Coming to the Polls

You have to provide identification at the polls if your driver’s license number or the last four digits of your social security number on the voter registration form cannot be verified, and you did not provide identification at the time of your registration.

Acceptable identification is a copy of any of the following:

  • current and valid photo identification,
  • government check or official document showing name and address,
  • current utility bill showing name and address, or
  • paycheck or stub showing name and address.


If you do not provide acceptable identification, you will cast a provisional ballot.

You may bring papers into the voting booth with you. These could be a list of who you will vote for and information about candidates. Be sure to remove these materials when you leave.

Should you require assistance, you may ask someone to accompany you into the booth. That could be any friend or relative, but not your employer or a representative of such nor a union officer or representative of such. Up to two poll workers of two different parties can help you.

Checking In on Election Day

An election worker will ask for your address including street number and first and last names. Once you are located on the voting list, the election worker will mark your name, hand you a ballot (there is an optional privacy sleeve which you may get with the ballot) and direct you toward the voting booth.

If your name is not on the voters’ list, ask a poll worker to call the registrar of voters in your community. If the problem can be resolved over the phone, the poll worker will fill out the appropriate paperwork and you will be able to vote then and there.

If this is not successful, go to the registrar of voters office (usually town or city hall). If the registrar can confirm that you are registered, you will receive a certificate stating this. You can then present the certificate at the town or city clerk’s office and vote absentee there or return to your polling place, present the certificate and vote. Your vote will be counted whether you vote absentee or at the polls.

If your registration cannot be verified, you may vote by provisional ballot.

Voting by Provisional Ballot

You will be asked to sign a roster and provide your name, address, signature, date of birth, and political party affiliation if applicable. You will be asked to show suitable identification showing your name and current address. If you do not provide suitable identification, your provisional ballot may not be counted. You have until the close of the polls on Election Day to bring suitable identification. Sufficient identification, which must show your name and address, includes a copy of a current and valid photo identification, current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document.

You must fill out a provisional ballot affirmation declaring that you are a registered voter in the city or town and reside within the precinct. Once you have completed the affidavit, a poll worker will put a number on your provisional ballot envelope and on the roster, mark the ballot with the word “provisional” and hand you the ballot with the provisional ballot envelope. You will cast your vote on this ballot, seal it in the envelope, and hand it back to a poll worker. You will receive an information sheet telling you how you can find out if your ballot was counted.

A provisional ballot will be counted if your voter eligibility is verified. To find out if your provisional ballot was counted, call the Secretary of the Commonwealth Elections Division at 1-800-462-8683 or 1- 617-727-2828 or ask your local municipal election official. The information will be available seven days after a primary election and 20 days after a general election.

On Election Day

Registering to Vote

Absentee Voting FAQ

Can I vote absentee?

Procedures for obtaining absentee ballots are different for every state. In Massachusetts 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 a registered voter in order to vote absentee. Several exceptions exist: Those residing overseas 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.

How do I apply for an absentee ballot?

You must apply in writing to the city or town clerk or election commission, either in a letter or by filling out an application form. For an absentee ballot application in Spanish download this document.

If you write a letter requesting an absentee ballot, it should include your name, address as registered, ward or precinct if you know it, address where you want the absentee ballot sent, which party ballot you want if the election is a primary (you must be registered to vote in the party you request or you must be unenrolled in any party), and your signature.

Can someone else apply for me for an absentee ballot?

A family member of a person who is registered to vote in Massachusetts may apply to the city or town where that person is registered for an absentee ballot for that voter. The family member may apply by letter that includes name, address as registered, ward or precinct if you know it, address where you want the absentee ballot sent, which party ballot you want if the election is a primary (you must be registered to vote in the party you request or you must be unenrolled in any party), and your signature; or the family member may fill out an absentee ballot application which can be downloaded. Absentee ballot applications by family members are also available in Spanish.

What is the deadline for applying to vote absentee?

The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot is noon on the day before an election, if you are both applying and voting in person. Absentee ballots are generally available three weeks before an election. If you are planning to vote in the clerk's office, you may be able to apply for an absentee ballot and vote in the same visit.

How do I show my ID if I vote by absentee ballot?

If the state was able to verify the social security or drivers license number on your voter registration form you should receive a voter registration acknowledgment which indicates that you do not need to show identification when you vote.

If the social security or drivers license number on your voter registration form could not be verified then you’ll need to mail in a copy of suitable identification with your absentee ballot. If you don’t mail the identification with your absentee ballot, your ballot will be considered provisional. Your provisional ballot will only be counted if your identification arrives at the town/city clerk’s office before the polls close on Election Day.

Suitable identification has your current name and address:

  • current and valid drivers license
  • government check or document
  • current utility bill
  • pay check or stub
  • voter registration acknowledgment, or
  • rent receipt on landlord's letterhead.
Do I need to reapply for every election? No. The absentee ballot application asks you to designate which election(s) you are applying for. Absentee ballot applications may be made for all elections within a calendar year or for a single election.Note: If your address changes within a calendar year you must submit a new application for an absentee ballot. This is especially important for college students who are usually focused on an academic year not a calendar year.If you are permanently disabled, you may file a doctor’s letter with the local election office which states that you are permanently unable to vote at the polls due to a physical disability. The local election office will automatically mail you an application for an absentee ballot for all elections in a calendar year. You must sign the application and send it back to your local election official.Are there special instructions for completing and returning the absentee ballot?Yes. Your absentee ballot must be sealed and returned in the brown envelope that was sent with the ballot. The voter must sign the brown envelope in the designated place and place it in the white envelope with green trim that also came with the absentee ballot.

Must my absentee ballot be witnessed?

No. With the implementation of the National Voter Registration Act, it is not necessary to have your absentee ballot witnessed.


Can someone help me fill out my absentee ballot?


Yes. You may ask someone to help you mark your ballot. The helper must print his or her name and the voter’s name in the designated place on the brown envelope that is sent with the absentee ballot, write the reason the voter needed help, and sign his or her name as the assisting person.

Should I register and vote in my college community?

The right to vote is fundamental in a democratic society. The following information will help make it easy for you to exercise this right.

To be eligible to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen who will be at least 18 years old on Election Day, and you must also have registered to vote.

If you are in college, the following information will help you to decide whether to vote in your prior district/state or at your college address. There are many good reasons for registering and voting at either residence, but keep in mind, in most cases the final choice is really yours.

Am I really a resident of my college community?

Yes. Students live in their college towns anywhere from nine to twelve months of the year, often for four years. This means that students are no more transient than the average American family, which typically moves once every four years. Moreover, the U.S. Census Bureau considers students to be residents of their college community. Federal funds are distributed to municipalities based on figures that include the student population.

Students contribute to the college community in many valuable ways. They work as volunteers in a host of civic organizations, help to create jobs in the community, bolster the local economy, and pay sales and gasoline taxes.

Should I register and vote in my college community?

You do have a vested interest in the local issues of your college community. Issues such as off-campus housing and zoning restrictions, the environment, taxes, transportation and personal safety all affect your quality of life. Voting in your college community is more convenient and relieves you of the need to apply for and return an absentee ballot.

Registering and voting at college can give you the opportunity to become involved with, and informed about, the local issues in your college town or city. Becoming involved in the issues, and learning about local politics, are some of the ways in which you can begin to build a relationship with other residents of the community. If you consider the college community your primary residence, you should vote in the community.

It is also possible that you are still subject to taxes and student loan/scholarship regulations at your prior address. If you have a scholarship funded by the state, or a privately funded scholarship designated for a local student, be sure to check the terms of your scholarship before registering in your local college community. You could lose your eligibility.

I am currently registered at my prior address. Am I allowed to reregister in my college community instead of voting by absentee ballot?

In Massachusetts, you have the right to vote in your college community, but you cannot be registered to vote in both locations.

Should I register at my prior address?

If you don’t consider your college community your primary residence and/or you have a special interest in the local issues at your old address, you have a good reason for voting there. Also, the people and issues you vote for will have a more lasting impact on you if you intend to return to that location to live.

It is also possible that you are still subject to taxes and student loan/scholarship regulations at your prior address. If you have a scholarship funded by the state, or a privately funded scholarship designated for a local student, be sure to check the terms of your scholarship before registering in your local college community. You could lose your eligibility.

Remember, if you want to vote at your prior residence, you must be registered at that address and be aware of absentee ballot regulations and procedures.

How do I know how, when and where to register and vote?

In Massachusetts, your college must provide registration opportunities where you register for class. Also, mail-in registration forms may be found in public places, such as libraries, and you may register to vote at the office of the city/town clerk in your college community (You must vote in the community where you are registered).

To request a voter registration form, e-mail the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts or the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

In Massachusetts, you may not use a downloaded or copied voter registration form. Go to www.fec.gov for a list of states that accept downloaded voter registration forms.

Election Day FAQ

What time are the polls open on Election Day?

For all elections, except local elections, the polls must be open from 7 am to 8 pm. If you are in line at the polls by 8 pm, you are entitled to vote. For the polling hours in a local election, call your town/city clerk.

How can I get assistance at the polls?

Poll workers, at your request, can show you where voting information is located and demonstrate the voting process with specimen ballots. They must not inform, persuade, or influence your voting selection.

If you need help to vote – for example, if you cannot read the ballot – you can ask someone to accompany you into the booth. That could be any friend or relative but cannot be your employers, a union officer, or a representative of either. In order to avoid any appearance of influence, if you need assistance to vote, two poll workers who belong to different political parties will help you.

How do I vote for a write-in candidate?

You can write-in or use a sticker to vote for anyone not listed on the ballot. You should include an address as well as the name if possible, but an address is not necessary for your vote to be counted. Ask a poll worker for help if write-in directions are not clear.

Can anyone vote in a primary election?

You do not have to be registered in a political party to vote in the primary election.

If you are enrolled in a political party, you may only vote in that party’s primary. If you are enrolled in one party but want to vote in another party’s primary election, you must change your party enrollment or change to unenrolled status by the voter registration deadline for that election. If you’re not sure about your party enrollment, check with your city/town clerk before the voter registration deadline for that election.

If you are unenrolled in any party, you may choose the primary ballot of any party. You will return to your unenrolled status after you vote.

Change of party enrollment forms are available from the poll workers where you vote, or you may go to your city/town clerk's office and fill out a change of party form.

What if I mark my ballot incorrectly?

If you make an error in marking your ballot, ask a poll worker to exchange the spoiled ballot for another ballot. Do not try to erase or change the ballot. In Massachusetts you may spoil up to two ballots; the third ballot will be counted as the final ballot.

Political Parties and Designations

Political Parties in Massachusetts

You do not need to register as Democratic or Republican to vote in the primaries for these parties. In Massachusetts, unenrolled voters are allowed to vote in party primaries.

Third Parties and Designations

Registration FAQ

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 the day of the next election in which you are eligible to vote; you cannot be under legal guardianship with respect to voting; in prison; or convicted of election fraud (even if the prison term is completed). In order to vote, you must also have registered.
A Massachusetts resident who becomes a citizen of the United States after the voter registration deadline has passed may register to vote at their town or city hall until 4:00 p.m. on the day preceding the primary or election.


What are "proof of residency" and "legal residency"?

Proof of residency must include your name and address and is a copy of any of the following:
  • current and valid drivers license
  • current and valid photo id
  • government check or document
  • current utility bill
  • pay check or stub

By signing an affidavit of registration, you declare that the address on your affidavit is your legal residence. A college 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.

How do I prove that I am a Massachusetts resident?

You must put your driver's license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number on the voter registration form. In case these numbers cannot be verified, you will have to present suitable identification at the polls. You will receive a voter acknowledgment two to three weeks after you register which will indicate whether you are required to show identification at the polls.

Sufficient identification, which must show your name and address, includes a copy of a current and valid photo identification, current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document.

How do I change my party affiliation?

You declare a political party or affiliation when you register. Town and city clerks’ offices also have Change of Party Affiliation Form. These forms are also available at your polling place.

Will I ever need to re-register?

You must re-register if you move to a new city or town OR if you move within the city or town where you were registered. You must re-register before the voter registration deadline for the election.

If you do not re-register, your name will not be on the correct voting list in the correct precinct in your city or town. It is important to keep your address current with your local election office. If your name is not on the voting list when you go to vote, you will have to vote on a "provisional" ballot.

Explaining the Mail-In Voter Registration Form

Please note: You must use an official form; do not use a photocopy

This explains the form line by line:
  1. You MUST check the boxes that apply to you. If you check “no” to either of the questions, do not complete this form.

    Please Print:

  2. Give your full name - write your last name, then your first name, then your middle name or initial. Circle Miss, Ms., Mrs., Mr., Jr., II, III, IV.
  3. If you have married since you registered and are using your spouse's name, or if you have legally changed your name, give your former name.
  4. You MUST put down your full street address where you NOW live.
    If you live in a dormitory or shelter, you must give the street address and city or town, not just the name of the dorm or shelter.
    The election officials need to know the street and city and town where you actually live in order to check your name against the street list. (A post office box where you get your mail could be in another town.)

    Note: If you are a college student from another state and have a state scholarship, you could lose it if you declare your residence is Massachusetts. Be sure to check the terms of your scholarship.
    Note: If you are homeless at the present, you can give your former address.
  5. If you receive your mail at an address that is different than #4, such as a post office box or business location, you must give that so your election officials can send you a notice that you are registered.
  6. Give the month, the day, and the year when you were born.
  7. Give your driver’s license number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. If this information can’t be verified at the Registry of Motor Vehicles or by the Commissioner of Social Security, or if you put “none” in this space, you must provide a copy of identification either by mail with this form or at your polling place when you vote. Accepted ID must have your name and current address such as: photo identification, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document.
  8. You do NOT have to give your home telephone number if you do not want to do so.
  9. If you want to enroll in one of the official political parties in Massachusetts, check the one in which you want to enroll. You can also write a political designation. You can read a list of parties and designations. If you do not want to enroll in a political party, check off No Party (unenrolled).
  10. If you were registered at another address in Massachusetts or outside of Massachusetts and then moved, give the address where you used to live. If you have never registered before, leave this line blank.
  11. If you cannot sign this form, you may ask someone to help you sign it and then ask them to give their name and address. They may write in their own telephone number, but they do not have to do so.
  12. Read the Oath. There is nothing to write on this line. This is the oath that you sign on Item 14 that the information you gave is true, that you are a U.S. citizen, that you are not under a guardianship which prohibits you registering to vote, that you have never been convicted of illegal voting activities or you are not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction.
  13. Put in the date you fill out this form - the month, the day, and the year.
  14. Sign your name the same way you entered it on
    Item 2.
  1. On the other side of the form, please fill in your name, street address, city or town, and your zip code in the left-hand corner.
  2. Put the name of the city or town where you live and the zip code of the Board of Registrars or Election Commission, which is the same as your city or town hall.
  3. Fold the form over along the dotted line and put a piece of tape on it to close it.
  4. Either take the form to your local election office or put a 44 cent stamp on and mail the form.
THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IS 20 DAYS BEFORE AN ELECTION.

IMPORTANT: IT IS AGAINST FEDERAL LAW TO OFFER ANYTHING (CANDY, COFFEE, MONEY etc.) TO PEOPLE WHO ARE REGISTERING TO VOTE UNLESS IT IS OFFERED TO EVERYONE, EVEN THOSE WHO ARE NOT REGISTERING.
If you do not receive an acknowledgement in the mail from your local election office in 2-3 weeks confirming your registration, please call them.
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