Tuesday, November 3, 2026 is day of the US midterm elections. Ballots will have candidates for federal, state, and local offices as well as state ballot questions. The best MA resource for any questions you may have about how and where to vote is the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Elections website. The following recommendations will help you be sure you are registered and that your vote is informed, cast and counted!
Not sure if you’re registered? Check your voter registration status to be on the safe side! You must be registered by Saturday, October 24 in order to vote in this election!
How to register: People 18 years old or older with an ID (driver’s license or non-driving ID) issued by the MA Registry of Motor Vehicles who meet other voter requirements may complete and submit their voter registration online. Eligible MA voters without MA RMV-issued IDs may access voter registration forms online, but must print, sign, and submit them to their local city/town hall.
Research Massachusetts 2026 Ballot Questions: You should have received a red, paper booklet, “MA Information for Voters,” which includes a list of all the offices on the ballot as well as the full text of all 9 Ballot Questions, descriptions of the ramifications of Yes and No votes, and arguments for and against. This information is also available on the state’s accessible website that works with screen readers and other assistive devices.
Make a plan: It doesn’t hurt to get “ELECTION DAY” penciled into your calendar! Choosing how you’re voting and when is a good starting point.
Voter Registration Deadline:
October 24
Vote by Mail Application Deadline:
5 p.m., October 27
Early Voting Period:
October 17-30
Election Day Polling Hours:
7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Avoid VoteSafe.org, which is presenting itself as a voter registration tool but is a data collection tool that DOES NOT register people to vote.
In-person early voting: Begins Saturday Oct. 17 and ends Friday, Oct. 30. Every city and town is required to offer some early voting hours that includes weekends. Early voting locations and schedules are set by local officials in your community. These schedules will be posted at www.VoteInMA.com no later than October 10, 2026.
Voting by mail: In MA you may vote by mail without needing a specific reason for doing so, but you must apply for a ballot. Use the 2026 Vote by Mail application that went to your household earlier this year, or apply for a mail-in ballot online at www.VoteinMA.com.
Apply by:
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- October 13, if you are mailing your application
- October 20, if you apply online
Your Vote by Mail application will be honored as long as it reaches your local election office by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, but you should apply earlier if you are planning to return your ballot by mail. For more detail, visit the state’s Voting by Mail webpage. Vote by Mail ballots cannot be dropped off at a polling place on election day. Vote by Mail ballots must be postmarked by Election Day to be counted. Since this year’s November midterm election is also a “biennial state election,” your Vote by Mail ballot is given an extra 3 days to arrive in the mail.
There are several options for returning your ballot. You may return your ballot by:
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- Mailing it back using the envelope provided
- Hand-delivering your ballot to your local election office
- Dropping your ballot off at an early voting location during early voting hours
- Using a ballot drop box.
