All Massachusetts voters can cast a ballot ahead of Election Day 

BOSTON — Massachusetts voters can make their voices heard in the November 8 midterm election beginning this Saturday, October 22 through Friday, November 4. Voters can cast a ballot in-person or by mail. The state requires that early voting begins 17 days before state biennial elections and 10 days before presidential or state primary elections. 

“In a strong and healthy democracy, every voter’s voice is heard, and every voice counts equally,” said Geoff Foster, Common Cause Massachusetts executive director. “Early voting improves access for all hardworking voters, especially for our first responders, nurses, and teachers who can’t always make it to the polls on Election Day. We want to encourage everyone to vote early and all the way down the ballot so we all have a say in what happens in the Commonwealth.”  

In Massachusetts, each city and town sets its own voting locations and the hours for each location. However, each city and town is required to offer early voting for a minimum number of hours. To find early voting locations and hours by city or town, click here.  

This year, Common Cause Massachusetts and our coalition partners spearheaded the passage of the VOTES Act, a comprehensive election reform package that expanded early voting. Common Cause Massachusetts first championed expanding early voting in 2014, broadening the time Massachusetts voters can cast ahead of Election Day. 

Nationally in 2020, the electorate broke early voting records with nearly 70% of voters casting a ballot by mail and/or before Election Day. Breaking that figure down, about 43% of voters cast ballots by mail, and another 26% voted in person ahead of Election Day. The 2020 election was the highest rate of nontraditional voting for a presidential election, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  

In Massachusetts, voters had three options to cast a ballot in 2020: early by mail, early in person, and in person on Election Day. Statewide, 41% voted by mail, and 23% voted early. 

For more information on early voting in Massachusetts, click here. 

To read a Common Cause Massachusetts Report on Early Voting Best Practices, click here. 

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