Massachusetts

On Election Day the polls must be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m Eastern Time. Municipalities can, at their discretion, open polls as early as 5:45 a.m ET. Voters should contact their local election officials to find out if their polls will be open before 7:00 a.m. on Election Day.

Polling places may be found on the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website by entering the voter’s address.

On Election Day, voters should go to their assigned polling place. 

In statewide elections, voters can also vote early at any early voting location in their city or town during the early voting period (early voting is discretionary in local elections and voters should contact their local election office for details on local elections). 
The early voting period for the September 1, 2026 primary election is August 22 – August 28. Voters can find early voting locations and schedules here.

Registration Deadlines

• For registration deadlines, see How to Register below.

How to Check Your Registration: Voters can determine whether they are registered to vote at the following link: Am I Registered?.

You are eligible to vote in Massachusetts if you:

• Are a U.S. citizen
• Are a resident of Massachusetts
• Are at least 18 years old by Election Day

You are NOT eligible to vote in Massachusetts if:

• You are in prison or jail for a felony conviction.
• A judge has specifically ruled that you are not able to vote.

Restorative Requirements

• If you have completed a felony prison sentence, even if you are still on parole or probation, then you are immediately eligible to register to vote.

You may preregister to vote in Massachusetts

• At the age 16

How to register 

• Massachusetts Congressional, State and Gubernatorial Primary Election
  • Submit a Printed Application: Postmarked by Sat Aug 22, 2026
  • Apply Online: Online by Sat Aug 22, 2026 11:59PM
  • In-Person Request by Sat Aug 22, 2026 5:00PM
  • Last Date to Change Party Affiliation by Sat Aug 22, 2026
• Massachusetts Congressional, State and Gubernatorial General Election
  • Submit a Printed Application: Postmarked by Sat Oct 24, 2026
  • Apply Online: Online by Sat Oct 24, 2026 11:59PM
  • In-Person Request by Sat Oct 24, 2026 5:00PM

A person is eligible to vote in MA if they are a U.S. citizen, a resident of Massachusetts, 18 years old or older, and not currently incarcerated due to a felony conviction. A person can pre-register to vote in MA if they are a U.S. citizen, a resident of Massachusetts, 16 or 17 years old, and not currently incarcerated due to a felony conviction.

Eligible voters may register online or by downloading and mailing a registration form to their local election office. Voters may also register to vote in person at their local election office. Voters can check their registration status here. 

The registration deadline is 10 days before election day. Registration forms submitted by mail must be postmarked by that date. 

Certain “specially qualified” voters may vote by absentee ballot without first being registered. Those include: (1) voters who are absent from their city or town of residence in Massachusetts and are in active military service, or a spouse or dependent of such person; (2) voters who are incarcerated other than for a felony conviction; and (3) a Massachusetts citizen absent from the state. Absentee ballots must be requested in writing by 5:00 p.m. on the 5th business day before election day. 

Massachusetts residents who are 16 years of age and otherwise eligible to vote may pre-register to vote. However, they may not vote until they are 18, except that those who are 17 may vote in primaries provided they will be 18 by the date of the general election. 

Additionally, if a voter becomes a U.S. citizen after the registration deadline, and is otherwise eligible to vote, they may register at their local election office until 4:00 p.m. the day before the election.

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

• By Mail
• By Fax
• By Email
• Online

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Massachusetts Congressional, State and Gubernatorial Primary Election

Ballot Request:

• Request to Receive Blank Ballot by Mail Received by Tue Aug 25, 2026 5:00PM

Ballot Return:

• Received by Tue Sep 1, 2026 8:00PM

Massachusetts Congressional, State and Gubernatorial General Election

Ballot Request:

• Request to Receive Blank Ballot by Mail Received by Tue Oct 27, 2026 5:00PM

Ballot Return:

• Received by Tue Nov 3, 2026 8:00PM
• Postmarked On or Before Election Day and Received by Fri Nov 6, 2026 8:00PM

Mail-in & Absentee Voting

All registered voters can vote early or use a vote-by-mail ballot in all statewide elections. To vote by absentee ballot, a voter must have a qualifying excuse.

Vote by Mail

To vote by mail in a particular election, a voter must first complete and submit a vote-by-mail application. The Commonwealth is legally required to mail a vote-by-mail application to all registered voters before each statewide election. 

If a voter doesn’t receive a vote-by-mail application, or needs another one for some reason, they may also download and print a vote-by-mail application, apply for a mail-in ballot online through the Mail-in Ballot Application System, or submit a signed request for a vote-by-mail application to their local election office.  

A completed vote-by-mail application may be mailed, faxed, emailed, or hand-delivered to the voter’s local election office. The vote-by-mail application must be received by 5:00 p.m. on the 5th business day prior to election day. The application must reach the local election office by then (regardless of postmark date). 

Voters may return their completed mail-in ballots by mailing them in the envelope provided, hand-delivering them to the local election office or an early voting location during early voting hours, or using a ballot drop box. 

Mail-in ballots cannot be dropped off at a polling place on election day, but a voter who requested a mail-in ballot may still opt to vote in person at their polling place. A voter that applied to vote by mail may still vote in person if: (1) they never returned their mail-in ballot; (2) they returned their mail-in ballot but it hasn’t reached their local election office; or (3) their mail-in ballot has been rejected. Voters can track their ballot status here. 

The ballot return deadline for primary, special, or local elections is by the close of polls on election day. The only exception is for ballots returned by mail in the biennial state election in November.

For biennial general state election days, the deadline depends on the voter’s method of return: 

• If a voter returns their ballot by domestic mail, it must be postmarked by election day and reach the local election office by 5:00 p.m. on the third day after the election;
• If a voter returns their ballot by mail outside the U.S., it must be postmarked by election day and reach the local election office by 5:00 p.m. on the tenth day after the election.

State law allows municipalities to opt out of vote-by-mail for local elections. Voters can check with their local election office to see whether their city or town has done so. 

Absentee Voting

Massachusetts makes a distinction between mail-in ballots and absentee ballots. Mail-in ballots are only mailed to voters’ registered addresses. Absentee ballots can be sent to another address, but only if the voter qualifies to vote absentee. A voter qualifies to vote by absentee ballot if: (1) they will be away from their city or town on election day; (2) they have a religious belief that prevents them from voting in-person on election day; or (3) they have a disability that prevents them from voting in-person. 

A voter admitted to a healthcare facility within 1 week of the election may also use an absentee ballot application to designate someone to obtain and deliver their ballot for them. Emergency absentee ballots may be requested up until the close of polls. See details here. 

A voter can only vote absentee if they first complete and return an absentee ballot application. Absentee ballot applications must be received by the voter’s local election office 5:00 p.m. on the 5th business day prior to election day (regardless of when it is postmarked). The application can be submitted by mail, email, or fax, and can be downloaded or printed from the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website in various languages.

Absentee voters can return their ballots by mailing them in the envelope provided, hand delivering them to the local election office, or using a ballot drop box. The return deadlines are the same as those that apply to vote-by-mail ballots. Voters that have requested an absentee ballot can still vote in-person on election day if they haven’t returned their absentee ballot, or it hasn’t been accepted at their local election office. Voters can track their ballot status here. 

The Commonwealth provides a list of situations in which voters should vote by absentee ballot instead of a vote-by-mail ballot.

Early Voting  

Municipalities are required to provide in-person early voting locations to their residents in all statewide elections. Voters can vote at any early voting location in their city or town during the early voting period. For the September 1, 2026 primary election, the early voting period is August 22 – August 28, 2026. Voters can find early voting locations and schedules here. 
Municipalities have discretion to provide early voting for local elections, but it is not required. For more information on local elections, voters should contact their local election office.

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form (“FPCA”). Your state does not require an ID to be provided in order to register/request your ballot.

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. Your state does not require an ID to be provided in order to register/request your ballot.

In Massachusetts, there is no generally applicable requirement for voters to show ID at their polling place. 

However, an election official may ask a voter to show ID in a few limited circumstances, including when:

• The voter is voting for the first time in Massachusetts;
• The voter is on the inactive voter list because they failed to respond to their local annual census or to a follow-up inquiry from local election officials;
• The voter is casting a provisional or challenged ballot; or
• The poll worker has a practical and legal reason to ask for identification.

ID must include the voter’s name and the address where they are registered to vote. Examples include current and valid (not expired) photo identification, such as a driver’s license or state ID, a recent utility bill, a rent receipt or lease, a copy of a voter registration affidavit, a bank statement, a letter from a school dormitory or housing office, or a government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter.

If a voter is asked to show ID because it’s their first time voting but they don’t have an acceptable ID, the voter must be given the opportunity to vote by provisional ballot. If a voter casts a provisional ballot because they lack ID, the voter must return to the polling place with acceptable identification before the polling place closes or the ballot will not be counted.

If a voter needs to show ID for any other reason and can’t, they can cast a challenged ballot. Information on the challenged ballot will include the voter’s name and address, the challenger’s name and address, and the reason for the challenge. The challenged ballot will be cast as normal and only examined if there is a recount, court order, or audit.

Voters must update their voter registration every time they move. Voters should update their address online, if eligible, or by submitting a new voter registration form prior to the registration deadline—10 days before any election. If a voter misses the deadline, the voter may vote at their old polling location for state and national (not local) elections for up to 6 months after they move so long as they have not registered elsewhere. But, if the move was more than 6 months prior to the election, a voter who has missed the deadline to update their address may not vote in that election.

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form (“FPCA”). Your state does not require an ID to be provided in order to register/request your ballot.

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. Your state does not require an ID to be provided in order to register/request your ballot.

The Federal Voter Assistance Program and Massachusetts law establish special procedures to facilitate voting by citizens residing outside the U.S., and members of the U.S. Armed Forces and Merchant Marine (including the commissioned corps of the Public Health Service and NOAA), along with their family members, who are stationed away from their Massachusetts voting residence.  Military and overseas voters are exempt from voter registration requirements in Massachusetts and, generally, are only required to submit an absentee ballot application.

Voting Residence

Military voters may use either (a) the address in the United States where they were last registered to vote or (b) their address at the time of enlisting. Overseas voters may use their last residence in the United States to register for an absentee ballot or, if they have never lived in the United States, their parent’s last United States address. 

Registration and Requesting an Absentee Ballot

Military and overseas voters do not have to be registered to receive a ballot. They can apply for a ballot using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), the Massachusetts Absentee Ballot Application (NOT the Mail-in Ballot Application), or by sending a written request for an absentee ballot to their local election office. The ballot must be requested by the deadline for requesting a mail ballot: 5:00 p.m., on the 5th business day before Election Day. The application may be scanned and faxed or emailed to the voter’s local election office.

Absentee ballot applications are valid until December 31 of the year they are submitted. Voters must submit a new absentee ballot application each calendar year. Voters who have missed the deadline may be able to use the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot.

Receiving an Absentee Ballot

Military or overseas voters may receive their blank absentee ballots by mail, fax, or an online portal. The Federal Post Card Application has a box for voters to check how they wish to receive their ballot.

Ballot Return 

Voters can also choose to return their ballot by email/online, fax, or mail. Ballot deadlines are different depending on the type of election and how the ballot is returned. For a primary election, the ballot must be received by the close of polls on election day.  For a general election, ballots returned electronically must be received by the close of polls on election day, and ballots returned by mail must be postmarked by election day and received by the local elections office within three days after election day if mailed within the U.S. and within ten days after election day if mailed from outside the U.S.

Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot The Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (“FWAB”) is a back-up ballot that can be used by military or overseas voters. It is a blank ballot, which voters may use to vote for any candidate or ballot question. If the voter does not receive their regular ballot in time, they may use the FWAB. It may be used even if the voter has not applied for a ballot. It may be submitted by mail, email or fax, and must be received by the voter’s local voting officials in Massachusetts no later than noon on Election Day. 

Felony Convictions

Persons currently incarcerated for a felony cannot vote. However, their voting rights are automatically restored upon release from incarceration. People on parole or probation, even for a felony, can vote. A person previously incarcerated for a felony must re-register after completing their sentence before they can vote.

Currently Incarcerated Voters

A person who is incarcerated for a felony may not vote. Individuals incarcerated for other reasons, including civil commits, misdemeanor convictions, and pretrial detention—may vote by absentee (not mail) ballot. If a voter is incarcerated, they do not need to first register to vote absentee. Instead, the voter can vote by absentee ballot as a “specially qualified voter.”