Saturday, Oct. 26, is the last day Massachusetts residents can register to vote in the 2024 General Election.
The election, which includes races for president, U.S. and Massachusetts Senate and House seats among others, will be held on Nov. 5. Polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
How to register
To find out if you‘re already registered to vote, residents can visit the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s website. Enter your name, date of birth and ZIP code to find out if your voting status is active.
Massachusetts driver’s license carriers are automatically registered to vote if they renew a driver’s license, learner’s permit or state ID, apply for MassHealth benefits, or enroll in health insurance through HealthConnector. This is unless you have selected to opt out while doing any of those things.
Voters only need to reregister if they have moved, changed their name, have not voted in four years or want to change political parties.
Prospective voters have to meet a few qualifications in order to register, according to Secretary of State William Galvin’s website.
All Bay State voters must be U.S. citizens, Massachusetts residents aged 18 years old or older and not be incarcerated due to a felony conviction, Galvin’s office said.
Registering online
Voter registration for all elections can done online, by mail or in person. Residents can also pre-register starting at age 16 and will be added to Massachusetts’ list when they turn 18.
Those who register online on the state’s website must answer several questions including:
- Are you a citizen of the United States of America?
- Are you at least 16 years old?
- Do you have an ID issued by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles?
Prospective voters then verify their RMV ID and provide their first name, last name, date of birth and RMV ID number. After that, they’re taken to the online application, which asks for their former name and address, if applicable, along with current residential and mailing addresses and phone number.
They will also fill out a political party or designation. Voters can choose from the Democratic, Republican or Libertarian parties, or select “No party (Unenrolled, commonly referred to as ‘Independent’).” For a full list of political designations, which includes Green Party USA, click the link here.
Registering by mail
Voter registration forms can be printed at this link. The form must be filled out and signed, then mailed to a prospective voter’s local election office and postmarked by the voter registration deadline, which is Saturday, Oct. 26 to be eligible to vote in the Nov. 5 election.
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Those registering to vote in Massachusetts for the first time should include a copy of identification with the applicant’s name and address. If a copy is not included, one must be presented the first time voting.
Registering in-person
Voter registration forms done in person are valid the day they are signed. Registering and pre-registering in person can be done at the following locations in Massachusetts:
- A prospective voter’s local town clerks, election commission, and Boards of Registrars
- The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth Elections Division
- The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s regional offices
Where is my polling location?
To find a local poll booth location, voters can enter their address on the Secretary of Commonwealth’s website. This will show their precinct number, ward number and the address of where they can vote.
Do I need to show identification?
In most cases, voters do not need to show their identification to vote in Massachusetts. They’re usually asked for their address and name, and poll workers check the information on their list of registered voters.
But a voter could be asked for their ID for one of the following reasons, according to the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office:
- 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
An ID must include a voter‘s name and the address where they are registered to vote. Examples 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 that contains the voter’s name and address.
How to vote in the general election
The general election voting day is on Nov. 5
In-person
Head over to your polling place and when you check in, provide the poll worker with your address and name, Galvin’s website said. This poll worker must then repeat your name, address and party choice back to you before marking the information on the voter list.
Independent or unenrolled voters, voters who are not registered as Democrat, Republican or Libertarian must choose a party‘s primary to vote in, according to the secretary’s website.
Vote by mail
The deadline for requesting a mail-in ballot for the Nov. 5 General Election is Tuesday, Oct. 29. There are three separate deadlines for when the ballot must be returned, according to how the mail-in ballot is returned. These include:
- If returned in-person or by dropbox: 8 p.m. on Nov. 5
- If returned by domestic mail: 5 p.m. on Nov. 8 (must be postmarked by Election Day)
- If returned by mail from outside the U.S. (for military and overseas voters): 5 p.m. on Nov. 15 (must be postmarked by Election Day)
The election division refers to the same online application process for voters with disabilities, with an accessible vote-by-mail application. If voters are not able to independently sign their application by hand, this application can include a typed signature.
