Where do I vote?

To locate your polling place, you can visit www.wheredoIvoteMA.com or call the Local Clerk or Election Commission at your Town or City Hall.Click here for a directory of City and Town Halls in Massachusetts. You can also find the phone number in the white, blue, or business pages of your telephone book under the name of your city or town.

Also, be sure to call your residential Town or City Hall to verify that you are officially registered at least three weeks or more before the election.

Are polling places accessible to people with disabilities?

Yes. Federal Law required polling places to be accessible by 1986.


If I cannot read or write English, can I vote?

Yes. If you are registered to vote, you may ask any person of your choice to assist you in the voting booth, or you may request help from the election officials at the polling place.


When will the polls be open?

For State Elections, polls must be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The hours vary for Local Elections.


How do I vote?

If you have just enrolled, bring your receipts and confirmation notices with you that confirm that you are are registered voter. When you arrive at the voting location, give your address and name to the election official at the check-in table.

If your name is not on the Voter’s List, ask the Election Official in charge of the polling place to check your registration by looking at the Inactive Voters’ List, and by calling City/Town Hall or the Election Office. Ask the Election Official to help you cast your ballot, and verify your registration.

Sample ballots are posted at the polls for extra help. Should you spoil your ballot, you may request another.If you need help, ask an election official for assistance.

Every vote counts for your candidate!

I can't get to the polls on Election Day. Can I vote?

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.

How can I apply for an absentee ballot?

You must apply in writing to your residential City or Town Clerk or Election Commission. You must include your:
* name;
* address as registered;
* ward and precinct (if you know them);
* address where you want the absentee ballot to be sent;
* in a primary election, the party ballot you want (Democrat, Republican, etc.); and
* signature

You can obtain an application by mail, in person at your local election office, or online from www.state.ma.us/sec/ele/eleifv/howabs.htm

Can anyone else apply for an Absentee Ballot for me?

Yes. A family member may apply for you. You can obtain an Absentee Ballot Application by a Family Member online from www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleifv/howabs.htm

When should I submit my application for an absentee ballot?

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 local election office early. The ballot has to be mailed back to you after the application is processed. You can mail or hand-deliver the ballot back to the election office, but it must arrive before the close of the polls on Election Day (8:00 p.m. for State Elections; Local Elections vary).

If you go in person to your Town or City Hall or Election Office two or three weeks before Election Day, you can make your application and cast your vote in one visit. 

Call the clerk's office to make certain that the absentee ballots are available. Absentee ballots should be available three weeks before an election.

How do I vote by absentee ballot?

You may vote at the clerk's office or request that the ballot be mailed to you. The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot is noon of the day before the election.

No.

What if I'm not able to mark my absentee ballot?

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.

If I am permanently at home with a disability, may I vote at home?

Yes. You MUST apply to your local election office. File a letter from your doctor with the Town or City Clerk or Election Commission. The doctor must state that you are permanently unable to cast your ballot at the polling place due to a physical disability.

The local election official will automatically mail you an Application for an Absentee Ballot for all elections in a calendar year. Sign the application and return it to your election official.

Call your local election official for information about how to register to vote at home, or to request that a Mail-In Registration Form be sent to you.

If I am in a nursing home, can I vote?

Yes, as long as you are not under a court-ordered guardianship which specifically prohibits voting.

Any nursing home resident must be registered to cast an Absentee Ballot, and must complete the application.

There are certain specific rules that apply to people in nursing homes. Call your local Election Official to obtain more details.