Voting in Massachusetts

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The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.

This article includes the following information about voting policies in Massachusetts:

Click here for more information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, post-election auditing practices, and additional election policy context.

For information on elections happening this year, click here.

Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.

Voter registration

Eligibility and registration details

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in Massachusetts, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of Massachusetts, and at least 18 years old on or before Election Day.[1]

The deadline for registration is 10 days prior to the election. A voter can register online, by mail, or in person at any registration office or the Registry of Motor Vehicles. A form of identification is required to register. The following are acceptable forms of identification:[1]

  • Valid driver's license
  • State-issued identification card
  • Current utility bill
  • Bank statement
  • Paystub
  • Government-issued check
  • Any other government document displaying the voter's name and address


In-person voting

Poll times

See also: State poll opening and closing times

In Massachusetts, most polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. However, municipalities may open their polls as early as 5:45 a.m. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[2]

Voter identification

See also: Voter identification laws by state

Massachusetts does not require voters to present identification (ID) while voting, in most cases.[3]

However, voters will be asked to show ID in the following circumstances:

“
  • You are voting for the first time in Massachusetts in a federal election;
  • You are an inactive voter;
  • You are casting a provisional or challenged ballot;
  • The poll worker has a reasonable suspicion that leads them to request identification.[3][4]
 ”

The following list of accepted ID was current as of August 2024:

  • 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

Click here for the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

“ Acceptable identification must include your name and the address at which you are registered to vote. Examples of acceptable identification include: a driver's license, state-issued ID card, recent utility bill, rent receipt, lease, a copy of a voter registration affidavit, or any other printed identification which contains the voter's name and address.[4] ”

Early voting

See also: Early voting

Massachusetts permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.


Absentee/mail-in voting

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

Any eligible voter has the option to vote by absentee/mail-in ballot in all elections.[5]


Local election officials

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Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

Voting rules for people convicted of a felony

See also: Voting rights for people convicted of a felony

In Massachusetts, people convicted of a felony automatically regain their voting rights upon completion of their incarceration.[6]

Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[7]


Election administration agencies

Election agencies

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See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Massachusetts can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Massachusetts Town Clerks

Click here for a list

Secretary of the Commonwealth, Elections Division

One Ashburton Place, Room 1705
Boston, Massachusetts 02108
Phone: 617-727-2828
Toll free: 1-800-462-8683
Fax: 617-742-3238
Email: elections@sec.state.ma.us
Website: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/

State Ethics Commission

One Ashburton Place, Room 619
Boston, Massachusetts 02108
Phone: 617-371-9500
Fax: 617-723-5851
Website: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/state-ethics-commission

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 301-563-3919
Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
Website: https://www.eac.gov


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See also

Elections in Massachusetts


External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Voter Registration Information," accessed April 13, 2023
  2. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "The Voting Process," accessed April 13, 2023
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Identification Requirements," accessed April 13, 2023
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  5. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Voting by Mail," accessed July 18, 2022
  6. ↑ Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Can Felons Vote in Massachusetts?" accessed August 26, 2024
  7. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
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