Voting in Massachusetts

What's on your ballot?

Find out using Ballotpedia’s Sample Ballot Tool

* * *

* * *

Election Information
2026 election and voting dates
Voter registration
Early voting
Absentee/mail-in voting
All-mail voting
Voter ID laws
State poll opening and closing times
Time off work for voting

* * *

Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker

* * *

Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its voting policies.

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingSubmit

## Contents

* 1 Voter registration
* 1.1 Eligibility and registration details
* 2 In-person voting
* 2.1 Poll times
* 2.2 Voter identification
* 2.3 Early voting
* 3 Absentee/mail-in voting
* 4 Local election officials
* 5 Voting rules for people convicted of a felony
* 6 Contact information
* 6.1 Election agencies
* 7 Explore election legislation with Ballotpedia
* 8 Ballotpedia's election coverage
* 9 See also
* 9.1 Elections in Massachusetts
* 10 External links
* 11 Footnotes

The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.

This article includes the following information about voting policies in Massachusetts:

* Voter registration details, including deadlines and eligibility requirements.
* In-person voting details, including identification requirements, poll times, and early voting provisions.
* Absentee/mail-in voting deadlines and rules.
* Details about voting rules for people convicted of a felony.
* Contact information for election agencies.

Click here for more information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, post-election auditing practices, and additional election policy context.

For information on elections happening this year, click here.

Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.

## Voter registration[edit]

### Eligibility and registration details[edit]

Check your voter registration status here.

To vote in Massachusetts, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of Massachusetts, and at least 18 years old on or before Election Day. An individual also cannot be currently incarcerated due to a felony.[1]

The deadline for registration is 10 days prior to the election. A voter can register online, by mail, or in person. In-person registration occurs at the local office of town clerks, the election commission, or the board of registrars, as well as the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth Elections Division and the agency's regional offices.  Pre-registration is available for individuals 16 years and older who meet all other requirements.[1]

## In-person voting[edit]

### Poll times[edit]

See also: State poll opening and closing times

In Massachusetts, most polling places are open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. However, municipalities may open their polls as early as 5:45 a.m. Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.[2][3]

### Voter identification[edit]

See also: Voter identification laws by state

Massachusetts does not require voters to present identification (ID) while voting, in most cases.[4]

The federal Help America Vote Act requires that individuals in all 50 states who register to vote by mail and who have not voted previously in a federal election in their state must provide either their driver's license or a paycheck, bank statement, current utility bill, or government document showing their name and address. Individuals voting by mail must include a copy of one of those documents with their absentee/mail-in ballot.[5]

These requirements do not apply if an individual submitted a copy of their identification, their driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number when registering to vote.

Voters will also be asked to show ID in the following circumstances:

“  |

* You are voting for the first time in Massachusetts
* You’re on the inactive voter list;
* You are casting a provisional or challenged ballot;
* The poll worker has a practical and legal reason to ask for identification.[4][6]

| ”

|
|

The following list of accepted ID was current as of December 2025. Click here for the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

“  |

* A driver's license
* A state ID card
* A recent utility bill
* A rent receipt or lease.
* A copy of a voter registration affidavit
* A letter from a school dormitory or housing office
* Any other printed identification which contains your name and address[6]

| ”

|
|

### Early voting[edit]

See also: Early voting

Massachusetts permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting allows citizens to cast their ballots in person at a polling place before an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting. Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire do not offer no-excuse early voting.

## Absentee/mail-in voting[edit]

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

All voters are eligible to vote absentee/by-mail in Massachusetts. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee/by-mail.[7]

Voters can request an absentee/mail-in ballot online, by mail, or by email or fax. Massachusetts sends an absentee/mail-in ballot application to all registered voters before statewide elections.[7] Applications must reach local election officials by 5 p.m. on the fifth business day before the election. Returned ballots must reach local election officials by the close of polls on Election Day to be counted. Returned absentee/mail-in ballots during the biennial state election in November can be received by local election officials up to three days after the election, provided they were postmarked by Election Day.[7]

## Local election officials[edit]

* * *

Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.|

|
|

* * *

## Voting rules for people convicted of a felony[edit]

See also: Voting rights for people convicted of a felony

In Massachusetts, people convicted of a felony automatically regain their voting rights upon completion of their incarceration.[8]

Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.[9]

## Contact information[edit]

### Election agencies[edit]

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Massachusetts can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Massachusetts Town Clerks

Click here for a list

Secretary of the Commonwealth, Elections Division

1 Ashburton Place, Room 1705

Boston, Massachusetts 02108

Phone: 617-727-2828

Toll free: 1-800-462-8683

Fax: 617-742-3238

Email: elections@sec.state.ma.us
Website: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/

State Ethics Commission

1 Ashburton Place, Room 619

Boston, Massachusetts 02108

Phone: 617-371-9500

Fax: 617-723-5851

Website: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/state-ethics-commission

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 301-563-3919
Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
Website: https://www.eac.gov

## Explore election legislation with Ballotpedia[edit]

* Try Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker

Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker provides daily updates on legislative activity related to election policy in all 50 states.

Our election policy experts translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries. And because it's from Ballotpedia, our legislation tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan.

Search bills

* Read Ballotpedia's State of Election Administration Legislation Reports

Ballotpedia publishes regular analysis of election administration legislation, including three full reports per year, providing ongoing coverage of legislative activity affecting election policy in each state.

These reports deliver insights into partisan priorities, dive deep into notable trends, and highlight activity in key states.

Read the latest report

Subscribe to The Ballot Bulletin

The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy.

The newsletter tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker.

Subscribe

## Ballotpedia's election coverage[edit]

Click the tiles below to navigate to 2026 election coverage:

U.S. Congress special elections

Governors

Attorney general

Other state executives

State legislatures

State ballot measures

Local ballot measures

State judges

Local judges

Municipal government

School boards

Recall

Democratic primaries 2026

* United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2026
* United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2026
* Democratic Party gubernatorial primaries, 2026
* Democratic Party Secretary of State primaries, 2026
* Democratic Party Attorney General primaries, 2026
* State legislative Democratic primaries, 2026

Republican primaries 2026

* United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2026
* United States House Republican Party primaries, 2026
* Republican Party gubernatorial primaries, 2026
* Republican Party Secretary of State primaries, 2026
* Republican Party Attorney General primaries, 2026
* State legislative Republican primaries, 2026

## See also[edit]

* State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
* Voter ID in Massachusetts
* Election administration in Massachusetts
* Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Massachusetts

### Elections in Massachusetts[edit]

* Massachusetts elections, 2026
* Massachusetts elections, 2025
* Massachusetts elections, 2024
* Massachusetts elections, 2023
* Massachusetts elections, 2022
* Massachusetts elections, 2021
* Massachusetts elections, 2020

* Massachusetts elections, 2019
* Massachusetts elections, 2018
* Massachusetts elections, 2017
* Massachusetts elections, 2016
* Massachusetts elections, 2015
* Massachusetts elections, 2014

## External links[edit]

* Official state election website
* U.S. Vote Foundation election official lookup tool

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Voter Registration Information," accessed December 8, 2025
2. ↑ Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Polling Hours," accessed December 8, 2025
3. ↑ Town of Natick, "What hours are the polls open on Election day?" accessed December 8, 2025
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Identification Requirements," accessed December 6, 2025
5. ↑ Congress, "H.R.3295 - Help America Vote Act of 2002," accessed September 30, 2025
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, "Voting by Mail," accessed December 8, 2025
8. ↑ U.S. Department of Justice, "Guide to State Voting Rules That Apply After a Criminal Conviction," accessed December 8, 2025
9. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," August 19, 2025

Election information

Resources

Sample Ballot Lookup • Elections calendar • State poll opening and closing times • Ballot access for major and minor party candidates • Elections by state and year • State voter ID laws • Absentee voting • Early voting • Online voter registration • Election result canvassing • Where do I vote • List of absentee/mail-in ballot request websites by state • List of official voter registration websites by state • State of Election Administration Legislation Reports

Elections
by state

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

2026 elections

U.S. Congress • U.S. Congress special elections • State executives • State legislature • Statewide ballot measures • State judicial • Municipal government • Mayors • School boards • Local judicial • Local ballot measures • Recall

2025 elections

U.S. Congress special elections • State executives • State legislature • Statewide ballot measures • State judicial • Municipal government • Mayors • School boards • Local judicial • Local ballot measures • Recall

2024 elections

U.S. President • U.S. Congress • U.S. Congress special elections • State executives • State legislature • Statewide ballot measures • State judicial • Municipal government • Mayors • School boards • Local judicial • Local ballot measures • Recall

2023 elections

U.S. Congress special elections • State executives • State legislature • Statewide ballot measures • State judicial • Municipal government • Mayors • School boards • Local judicial • Local ballot measures • Recall

2022 elections

U.S. Congress • State executives • State legislature • Statewide ballot measures • State judicial • Municipal government • Mayors • School boards • Local judicial • Local ballot measures • Recall

2021 elections

U.S. Congress special elections • State executives • State legislature • Statewide ballot measures • State judicial • Municipal government • Mayors • School boards • Local judicial • Local ballot measures • Recall

How to vote
in each state

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • Washington, D.C. • West Virginia • Wisconsin • Wyoming

v • e

State of Massachusetts
Boston (capital)

|

Elections |

What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2026 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures

Government |

Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy