The right to vote is fundamental in a democratic society. The following information will help make it easy for you to exercise this right. For additional information about voting in Massachusetts call the League of Women Voters Voter Information Phone 1-800-882-1649.
What if I can't get to the polls on Election Day?
You may vote absentee if you will be absent from your city or town on Election Day, if you have a physical disability preventing you from voting at the polling place, or if your religious beliefs prevent you from voting on Election Day.
You must be registered in order to vote absentee. Several exceptions exist: Those outside of Massachusetts and members of the armed forces or merchant marine, or their spouses or dependents, do not need to be registered in order to vote absentee.
How do I apply for an absentee ballot?
You must apply in writing to the city or town clerk or election commission, either in a letter or by filling out an application form. Application forms are available at your local election office, or you may download the form at www.state.ma.us/sec/ele/eleifv/howabs.htm.
If you write a letter requesting an absentee ballot, it should include your name,
address as registered, ward or precinct if you know it, address where you want the
absentee ballot sent, which party ballot you want if the election is a primary (you must
be registered to vote in the party you request or you must be unenrolled in any party),
and your signature.
If you wish to vote absentee for more than one election in a year, you may make one
application and ask that ballots for all elections in that calendar year be sent to you.
If you are unable to go to the polls on Election Day, you may go to the city or town clerk's, fill out an absentee ballot application and vote there at the same time. Ballots are generally available at the clerk's office approximately three weeks before an election.
Registered and unregistered residents of Massachusetts who are outside the state, residents on active duty in the armed forces and merchant marine and their spouses or dependents may request an absentee ballot from the city or town in which they legally resided (or where they last legally resided before leaving the U.S.).
Can someone else apply for me for an absentee ballot?
A family member of a person who is registered to vote in Massachusetts may apply to the city or town where that person is registered for an absentee ballot for that voter.
The family member may apply by letter that includes name, address as registered, ward or precinct if you know it, address where you want the absentee ballot sent, which party ballot you want if the election is a primary (you must be registered to vote in the party you request or you must be unenrolled in any party), and your signature; or the family member may fill out an absentee ballot application which is available at the local election office or can be downloaded at www.state.ma.us/sec/ele/eleifv/howabs.htm.
What are the deadlines for voting absentee?
The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot is noon on the day before an election, if you are both applying and voting in person. Absentee ballots are generally available three weeks before an election. If you are planning to vote in the clerk's office, you may be able to apply for an absentee ballot and vote in the same visit.
If you will be sending your ballot through the mail, allow enough time for your application to get to your city or town clerk, for the ballot to come to you by mail (at the address you have specified) and for you to return it to the local election office before the close of the polls on Election Day. The ballot must be received in the clerk's office before the close of the polls on Election Day.
Do I need to reapply for an absentee ballot for every election?
No. The absentee ballot application asks you to designate which election(s) you are applying for. Absentee ballot applications may be made for all elections within a calendar year or for a single election.
Note: If your address changes within a calendar year you must submit a new application for an absentee ballot. This is especially important for college students who are usually focused on an academic year not a calendar year.
If you are permanently disabled, you may file a doctor's letter with the local election office which states that you are permanently unable to vote at the polls due to a physical disability. The local election office 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 to your local election official.
Are there special instructions for completing and returning the absentee ballot?
Yes. Your absentee ballot must be sealed and returned in the brown envelope that was sent with the ballot. The voter must sign the brown envelope in the designated place and place it in the white envelope with green trim that also came with the absentee ballot.
Must my absentee ballot be witnessed?
No. With the implementation of the National Voter Registration Act, it is not necessary to have your absentee ballot witnessed.
Can someone help me make my absentee ballot?
Yes. You may ask someone to help you mark your ballot. The helper must print his or her name and the voter's name in the designated place on the brown envelope that is sent with the absentee ballot, write the reason the voter needed help, and sign his or her name as the assisting person.
Who is eligible to vote?
To be eligible to vote in Massachusetts, you must be a Massachusetts resident and U.S. citizen who will be at least 18 years old on Election Day; you cannot be under legal guardianship with respect to voting; or convicted of election fraud. In order to vote, you must also have registered.
Can I register to vote at the polls?
No. You must register in advance. The last day to register to vote for all elections is 20 days before the election. The last day to register for a special town meeting is 10 days before the meeting.
Where and when do I register?
You may register to vote in person at any registration event, in any local election office (You may vote only in the community where you live), and at the following state agency offices: Registry of Motor Vehicles; Department of Transitional Assistance when applying for programs (i.e., Food Stamp Program, AFDC, and WIC); Division of Medical Assistance; Commission for the Blind; Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission; Department of Mental Health, Department of Mental Retardation; and the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
Or you may request a voter registration affidavit from the League of Women Voters or the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office. Complete the form and sign it, fold as directed, complete the address for the local election office in the city or town where you live, place a first-class stamp in the upper right-hand corner, and mail. The mail-in form must be postmarked by the registration deadline. The mail-in form may also be hand-delivered to your local election office.
Massachusetts does not accept downloaded or copied voter registration forms.
League of Women Voters of Massachusetts
Citizen Education Fund
Lotte E Scharfman Memorial Fund
133 Portland Street, Boston, MA 02114
Phone: (617) 523-2999 - Fax: (617) 248-0881
e-mail lwvma@ma.lwv.org
Voter Information
(800) 882-1649 or (617) 723-1421
2000