All states · Nonpartisan. No account. No cookies.
Can I vote by mail in Massachusetts?
Yes. Anyone can request a mail ballot.
Any registered voter can request a mail (absentee) ballot, no reason needed. There's a deadline, so request early.
- Voter registrationSat, Oct 24Passed
- NextAsk for your mail ballot. Your request must arrive byTue, Oct 27, 5 p.m.1 day
Ask now: a request on the last day leaves no time to mail the ballot back.
Request it on the official site ↗Track my ballot ↗
Missed the request deadline?
- Voter admitted to a health care facility after noon on the 7th day before the election (after noon Oct. 27). Deadline: Tue, Nov 3, 8 p.m. (until the polls close). Signed application (may be made by a family member) to the city/town clerk stating under penalty of perjury the admission date; ballot delivered in person by a registrar/election official or, at the clerk's discretion, by a person the voter designates in writing who is not a candidate; that person returns the voted ballot to the clerk. Ballot may be mailed only if the facility is outside the city/town and no designee is available. source
- Mail it byTue, Oct 271 day
USPS says allow 7 days. Your ballot must be postmarked by Tue, Nov 3; mailing earlier avoids a late postmark. Or use a drop box.
- Returning it:
By mail: postmarked by Election Day and received by 5 p.m. Nov. 6 (3 extra days apply to the November state election). Drop box or election office: by close of polls on Election Day. Not at a polling place.
Dropping it off? Drop boxes are widely available here, and using one skips the mail entirely. local drop box locations.
Who can return it for you: Only certain people may return it for you. A mailed early-voting (vote-by-mail) ballot may be returned by the voter or a family member: in person to the clerk's office, to an early voting site during in-person early voting hours, into the municipal secured drop box, or by mail (MGL c.54 §25B(a)(13)); absentee ballots likewise by mail, drop box, or in-person delivery by the voter or a family member (§92(a)). No numeric limit stated. Ballots delivered to a health-care facility must go back with the official/designee who delivered them. source
- Election DayTue, Nov 38 days
If your ballot gets flagged
If your ballot was flagged
- Read the letter, email or text from your county. It says what's wrong.
- No signature cure. If the envelope affidavit is defective the clerk marks the ballot rejected, notifies you and sends a new ballot, which must arrive by the normal deadline.
- Call your county election office. You can say:
Hi, I voted by mail and my ballot was flagged. What do I need to do to fix it, and by when? Can I do it today?
Trouble voting? Free, nonpartisan hotline: 866-OUR-VOTE · 888-VE-Y-VOTA · 888-API-VOTE · 844-YALLA-US
Good to know in Massachusetts The state mails every registered voter a prepaid Vote by Mail application about 45 days before the election. Return it, or apply online. The state suggests applying 2 to 3 weeks before Election Day.
Where are you with your ballot?
Where are you with your ballot?
Will your ballot count in Massachusetts?
Will your ballot count in Massachusetts?
- Is this your first time voting by mail?
- Have you moved since you last voted?
- Has your signature changed much since you registered?
Why ballots get rejected in Massachusetts, and how to avoid it
- Sign the envelope the way you signed your voter registration or driver's license. Your state compares them.
- Use the secrecy sleeve if one is included, then the return envelope. Don't tape anything.
- Your state goes by the postmark. Automated postmarks can lag a day, so hand it to a clerk at the post office counter and ask for a manual postmark (free).
- Keep the phone and email on your registration current. If there's a problem, that's how they reach you to fix it.
Voting in person insteadpolling place, early voting, ID
Open now through Fri, Oct 30. Locations and hours
You don't need to show ID to vote in person. Exception: if you registered by mail and this is your first federal election in the state, federal law says bring ID the first time.
Accepted: None for most voters. A voter may be asked for 'suitable written identification' (any doc with name and address); HAVA mail registrants without prior ID must show a current photo ID or a utility bill/bank statement/government check/paycheck/government document with name and address Without one: You are still permitted to vote (your vote may be challenged); only unverified HAVA mail registrants must cast a provisional ballot.
More about your statepermanent list, counting, alerts
Massachusetts has a permanently disabled voters' list for voters with a permanent physical disability. Sign up once and you won't have to request again. File a physician's certificate once with your city or town clerk; the clerk then mails you an APPLICATION before every election, not a ballot.
Massachusetts cannot start counting mail ballots until Election Day itself, so results take longer than you might expect. Results are certified Fri, Nov 20.
- Military or overseas. You're covered by federal law (UOCAVA), which usually gives you longer deadlines and electronic delivery. Use the Federal Post Card Application to register and request a ballot in one step. If your ballot doesn't arrive, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is your backup. FVAP.gov
- College student. You can register at your school address or your family's, not both. If you're registered back home and away at school, request a mail ballot from home early; campus mail is slow. Some states require a specific reason for students to vote absentee, so check your state's rule above. Student voter guide
- Disability or need help marking a ballot. Every state must offer an accessible way to vote. Most have an accessible mail-ballot option you can mark on a screen reader or your own device, and all allow a person of your choice (not your employer or union rep) to assist. Ask your county election office for the accessible absentee ballot. If illness, a hospital stay or a disability keeps you from the polls AFTER the request deadline, most states still have a way to get you a ballot: see "Missed the request deadline?" under your state's dates, and "Who can return it for you" for whether a family member or helper may carry it back. EAC: voters with disabilities
- Moved recently. Your registration is tied to your address. If you moved within your state, update it before the registration deadline; if you've moved across state lines, register in the new state. Moved after the deadline? Many states let you vote at your old precinct one last time or update in person; call your county. vote.gov
- Past felony conviction. Rules vary widely: some states restore rights automatically on release, others after probation or parole, a few require a separate process. Don't assume you can't vote. Check your state before the registration deadline. NCSL: restoration of voting rights
Add these dates to my calendarPrintable one-pagerText this to myselfEmail it
Verified against the official page 2026-09-10. Rule checked 2026-09-09. Deadlines checked 2026-09-09. Request deadlines are "received by," not postmarked. The official site wins if anything differs. Spot something wrong? We check every report against the state's own page and fix errors as soon as they're reported. Email fix@ballotbymail.org or use the report form.