If you have registered to vote, then you have the RIGHT to vote. There are several mechanisms available in Massachusetts, and everyone has the right to use whichever mechanism they choose.
- In Person – Early Voting
- In Person on Election Day – The polls are required to be accessible, and to provide accommodations if requested.
- Vote by Mail – Including Accessible Electronic Remote Vote by Mail
- Absentee and Emergency Absentee Ballot
- Institutions
- Accommodations
- AutoMark Machine
The state website on elections has extensive information on voting. If you have a problem at the polls, call the State Voter Information Line at 1-800-462-VOTE(8683).
- My Voter Registration Status – Enter your name, date of birth and zip and this page will return your registration status.
- Where Do I Vote? will give you the address of your polling location, as well as all of your elected state officials. This page is useful for determining who are your state representative and senator. Shortly before an election, you can see your (unofficial) ballot choices.
- ID Requirements has complete information on who needs to bring what identification to the polls. While most voters in MA are not asked for an ID, you may be asked for identification especially your first time voting in a federal election.
- Massachusetts Voters’ Bill of Rights – Your voting rights are protected. These rights are guaranteed to qualified registered voters.
- Note: Individuals who are under a guardianship may register to vote and vote unless their guardianship specifically prohibits it.
- Track My Ballot will show the following statuses for mail-in ballots
- Accepted: Submitted to be Counted
- Pending: Application received, ballot not yet mailed
- Rejected: Ballot rejected
- Not Returned: Ballot not yet received by local election official
Getting Help with Voting
Anyone helping you vote must respect your choices and cannot assume he or she knows who you want to vote for.
Your rights if someone is helping you to vote:
- The helper must respect your privacy at all times.
- If you have a hard time reading the ballot, you may
- ask for a voting machine that reads aloud the choices on the ballot
- ask a helper to read aloud all the names on the ballot.
- If you have a hard time marking the ballot by yourself, you can tell the helper which person you want to vote for.
If you need help voting because of a disability, you have the right to get help from almost any person you choose:
- a family member
- a friend
- a supporter
- a poll worker
The two kinds of people who cannot help you vote are:
- your boss or someone working for your boss
- if you belong to a labor union, an officer or agent of that labor union
What to expect from Officials when you Vote
- Election officials must help you vote if you ask for their help.
- They must ensure that you can use all of their voting booths, ballots or other voting forms, voting machines, and any other voting equipment.
- Service providers and election officials must make reasonable changes to their policies in order to help you vote.
- The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) says that all disability service agencies are voter registration agencies.
- They must give you voter registration forms, if you ask for them.
- They must help you fill them out.
- They must send the form to the appropriate agency for processing.
Contact us
REV UP is committed to ensuring that everyone who wants to vote has the opportunity. Polling places are required to be accessible. Please contact us at info@revupma.org if you have questions, are unsure of what to do, or need any help registering or voting.
If you have encountered accessibility issues in the past, or know of existing barriers for people with disabilities, please contact the state at 800-462-VOTE (8683) (toll free) or 617-727-2828. You may also e-mail them at elections@sec.state.ma.us.
The Disability Law Center can also help – Please contact DLC at 800-872-9992 or 617-723-8455. Visit their website www.dlc-ma.org.