All registered voters who do not vote by mail or vote early will be able to vote in person on Election Day on November 8, 2022. Polling places across Massachusetts will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m.
Where to Vote
On Election Day, you can vote at the polling place assigned to your precinct. Precincts were recently re-drawn in every city and town, so your precinct number or your polling place may have changed.
Visit www.VoteInMA.com to double-check your precinct and polling place before you go to vote on Election Day.
Preparing to Vote
By early October, you will also be able to visit www.VoteInMA.com to view a sample ballot, so that you can make your choices.
You have the right to bring notes with you to your polling place to help you fill out your ballot. You must remember to take any notes or materials with you when you leave the polling place.
Checking In
When you arrive at your polling place, you will need to check in with a poll worker. If there are lines for more than one precinct in your polling place, make sure to get in the line for your precinct. You can ask a poll worker for help if you aren’t sure of your precinct, or you can visit www.VoteInMA.com to look up your polling place, which will also show you your ward or precinct number.
When you check in, you’ll need to tell the poll worker your address and your name, so you can be found on the list. The poll worker is required to repeat your name and address back to you before marking you off on the list and handing you your ballot.
If your name can’t be found on the list, you can ask the poll worker to contact the local election office to confirm your registration. If your registration can’t be located, you have the right to cast a provisional ballot, which will be counted if your eligibility can be confirmed.
If you are required to show identification, you will be asked for it at the check-in table.
Identification
You may be asked to present identification if you’re a first-time voter in Massachusetts, you’re an inactive voter, or an election official has other reasonable cause to request identification from you.
- You are not required to present photo identification in order to vote. Acceptable identification includes:
- Driver’s license
- State ID card
- Utility bill
- Bank statement
- Pay stub
- Government check
- Rent receipt on landlord’s letterhead
- Letter from a dormitory or housing office on school letterhead
- Any other official document showing your name and address.
Any form of identification must show your name and current address.
If you are an inactive voter because you failed to return your annual street listing and you are unable to show identification, you will still be allowed to vote by casting a challenged ballot. These ballots are counted on Election Day and are only re-examined in the case of a recount.
If you are a first-time Massachusetts voter required by federal law to present identification, you will be allowed to cast a provisional ballot. You will need to return later with your ID in order for your ballot to be counted.
Voting
Once you have your ballot, you can go to a booth to mark your ballot privately. If you have children with you, you are allowed to bring them into the booth with you.
If you need assistance with voting, either due to disability or due to an inability to read your ballot, you may choose any person to accompany you into the booth to assist you.
If you prefer to mark your ballot independently, you may use the AutoMARK Voter Assist Terminal, which is available in every polling place. This machine will read your ballot to you, magnify your ballot, and assist you in marking your ballot.
If you do not want to use the AutoMARK and you didn’t bring anyone with you to assist you, you may also ask for the assistance of two poll workers in marking your ballot.
Casting your Ballot
After you have made your choices, you may need to proceed to a check-out table. If your polling place does not have a check-out table, you will proceed directly to the ballot box.
Your polling place may use an electronic tabulator to count ballots or it may use a hand-crank manual ballot box.