Massachusetts Voting
Who can Register to Vote?
You can register to vote in Massachusetts if you are:
- A U.S. citizen
- A resident of Massachusetts
- 18 years or older
- Not currently incarcerated because of a felony conviction.
You can register to vote online, by mail, or in person.
You can pre-register to vote in Massachusetts if you are:
- A U.S. citizen.
- A resident of Massachusetts.
- 16 or 17 years old.
- Not currently incarcerated by reason of a felony conviction.
You may pre-register to vote by submitting a voter registration form. You can submit it online, by mail, or in person. You’ll receive confirmation of your pre-registration by mail. When you turn 18 you will be added to the voter list.
The deadline to register to vote is 10 days before an election or town meeting. If you become a citizen after the deadline, you can register to vote at your local election office until 4pm before election day. Make sure your naturalization ceremony takes place during the voter registration deadline.
Register Online
If you have a signature on file with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, you can register online here on the Massachusetts Secretary page. You can also pre-register, update your address, update your name, and change your political party designation.
Voter registration forms submitted online must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on the date of the voter registration deadline.
ID Requirements You may need to show identification when you check-in at your polling place if:
- You are voting for the first time in Massachusetts
- You’re on the inactive voter list
- You're casting a provisional or challenged ballot
- The poll worker has a practical and legal reason to ask for identification
Identification needs to show your name and the address where you are registered to vote. Examples of acceptable identification are:
- A driver's license
- A state ID card
- A recent utility bill
- A rent receipt or lease.
- A copy of a voter registration affidavit
- A letter from a school dormitory or housing office
- Any other printed identification which contains your name and address [1]
Ways to Register
You can register or pre-register to vote with a mail-in voter registration form. Print, fill out, and sign the voter registration form. Mail the signed form to your local election office. Your voter registration form must be postmarked by the voter registration deadline.
If you are registering to vote in Massachusetts for the first time, you should include a copy of identification that shows your name and address with your form. If you don’t include a copy of your ID, you may need to show it the first time you vote.
Register In-Person
You can register or pre-register to vote in person.
In Massachusetts, you can register to vote in-person at:
- Your local town clerks, election commission, and Boards of Registrars.
- The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth Elections Division.
- The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s regional offices.
Voter registration forms completed in-person are valid on the day that they are signed.
In Massachusetts, there are certain places where you can be automatically registered to vote. Those places are:
- Apply for or renew your driver’s license at the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV).
- Apply for or renew a learner's permit.
- Apply for or renew a state ID.
- Apply for MassHealth benefits online, in person, or by phone.
- Apply for health insurance through the Commonwealth Health Connector.
If you go to any of the locations again if you move, you can reapply. You should still register when you move. You cannot opt out of automatic voter registration. When you received the email, please ask to be removed from the voter’s list. If you do not complete the health insurance, you will not be registered to vote. You are enrolled as an “Independent”. [2]
Ways to Vote
Voting by Mail
You do not need an excuse to vote-by-mail in Massachusetts. If you want to apply you can do so online, in person, by mail or by fax.
Typed signatures on applications cannot be accepted, unless you are a voter who requires accommodations due to physical disability. If you are unable to sign your application or mark your ballot by hand due to a disability, visit our page about voting with disabilities for information on requesting an accommodation.
Absentee ballots can be requested in the same manner as early Vote by Mail ballots, using the Absentee Ballot application.
Any mail-in ballot must be requested in writing by 5 p.m. on the 5th business day before the election. Your application can only be accepted if it has reached your local election office by the deadline.
Apply as early as possible, especially if your ballot will need to be mailed out of town. The U.S. Postal Service recommends allowing up to 7 days for mail delivery. To ensure you receive your ballot with enough time to mail it back, you should apply 2-3 weeks before Election Day.
Returning your Ballot
There are several options for returning your ballot. You may return your ballot by:
- Mailing it back using the envelope provided
- Hand-delivering your ballot to your local election office
- Dropping your ballot off at an early voting location during early voting hours
- Using a ballot drop box provided by your city or town
Ballots cannot be dropped off at a polling place on Election Day.
Ballots must reach your local election office by the close of polls on Election Day in order to be counted.
Use our Track My Ballot tool to check the status of your ballot. The tracker will show you the date your ballot was mailed, the date it was returned, and whether your ballot was accepted or rejected. [3]
Voting in Person
Polling places are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for all state primaries and elections. Cities and towns are allowed to open their polling places as early as 5:45 a.m. Polling hours will vary by community for municipal elections. If you’re in line when the polls close, you will still be able to vote.
You can still vote in person if you’ve applied to vote by mail. You can vote at an early voting location or your polling place on Election Day.
You cannot vote in person if your ballot has been accepted by your local election office. You can’t take your ballot back or vote again. Use our website to track your ballot status. If your ballot hasn’t been accepted by Election Day, you may vote in person at your polling place. If your ballot arrives at your local election office after you’ve voted, the mail-in ballot will be rejected.
Local Elections
State law allows cities and towns to opt out of no-excuse early voting by mail in local elections. A city or town can only opt out of Vote by Mail for a local election after the city council or board of selectmen hold a public hearing and take a recorded vote to do so at least 45 days before the election.
If your community opts out of Vote by Mail for your local election, a Vote by Mail application will not be valid for that election. Check with your local election office about whether your community has opted out of Vote by Mail in an upcoming local election.