More than 8 million potential first-time voters will be eligible to vote in the 2024 election, many of them being out-of-state college students. Here are some voting options for in- and out-of-state Boston students.
Voting in Massachusetts
Voters must be registered 10 days before any local or national election in the state of Massachusetts.
Mass. residents can register online by visiting the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts website. On the site, residents can register or pre-register to vote, update their address or change their party affiliation.
The registration deadline for in-person and mail-in voting in Mass. is Oct. 26.
Residents such as out-of-state college students whose permanent addresses are not in Mass. may choose to opt out of their home state’s election and vote in Mass. instead by claiming their residency address in the Commonwealth.
Residents may also register to vote in person by visiting their local election office. The Boston in-person election office is located in City Hall at 1 City Hall Square. The Brookline election office is located in Brookline Town Hall at 333 Washington St.
Absentee ballots and voting by mail
Voters who plan to vote in a state outside of Mass. can check if their state is one of 23 that allow same-day voter registration or if there is an upcoming voting registration deadline.
More information on specific elections can be found at BallotReady.org, an online civic engagement and educational website where voters can find information about their state elections, ballot questions, representatives and polling places.
Voters in Mass. may choose to request an absentee ballot and cast their vote in their home state. With this option, voters can consider the implications of where they vote, such as location convenience, the candidates on the ballot or local policies and issues of importance in both Mass. and their home state.
Certain states require that absentee ballot requests provide a “valid” reason for the voter’s absence, according to USAGov. More information on individual state voting offices is available on the Federal Voting Assistance Program website.
Voters located in Mass. can also vote by mail in the Mass. general election within a specific voting period. Voters can apply for this form of no-excuse mail-in voting by visiting the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts website.
There are 22 ballot collection drop boxes in Boston. Many states, including Mass., offer ballot tracking services to ensure mail-in votes are counted.
In-Person voting
Boston polling locations open for early voting on Oct. 19 for the general election and close on Nov. 1.
Regular in-person voting will take place on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5. from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Polling locations are divided by ward and precinct. Voters can find their polling location by checking their registration status.
