Politics & Government

Voting By Mail In Massachusetts: What To Know

While mail-in voting was deemed successful for the state primary, there will be some adjustments for the general election.

The last of the vote-by-mail applications for the general election have been sent out.
The last of the vote-by-mail applications for the general election have been sent out. (Mike Carraggi/Patch)

Mail-in voting for the state primary was deemed a success by election officials, but more money may be needed to make sure the same is true of the general election.

Secretary of State William Galvin was happy with the state's first foray into widespread mail-in voting, a measure instituted to allow for voters to safely have their voice heard amid the coronavirus pandemic.

It worked. Mail-in voting, combined with the first-ever early voting window for a state primary, led to nearly 1.6 million votes, according to unofficial results.

Find out what's happening in Chelmsfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

With turnout expected to be significantly larger for the general election, Galvin recently told State House News Service he'll need more than $1 million more to help pay for mailing applications and ballots.

Voting by mail will not require a reason — an expected second surge of COVID-19 is reason enough, lawmakers determined. But it will require a vote-by-mail application being returned to your local elections office.

Find out what's happening in Chelmsfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

2020 Ballot Questions: Right To Repair, Ranked-Choice Voting

Applications for mail-in ballots had to be sent to registered voters by the end of Monday, Sept. 14 — 50 days before Election Day.

Voters must send applications back to their local election office by Oct. 28. They can be mailed, dropped off or electronically submitted provided there is a visible signature.

Unlike the primary, when ballots needed to arrive before polls closed on Election Day, mail-in ballots for the general election can arrive up until 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, as long as they were postmarked by Nov. 3.

In-person voting will still be available, including expanded early voting.

While Galvin called mail-in voting "a positive experience," it proved a challenge for some city and town clerks overwhelmed by the number of mail-in ballots.

Thousands of mail-in ballots were counted after Election Day in what was a close race for the 4th Congressional District. In Franklin, 3,000 mail-in ballots were found after Election Day. Town Clerk Teresa Burr resigned shortly after, citing "the most challenging election cycle of my career."


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