Voting and Elections Guide
Am I eligible to vote in Massachusetts?
- You must be a United States citizen and a resident of Massachusetts.
- You must be 18 years old on or before Election Day.
- You are not currently incarcerated by reason of a felony conviction.
- You may be asked to show ID if there is a question about your identity. See more information here.
What If I Moved Recently?
State law allows voters who have moved within Massachusetts to vote in state elections and primaries from a previous address for up to six months, as long as they have not registered at a new address. If you have moved from one community in Massachusetts to another, and you have not registered to vote at your new address, you may vote at your previous polling place. Please note that this does not apply to local elections.
Are you 16 or 17? You can pre-register to vote
Though you must be 18 years old in order to vote, you may pre-register to vote once you are 16 years old. If you are 16 or 17 years old, you may submit a voter registration form to your local election official, who will then place your name on the list of pre-registrants. You will receive a pre-registration notice by mail, confirming receipt of your application. Pre-registration may be done online, by mail, or in person at any voter registration location (see above).
Once you become old enough to vote, your local election will mail you an acknowledgement notice, which is confirmation that your name has been moved from the list of pre-registrants to the list of registered voters. Your acknowledgement notice will include your party affiliation and the location of your polling place.
It is important to keep your local election official informed of any changes to your information. You must submit a new voter registration form if you wish to change your name, address, mailing address, or political affiliation.
Primary Election Day is September 6.
Deadline for registering to vote in the Primary is August 27.
Deadline for applying for a mail ballot for the primary is August 29.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 8.
The deadline to register to vote is Saturday, October 29.
Deadline for applying for a mail in ballot is November 1.
Request an absentee ballot here.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.
The deadline to register to vote is Saturday, October 24.
Request an absentee ballot here.
Registering
- The deadline to register to vote in the November 3 election is Saturday, October 24, 2020.
- Register easily online with a license or non-driver ID from the Registry of Motor Vehicles
- Register by Mail
- Register in Person
- In person at Boston City Hall or at City Hall to Go trucks.
- You can also request a form be mailed to you by calling 617-727-2828 or 1-800-462-VOTE or e-mailing your request to elections@sec.state.ma.us
As of January 1, 2020, if you are a Massachusetts citizen conducting certain transactions through the Registry of Motor Vehicles, MassHealth, and the Commonwealth Health Connector and you do not opt out of registering to vote, you will automatically become registered to vote.
If you do not opt out of registering, you will automatically be registered to vote when you:
- Apply for or renew a driver's license
- 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 do not wish to be registered to vote, or you do not wish to be registered at the address you use with the RMV, MassHealth, or the Health Connector, you may opt out of registering. Click here for more information on automatic voting.
When you register to vote, you do not have to affiliate with a political party, unless you choose to do so. If you do not affiliate with a party, you are called an unaffiliated voter.
Massachusetts Voters Bill of Rights.
If you feel that your right to vote has been violated in any way, call the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Elections Division at 1-800-462-VOTE (8683). This call is free within Massachusetts.