTE site or call one of the numbers below. You can vote weeks before the election at City Hall.

You may be listed as an “Inactive Voter”. If so, you will be asked to:

1. Show ID photo ID, passport, utility bill, bank statement.
2. Sign an affidavit of current residency before you vote.

Voting is your right. Have any problems or questions? Call…

• Phone list of City or Town Clerk (list of clerks)
• Secretary of State, Elections 617-727-2828

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