Election Deadline: October 26th is the last day to register to vote in the presidential election

Saturday, October 26, is the last day for Massachusetts residents to register to vote in the 2024 general election.

The election, which includes races for presidential, Senate and House of Representatives seats in the United States and Massachusetts, will take place on November 5th. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m

How to register

To find out if you are already registered to vote, residents can visit the Massachusetts Secretary of State website. Enter your name, date of birth and zip code to find out if your voting status is active.

Massachusetts license holders are automatically eligible to vote when renewing a driver’s license, learner’s permit or state ID card, applying for MassHealth benefits or enrolling in health insurance through HealthConnector. This only applies if you have chosen to unsubscribe using one of these measures.

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Voters only need to re-register if they have moved, changed their name, have not voted in four years or want to change political parties.

According to Secretary of State William Galvin’s website, prospective voters must meet some requirements to register.

All voters in the Bay State must be U.S. citizens and residents of Massachusetts, at least 18 years old, and not incarcerated as a result of a felony conviction, Galvin’s office said.

Online registration

Voter registration for all elections can be done online, by mail or in person. Residents can also pre-register starting at age 16 and will be added to the Massachusetts rolls at age 18.

Those who register online on the state’s website must answer several questions, including:

• Are you a citizen of the United States of America?
• Are you at least 16 years old?
• Do you have an identification card issued by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles?

Potential voters then check their RMV ID and provide their first name, last name, date of birth and RMV ID number. They will then be redirected to the online application, where they will be asked for their previous name and address, if applicable, as well as their current home and postal address and telephone number.

You will also include a political party or designation. Voters can choose between Democratic, Republican, or Libertarian parties, or select “No Party (Unregistered, commonly referred to as “Independent”).” For a full list of political labels, including Green Party USA, click here.

Registration by email

Voter registration forms can be printed at this link. To be eligible to vote in the Nov. 5 election, the form must be completed and signed, then mailed to a potential voter’s local elections office and postmarked by the voter registration deadline, which is Saturday, Oct. 26.

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Anyone registering to vote for the first time in Massachusetts should include a copy of ID with the applicant’s name and address. If there is no copy, it must be presented at the first vote.

Personal registration

Voter registration forms issued in person are valid from the day they are signed. In-person registration and pre-registration can be done at the following locations in Massachusetts:

• A potential voter’s local city clerks, election commission, and registry offices
• The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth Electoral Division
• The Secretary of the Commonwealth Regional Offices

Where is my polling station?

To find a local polling place location, voters can enter their address on the Secretary of the Commonwealth website. This shows the district number, the precinct number and the address where they can vote.

Do I have to show ID?

In most cases, voters do not need to show ID to vote in Massachusetts. They are typically asked for their address and name, and poll workers verify the information on their list of registered voters.

• Read more: Mass. City clerks have been preparing for months to ensure safe elections

However, according to the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office, a voter could be asked for ID for any of the following reasons:

• You are an inactive voter
• You cast a provisional or contested vote
• The poll worker has reasonable suspicion that leads him to request ID

An ID must contain the voter’s name and the address where they are registered to vote. Examples include a driver’s license, state-issued identification card, recent utility bill, rent receipt, rental agreement, copy of a voter registration affidavit, or other printed identification that contains the voter’s name and address.

How to vote in the general election

Voting day for the general election is November 5th

Personal

Go to your polling place and provide the poll worker with your address and name when checking in, Galvin’s website says. This poll worker must then repeat your name, address and party choice to you before recording the information on the voter list.

According to the secretary’s website, independent or unregistered voters, voters who are not registered as Democrats, Republicans or Libertarians, must vote in the primary of a party in which they wish to vote.

Vote by postal vote

The deadline to request a mail-in ballot for the Nov. 5 general election is Tuesday, Oct. 29. There are three different ballot return deadlines depending on how the mail-in ballot is returned. This includes:

• If returned in person or by mailbox: November 5th, 8:00 p.m
• If returned by domestic mail: 5:00 p.m. on November 8 (date postmarked by Election Day)
• If returned by mail from outside the U.S. (for military voters and foreign voters): November 15, 5:00 p.m. (it must be postmarked by Election Day)

The elections department points to the same online application process for voters with disabilities with accessible voting by email. If the voter is unable to hand-sign his or her own application, this application may contain a typed signature.