City of Boston Issues Reminders Ahead of Election Day in One Week

The Boston Election Department is reminding voters that Election Day is Tuesday, November 5, 2024. The State Election determines the winner of various state and federal races, including the presidency. Voters can also decide the result of five statewide ballot questions. A sixth public policy question will appear in State Representative Districts 2, 10, and 14. Early voting will continue through November 1 at sites around the City.

In-Person Early Voting

In-person early voting will continue through Friday, November 1. City Hall is Boston's primary early voting site, with voting from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Voters are encouraged to enter City Hall using the Haymarket entrance on Congress Street. 

Additional early voting locations are available in neighborhoods throughout the city on Tuesday, October 29, and Thursday, October 31 from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. View a full list of early voting locations.

All early voting sites are equipped with electronic poll books for voter check-in. Early voting locations are well-staffed with poll workers and interpreters. All sites are fully accessible to voters with disabilities.

Vote By Mail Application

The vote by mail application deadline is Tuesday, October 29 at 5:00 p.m. Voters may apply for a vote by mail ballot through the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website, by visiting the Election Department in room 241 at City Hall, or by mailing an application.  All applications must reach the Election Department by 5:00 p.m. on October 29.

Ballot Return

Voters who planned to return their ballots by U.S. Mail and have not mailed their ballots within one week of Election Day are encouraged to return their ballots through other means, to ensure they will be counted. Ballot packages must be postmarked by November 5, 2024, and received by the Boston Election Department no later than 5:00 p.m. on November 8, 2024.

The Boston Election Department has placed 23 ballot drop boxes across the City, including at both the first and third floor entrances of Boston City Hall. All drop boxes are monitored under 24-hour video surveillance. Find a ballot drop box location.

Voters may return their ballots in person until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day to any of the 23 drop boxes across the City, or in person at the Election Department in City Hall. Ballots cannot be returned to a polling location on Election Day.

Ballot drop boxes will be closed on Halloween, beginning at 9:00 a.m. on October 31 and reopening by 12:00 p.m. on November 1. 

Voters can track their ballot through the state's website here. If there is no movement indicated in the “Track My Ballot” system, voters should plan to vote in person on Election Day.

Accessible Voting

The Accessible Electronic Voting System allows voters who are unable to independently read, write, hold, or physically manipulate or mark ballots to submit their ballot via a secure electronic delivery system. Voters who qualify for an Accessible Electronic Ballot may apply online. The deadline to apply for an accessible ballot is Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.

Please note: To get access to the electronic ballot, you will need to provide your email address.

Voting On Election Day

Polling locations open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. A list of polling locations can be found here. As a reminder, voters should check their registration status via the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website. Printed ballots will be available in English and Spanish. Chinese and Vietnamese ballots will be available where required. Language interpreters will also be available upon request. All voting locations are wheelchair accessible and are equipped with an AutoMark Voter Assist Terminal for voters with disabilities to assist with marking the ballot independently.

Polling Location Changes

Central Tabulation

On Monday, October 28, 2024, the City of Boston began removing State Election ballots from their envelopes and depositing these ballots into a tabulator at Boston City Hall. The city will process ballots to the extent feasible during the dates and times listed online.

Unofficial Results

After polls close at 8:00 pm, the Election Department will receive and upload unofficial results of ballots counted at polling places as they are returned from each precinct. Poll workers need time to tally election results and transport materials from polling places to City Hall. Uploading of election results may not begin until after 10:00 p.m.

The initial results reported on the website on election night will include :

• Ballots cast in person on election day;
• Early voting and mail-in ballots, including those from precincts being centrally tabulated at the City Hall central tabulation facility.

The unofficial results uploaded to www.boston.gov/election on election night will NOT include the following groups of ballots:

• Mail and absentee ballots that arrive on time on election day, but too late to be sent to polling locations to be counted;
• Ballots retrieved from the drop boxes at 8:00 p.m. on election night;
• Ballots postmarked by November 5 that arrive at City Hall by November 8 at 5:00 pm for domestic mail;
• Ballots postmarked by November 5 that arrive at City Hall by November 15 at 5:00 pm for foreign mail.

Mail or absentee ballots that arrive on time at the Election Department as allowed by state law, will be counted at City Hall on a date determined by the Board of Election Commissioners.

Media Guidelines

Where To Stand

Members of the press must remain behind the guardrail. While many polling places are not equipped with a physical guardrail, the area within the “guardrail” encompasses the check-in table, the voting booths, and the ballot box. Only poll workers and voters should be within this area.

Interacting With Voters and Poll Workers

Members of the press, like all other observers in the polling place, may not interact with voters while they are in the polling place. Further, observers who have questions about where they should stand and what they are allowed to do while observing should ask to speak to the warden. The warden may provide members of the press with information regarding their rights as observers.

Photography

Photography of the voting process in the polling place is permitted, though marked ballots may not be photographed. Photographers are allowed inside the polling place to photograph the area from outside the guardrail. The warden may instruct the photographer not to take photos of any marked ballots.

Video and Audio Recording

As with photography of the polling place, video recording of the polling place is allowed. Audio recording of the polling place is not permitted under state law. Anyone recording in the polling place must have the ability to record without capturing audio and should be instructed to do so by the warden. Those who are using electronic equipment may not use the electricity in the polling place to power their equipment.

Exit Polling

Exit polling and interviews of voters are permitted outside the polling place, within 150 feet or more of the entrance to the polling place, but only those voters who are leaving the polling place should be stopped. Voter access to the polling place should not be impeded in any way.

Translations of this press release are available in the following languages below and on boston.gov/election