Massachusetts

Oct. 11

• Local early voting schedule becomes available

Oct.19

• Early voting period begins

Oct. 26

• Deadline to register to vote in person, by mail and online

Oct. 29

• Deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot

Nov. 1

• Early voting period ends

Nov. 5 – Election Day

• Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. statewide.
• Mail-in ballots must be postmarked by this day in order to be counted.

If you’re not registered to vote, you can register by mail, online or in person at your local election office.

Most applications ask you to confirm your citizenship, provide your full name, address and date of birth. Additionally, they ask for a driver’s license or social security number. And you are asked to provide your party enrollment or designation.

If you want to be eligible to vote on Election Day, you must register by Saturday, Oct. 26. You cannot register on Election Day in Massachusetts.

If you’re not registered to vote, you can register by mail, online or in person at your local election office.

Most applications ask you to confirm your citizenship, provide your full name, address and date of birth. Additionally, they ask for a driver’s license or social security number. You are asked to provide your party enrollment or designation.

If you want to be eligible to vote on Election Day, you must register by Saturday, Oct. 26. You cannot register on Election Day in Massachusetts.

If you are unable to vote in person in Massachusetts on Election Day or during the early voting period, you can vote by mail. You don’t need a reason or a witness to vote by mail, but you must return your ballot before the polls close on Election Day.

The office of the Secretary of State William Francis Galvin suggests applying as early as possible, especially if your ballot needs to be mailed. The office recommends allowing up to seven days for delivery and applying two or three weeks before Election Day.

There are several options to return a mail-in ballot.  You can mail it back using the envelope provided, hand deliver it to your local election office, drop it off at an early voting location during early voting hours or use a ballot drop box.

What is the key race in Massachusetts?

On Nov. 5, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D) and attorney John Deaton (R) will compete for Warren’s current seat on the U.S. Senate.

Warren did not face an opponent in the primary election. Deaton secured his spot against Warren and hopes to unseat her as this would be her third term.

Deaton classifies himself as a “small government, fiscally-conservative, socially moderate Republican,” while Warren has fought for progressive change nationally.

Connecticut has strict laws regarding who can vote absentee. Some reasons you would be allowed to vote absentee:

• Being an active member of the armed forces
• Being out of town on Election Day
• Sickness that prevents you from voting in person
• Religious beliefs that prevent you from performing secular duties like voting on Election Day
• Performing duties as an election official at a polling place other than your own
• A physical disability that prevents you from voting in person

There is also an emergency ballot within six days of an election. You can request a regular absentee ballot at the state’s online absentee ballot request portal, where an application can be downloaded for individual use, the use of an individual’s immediate family or the use of a designee of the applicant.

An absentee ballot will be sent to you 31 days before a general election and may be returned by mail or in person. Only ballots received before the polls close on Election Day will be counted.

The early voting period in Connecticut is Oct. 21 to Nov. 3. The locations will be listed here as they become available. Each town or city will have at least one early voting location.

Oct. 15

• Online and by mail voter registration deadlines

Oct. 31

• Absentee ballot request form must be submitted

Nov. 5 – Polls open anytime from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

• In-person registration deadline
• Absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m.

You can register to vote in person, online and by mail. Online registration forms can be found on the Department of the Secretary of State website, which gives the option to register for the first time, update your voter information and change your party enrollment.

The deadline to apply by mail and online is Oct. 15. You can register to vote in person through Election Day in Maine.

How can I vote by mail in Maine?

There are five questions on the ballot for Maine voters to decide on. 

Question 1: Do you want to set a $5,000 limit for giving to political action committees that spend money independently to support or defeat candidates for office?

• Question 1 would limit contributions to political action committees that make independent expenditures 

Question 2: Do you favor a bond issue of $25,000,000 to provide funds?

• Question 2 would authorize a general fund bond issue for research, development and commercialization.

Question 3: Do you favor a $10,000,000 bond issue to restore historic buildings owned by governmental and nonprofit organizations, with funds being issued contingent on a 25% local match requirement from either private or nonprofit sources?

• Question 3 would authorize a general fund bond issue to restore historic community buildings

Question 4: Do you favor a $30,000,000 bond issue to invest in the design, development and maintenance for nonmotorized, motorized and multi-use trails statewide, to be matched by at least $3,000,000 in private and public contributions?

• Question 4 would authorize a general fund bond issue to promote the design, development, and maintenance of trails for outdoor recreation and active transportation.

Question 5: Do you favor making the former state flag, which was replaced as the official flag of the State in 1909 and is commonly known as the Pine Tree Flag, the official flag of the State?

• Question 5 would restore the former state of Maine flag.

Nov. 4

• Absentee ballots must be requested by mail by 12 p.m.
• Absentee ballots returned in person are due by 5 p.m.

Nov. 5

• Polls open as early as 6 a.m. and all locations close by 8 p.m. Hours will vary, but all polling locations are required to be open from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.
• By mail absentee ballots must be returned by 5 p.m.
• In-person registration deadline

You may request a mail-in ballot in New Hampshire through this application. The request must be received by Nov. 4 at 12 p.m. If returned by mail, the ballot must be received by 5 p.m. on Election Day. In person, the deadline is Nov. 4 at 5 p.m.

Oct. 6

• Online and in-person registration deadlines
• By mail registration must be postmarked to this date

Oct. 15

• Mail-in ballot application deadline by 4 p.m.

Oct. 16

• Early voting begins

Nov. 4

• Early voting ends

Nov. 5 – Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

• Ballot must be returned by mail or in person by 8 p.m.

In Rhode Island, any registered voter can request a mail-in ballot. You can apply for a mail-in ballot online. The requirements are to have a valid state ID and be registered to vote.  

To return your ballot, you may deliver it by mail or by hand. It must be returned before 8 p.m. on Election Day.

There are five questions on the ballot for Rhode Island voters to decide on.

Question 1: Shall there be a convention to amend or revise the Rhode Island Constitution?

Question 2: Should $120 million be allocated for housing and community opportunity?

• Question 2 would allow money to be allocated in the following ways:
  • URI Biomedical Sciences Building – $87.5 million
  • Rhode Island College Cybersecurity Building – $73 million

Question 3: Should $120 million be allocated for housing and community opportunity?

• Question 3 would allow money to be allocated in the following ways:
  • Affordable housing – $80 million
  • Acquisition and revitalization – $10 million
  • Homeownership – $20 million
  • Site acquisition – $5 million
  • Housing related infrastructure – $4 million
  • Municipal planning – $1 million

Question 4: Should $53 million be allocated for green economy bonds?

• Question 4 would allow money to be allocated in the following ways:
  • Port of Davisville Infrastructure at Quonset – $15 million
  • Climate resiliency – $2 million
  • Brownsfield remediation and economic development – $5 million
  • Local recreation projects – $5 million
  • Municipal resiliency – $10 million
  • Newport Cliff Walk – $3 million
  • Agricultural Land Preservation Commission – $5 million
  • Open Space program – $3 million
  • Forests and habitat management – $5 million

Question 5: Should $10 million be allocated for cultural arts and the economy grant program?

• Question 5 would allow money to be allocated in the following ways:
  • Tomaquag Museum – $2 million
  • Newport Contemporary Ballet – $2 million
  • Trinity Repertory Company – $2 million
  • Other funds to be allocated by the Rhode Island State Counsel on the Arts – $4 million

Sept. 21

• Early voting begins

Nov. 4

• Absentee ballot requests must be submitted by 5 p.m. or by the close of the town clerk’s office
• Absentee ballots must be returned by mail

Nov. 5 – Polls open anytime from 5 to 10 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

• Registration deadline
• Absentee ballot must be returned by 7 p.m.

Active Vermont voters do not need to request a mail-in ballot because the state mails general election ballots no later than Oct. 1. The ballot must be received by the town clerk or local election office before 7 p.m. on Election Day. 

All requests for absentee ballots must be submitted by 5 p.m. on the day of the election.

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