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 1-800-882-1649.
1995 election law changes
On January 1, 1995, the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), "Motor Voter," and the state law implementing the federal act, Chapter 475 of the Acts of 1994, took effect in Massachusetts. Election laws have changed, and the opportunity to register to vote has been expanded. For the latest information, call the League of Women Voters' Voter Information Phone at (800) 882-1649 or at (617) 723-1421.
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.
How do I prove that I am a Massachusetts resident?
By signing an affidavit of registration, you declare that the address on your affidavit is your legal residence.
Am I a Massachusetts resident if I attend school here?
A dormitory, apartment, room, etc. can be your legal residence if you intend to make the place "home" for the time being. It is illegal for a community to set different registration standards for students. You may declare yourself a Massachusetts resident and still receive financial support from your parents, have bank accounts, register a car, or file state tax returns from your out-of-state home.
Your Massachusetts registration and declaration of residency may have implications, however, for your tuition, insurance, and taxes, and any scholarships and loans you might have from your home state. Be sure to check these before registering.
(See Q & A for College Students for more information)
Where and when do I register?
You may register to vote in person at any registration event, in any local election office, 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. You may vote only in the community where you live.
Or you may complete and sign the mail-in voter registration affidavit, 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.
Do I designate a political party when I register?
At the time you register, you may choose to enroll in a political party, or you may choose to be unenrolled in any party. However, in a primary election, you must choose the ballot of the party in which you are enrolled. Voters unenrolled in any party may choose the primary ballot of any party.
Unenrolled voters who vote in a state primary remain unenrolled. The voter does not become enrolled in the political party of the ballot chosen. If you wish to remain unenrolled, you will not need to complete a party change form after voting in a state primary.
However, in Presidential Primaries only, an unenrolled voter who votes does become enrolled in the party whose ballot he or she selected. The voter must fill out a change of enrollment form after voting to become unenrolled.
Will I ever need to re-register?
Registration is permanent as long as you live in the same city or town and keep your address current with the local election official.
Where and when are elections held?
To learn the locations and open hours of polling places, call your city or town clerk, look in the local newspaper, or contact the Elections Division of the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office at www.magnet.state.ma.us/sec/ele/eleidx.htm.
Presidential elections occur every four years, with the primary early in the year and the election in November. State and Congressional elections occur every other year in even-numbered years, with the primary in September and the election in November. Each town sets its own dates for local elections; these usually occur annually. City elections occur every other year, in odd-numbered years; preliminary elections are held in September or October, and the elections occur in November.
Voting hours vary. For national and state primaries and elections, the polls must be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. For city elections, polls must be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For town elections, polls must be open by noon and remain open for at least four hours. If you are in line when the polls close, you may still vote.
What procedures do I follow at the polls?
Different towns in Massachusetts use different systems of voting. Sample ballots and instructions are posted at the polls. When you enter, give your address and name to the election official at the check-in table.
You may ask for help from election officials. If you are blind or physically disabled, or cannot read English, you may ask a friend, relative, another qualified voter, or election official to help you to mark your ballot or to use a voting machine.
If you spoil a ballot, you may ask for another. If you spoil that one, you may ask for only one more. Spoiled ballots must be turned in to the election official to mark as spoiled.
If you are using a voting machine and need help, do not move the handle to open the curtain, as this will register your vote. Instead, stick your head through the curtain.
You may write in your vote, but must include an address as well as the name of a candidate. Ask for help if the write-in directions are not clear.
You have the right to refuse to answer questions, such as exit polls, about how you have voted.
Find out what system of voting your town uses, and see a video of how it works!
What if my name does not appear on the voters' list?
If your name is not on the voters' list, ask the election official to call the registrar of voters in your community. If this is not successful, go to the registrar of voters yourself. If the election officers are satisfied that you are registered, you will receive a certificate stating this.
You may then vote absentee in the clerk's office, or return to your polling place, present the certificate and vote there.
If your registration cannot be verified, you may vote, but your ballot will be held aside in "escrow," to be counted only if you are later found eligible and the election is very close.
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.
If you are unable to go to the polls on Election Day, you may go to the city or town clerk's office and vote there. Ballots are generally available at the clerk's office approximately three weeks before an election.
(See Absentee Voting for more information)
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
Revised 2000