Voter Information & Resource Guide

Updated October 2024

General Elections are on Tuesday November 5

Finding the right information as a voter can sometimes be challenging with so many resources spread across different platforms.

To make things easier for you, we've consolidated everything you need into one convenient location. Whether you’re looking for voter registration details, polling locations, or important dates, you’ll find all the information here in one place. Our goal is to make the voting process simpler and more accessible for everyone.

Explore our voter resource hub below to stay informed and empowered!

Prepare for election day

  • Preparation is key to ensuring your voice is heard on November 5 — here’s a quick checklist of what you can do right now to be ready for Election Day:

  • Registration deadlines

    By mail: postmarked by Oct 26
    In-person at local election office: 5pm on Oct 26
    Online: 11:59 pm on Oct 26

    Mail and absentee deadlines

    Request ballot: received by 5pm on Oct 29
    Return ballot by mail: postmarked by Nov 5
    Return ballot to a drop box: by 8pm on Nov 5*

    *please note that ballots can’t be returned to your polling location — but if you haven’t returned it by Election Day, you can go to your regular polling location to vote.

  • If you found this information useful, please feel free to forward this email, or you can share this link!

    To Download a PDF version of this guide CLICK HERE

Links & Resources

  • Register to Vote

    Registration deadlines for the 11/5 General Election

    By mail (postmarked by) Oct 26
    In-person at local election office By 5 PM on Oct 26
    Online By 11:59 PM on Oct 26

    Register Online!

  • Check Your Registration Status

    Make sure you're registered to Vote

    Check Your Status

  • Update Your Address

    Please also note that if you’ve changed your vehicle insurance or had other transactions with the RMV that updated your home address, your voter registration may have been updated to reflect that.

    Update Your Current Address

  • Request an Absentee/Mail In Ballot

    Ballot Request must be received by By 5 PM on October 29

    * Please note, due to delays in USPS service throughout Boston, we recommend requesting your ballot far in advance of this deadline.

    Request a Mail in Ballot Online

  • Find an Early Voting Polling Location

    Early Voting in Boston will take place Saturday October 19- Friday November 1

    Vote Early

  • Find A Ballot Drop Box

    You have until 8 p.m. on Election Day to drop off your ballot.

    Ballots CANNOT be dropped off at polling locations on Election Day.

    Read Bio

  • Military & Overseas Voting for Citizens

    Massachusetts allows military and overseas voters to use the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) for absentee voting in all elections.

    Fill Out Your FWAB

  • Voters with Disabilities

    Every early voting and polling location must have at least one accessible voting machine. The AutoMARK Voter Assist Terminals can assist visually impaired, mobility impairments or illiterate voters.

    Accessible vote-by-mail ballots are available for certain voters

    More Information

  • Track Your Mail In Ballot

    Track

  • Pre-Register to Vote

    You can pre-register to vote in Massachusetts starting at 16 years old.

    Pre-Register

2024 Massachusetts Ballot Questions

It's important to not only focus on the candidates but also on the ballot questions that could directly impact our city and state. These questions give you the power to shape policies on key issues.

Take time to research the ballot measures, understand what’s being proposed, and consider how each one aligns with your values and our community’s future.

This year there are 5 questions on the ballot. At this point you should have received a Voter Information Guide to the ballot questions in the mail — and it’s also available online.

  1. State Auditor’s Authority to Audit the Legislature

  2. Elimination of the MCAS as High School Graduation requirement

  3. Unionization for Transportation Network Drivers

  4. Limited Legalization and Regulation of Certain Natural Psychedelic Substances

  5. Minimum Wage for tipped workers

We encourage you to find non-partisan sources or use the 2024 Information for Voters booklet below to research each question ahead of election day to decide how you plan on voting.

Information For specific Voters

  • Your voter registration is tied to where you live.

    As a college, university, or other school student, you can usually register to vote in either your hometown or here in Boston.

    Here are things you might consider when deciding where to vote:

    • Which location is more convenient for you? 

    • Who is on the ballot in each place?

    • Are there local policies or particular issues that are important to you in either place?

    Voting in Boston would mean you would be voting not just for presidential candidates but also for Massachusetts representatives, as well as local offices. You can also vote on Massachusetts Ballot Questions.

    If you were considering not voting out-of-state with a hometown address because of inconveniences dealing with an absentee ballot, voting in Boston can be a good opportunity to still vote locally if you prefer.

    Where you register to vote will not affect your federal financial aid, including FAFSA, Pell Grants, Perkins, or Stafford loans. It may affect whether you qualify for in-state tuition.

    Voting in Your Hometown

    Even if you’re attending classes in Boston for most of the year, you may have the option to vote in your hometown. Here’s what to keep in mind:

    • Register to vote using your permanent address in your hometown. Use your college address as your mailing address on your registration. 

    • Many states allow you to ask for a mail-in ballot if you’re unable to vote in person. Some states mail every voter a ballot automatically. Each state has its own guidelines, so check to see what the rules are in your state or territory. You can have the mail ballot sent to your college address. 

  • Congratulations! You can vote if you registered!

    If you will become a U.S. citizen after the October 26th voter registration deadline for this election, you can still register to vote in person at your local election office until 4pm on the day before the election.

    Make sure you bring proof that your naturalization ceremony took place after the voter registration deadline.

  • In Massachusetts, people with felony convictions can vote immediately after they are released from incarceration. That’s true even if you are on probation or parole.

    If you’ve been recently released and have a signature on file with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, you can register online.  

    You can vote while incarcerated if:

    • You are civilly committed and not serving any felony sentence

    • You are serving a misdemeanor sentence and not serving any felony sentence

    • You are pre-trial and not serving any felony sentence

    If you’re incarcerated, you must submit an absentee ballot to vote, but you do not need to register to vote before voting. You can register to vote if you want to, or you can vote by absentee ballot as a “specially qualified voter.” 

    If you’d like more information, you can write to PLS to request that they send you voting information and an absentee ballot application, or you can ask a friend or loved one to print the absentee ballot application from the Secretary of State’s website.  

  • In Massachusetts, members of the Uniformed Services serving on active duty, their families, and U.S. citizens residing overseas are eligible to vote in all elections.

    These voters do not need to register to vote to request an absentee ballot.

    To get your absentee ballot you can use the Federal Post Card Application or simply send a written request. A family member can also help by requesting that an absentee ballot be sent directly to you.

    You have the flexibility to receive your absentee ballot via mail, fax, or email, and you can return your completed ballot through any of these methods as well.

    And don’t forget, Massachusetts allows military and overseas voters to use the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) for absentee voting in all elections. This means you can cast your vote anytime before the election, even if you haven’t applied for an absentee ballot yet. After you fill out the FWAB, just submit it by mail or electronically.

Voter Assistance

  • As a voter, you have the right to choose anyone you trust to assist you at the polls.

    This person can help answer your questions, guide you through the process, assist with reading or marking your ballot, or support you in any way you need. Keep in mind that while your chosen assistant can provide any support, poll workers can only answer specific questions about the voting process or information that is on the ballot.

    Reasons You Might Want Assistance:

    • Language barriers

    • Help reading your Ballot

    • Assistance marking your ballot

    • Questions about items on the ballot

    • Questions about what you have to do while voting

    You Can Have Assistance While:

    • Entering the polling location

    • Checking in

    • Entering the voting booth

    • Preparing and marking your ballot

    • Exiting the voting booth

    • Checking out

    Remember Poll workers are trained for every election to follow strict rules and go through training for every election.

    If you're at the polls alone or prefer to ask a poll worker for help, you're welcome to do so. Poll workers are there to assist you in any way you need, but it’s important to note if you choose to have poll workers assist you, there will be two poll workers present to ensure fairness and transparency.

    If something feels off or unusual during your voting experience, don’t hesitate to flag it to the Elections Department.

  • All polling locations have ballots in English & Spanish, and may have additional languages available depending on the polling location. You can ask when checking in with the poll workers.

    Some locations also have interpreters available, and language interpretation services are also always available in Boston through the Elections Department — just ask one of the poll workers.

    The AutoMARK Voter Assist Terminals also offer support for voters needing assistance in other languages, even if a ballot in their preferred language is not available at that specific polling location.

    It’s also always the right of a voter to be assisted by someone of their choice. So if you have a friend or family member who needs assistance with voting, you can accompany them or provide assistance by phone while they’re voting.

  • Every early voting and polling location must have at least one accessible voting machine. The AutoMARK Voter Assist Terminals can assist visually impaired, mobility impairments or illiterate voters.

    Accessible vote-by-mail ballots are available for certain voters. If you are blind or have a vision impairment, have a mobility or dexterity disability, or have another disability that makes it difficult for you to mark a paper ballot, you can request an accessible vote by mail ballot.

  • Mailing addresses are not required to register to vote in Massachusetts.

    It is recommended people experiencing homelessness registrants list a shelter address as their voting address where they could receive mail.

    Alternatively, registrants may denote a street corner or a park as their residence, in lieu of a traditional home address.

Do I need an ID to Vote?

Massachusetts law never requires a photo ID for voting, but there are circumstances when you may be asked to present an “ID” that specifically has your name and address, including:

  • You’re newly registered to vote

  • You didn’t respond to the City of Boston’s Annual Listing of Residents

  • You moved and didn’t update your address or re-register to vote

  • You missed voting in the past 2 federal elections

If you’re asked for an “ID,” you can present an MA-issued license/ID, bank statement, government-issued check, recent utility bill, or payroll statement — and digital versions of any of those on an electronic device count!

Please note you can NOT use a passport as an “ID” for voting, because it does not have your address.

It is always your right to cast a ballot, even if it must be done as a Provisional or Challenge Ballot, with your voting eligibility researched and confirmed after the polls close. If you believe you are eligible to vote in an election, never leave without voting.

You can ALWAYS vote without an ID, speak to the Precinct Warden at your polling location
or call (617) 635-VOTE

Become a Poll Worker

There’s still time to make a meaningful impact in your community by becoming a paid poll worker for the upcoming election! Both training days and election days are paid, making this a great way to contribute to democracy.

Why Become a Poll Worker?

Choose a role that suits your interest, whether it’s as a:

  • Warden — Supervises other poll workers and is responsible for maintaining order and compliance with election law.

  • Clerk — Records events in the Clerk’s book, keeps records of Provisional and Challenged Ballots, plus keeps tabs on the number of ballots cast throughout Election Day.

  • Inspector — Supports set up and break down of voting locations, checks voters in and out and maintains accessibility standards for disabled voters

  • Interpreter — Provide language assistance for voters and support Poll Workers in communicating with voters.

  • Central Tabulation — This team processes mail-in and early ballots at City Hall that are not handled at individual polling locations. While not required for every election, they are typically staffed for elections with higher turnout — and will certainly be in place for November’s Election.

Not all locations have dedicated interpreters, so if you speak multiple languages, your help is particularly needed! Plus, interpreter opportunities are open to a wider range of folks — non-citizens with a social security number, or those who aren’t registered voters can serve as interpreters. And as with all poll working positions, non-Boston residents are also eligible to serve as interpreters.

Student Poll Workers

Boston Public School Poll Workers are also needed for November’s Election!

If you’re 16, a BPS student and interested we encourage you to explore becoming a student poll worker.

Curious about poll working?

Check out Councilor Santana’s Interview with seasoned Poll Warden and Director of Policy and Communications, Matthew Broude about poll working in Boston.