Voting By Mail
 

Vote-by-Mail Applications must be signed by the applicant and submitted to the Elections Department no later than 5:00 P.M. on the fifth business day before the election.

As required by the General Laws, the Secretary of the Commonwealth will mail every registered voter a postage paid Vote by Mail application before each statewide election. Secretary Galvin’s office will mail applications to registered voters in January, July, and September. You will not receive an application if you’ve already applied to vote by mail for the upcoming election. 

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* For Municipal Elections, Vote by Mail applications will be enclosed by the Elections Department with your annual census mailing.*

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In addition, registered voters can request a Vote-by-Mail ballot, as follows:

1. Online via the website of Secretary Galvin at: https://www.sec.state.ma.us

2. Downloading/Printing the Vote-by-Mail application from the corresponding link and mailing it to the Elections Department.

3. By calling the Elections Department at 508-324-2630 to request an application be sent to you in the mail.

4. Family Members are now legally authorized to apply on a registered voter’s behalf. You must state the relationship to the early voter before submitting the signed application.

 

Applications can be submitted by mail, email, or fax, but they must include your hand-written signature. Electronic signatures, scanned applications, and photos of applications are acceptable. Applications submitted without a signature must be rejected.

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Typed signatures on applications are not acceptable, unless you are a voter who requires accommodation due to physical disability.

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If you are unable to sign your application or mark your ballot by hand due to a disability, the law allows you to submit an Accessible Vote by Mail Application.

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*Apply as early as possible, especially as ample time is needed to process your application and prepare your ballot for mailing. To ensure you receive your mail-in ballot with enough time to mail it back, you should apply no later than 2 weeks before Election Day.*


2025 Application Deadlines

 

Preliminary Election: Tuesday, September 9th by 5:00 P.M.

Biennial Municipal Election: Tuesday, October 28th by 5:00 P.M.

Applications received after the statutory deadline will be rejected.


Early Vote-by-Mail Ballots
 

Once you receive your mail-in ballot, be sure to read the enclosed instructions included with your ballot package. Please remember that the law requires that you sign the affidavit on the ballot envelope otherwise it must be rejected as defective.

Returning your Ballot

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There are several options for returning your mail-in ballot. You may return your ballot by:

• Mailing it back to the Elections Department in the postage paid envelope provided in your ballot package.

• Using the Ballot Drop Box located outside of the Third Street entrance.

• Hand-Delivering it to the Elections Office located on the sixth floor of Government Center. (Office#636)

• Dropping it off at the In-Person Early Voting location during Early Voting Hours.

*MAIL-IN BALLOTS CANNOT BE DROPPED OFF AT A POLLING PRECINCT ON ELECTION DAY*

You are eligible to vote in person even if you’ve applied to vote by mail. You cannot vote in person if your mail-in ballot has been accepted by the Elections Department.
 

Early Voted Ballots: Return Deadline

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Early Voting by Mail Ballots can only be accepted and counted by the Elections Department if returned by 8:00 P.M. on Election Day.

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