How to vote by absentee ballot

You can request an absentee ballot for yourself, or have a family member request an absentee ballot for you.

Are you a Massachusetts citizen living outside of the U.S.? The federal government has a separate application and process that you need to complete. Please visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program website for more information.

Any absentee request by mail must be received by 5 p.m. the Wednesday before the election.

If you're requesting an absentee ballot for yourself, please fill out an application:

• Absentee ballot application with instructions
• Peticion de Voto en Ausencia ​​​​
• ពាក្យសុំ សន្លឹកឆ្នោត សម្រាប់ អ្នក បោះឆ្នោត អវត្តមាន
• 缺席選票申請

Mail your completed application to:

Boston Election Department
1 City Hall Square, Room 241
Boston, MA 02201

The Boston Election Department is now providing postage paid envelopes for the return of voted ballots.

The postage paid envelopes are the result of an Ordinance to increase voter participation that was passed by the City Council and signed by the Mayor in September 2021.

We’ll send you an Absentee Ballot in the mail with a set of return envelopes. You can mail the ballot to the address on the *postage paid envelope. Please submit your completed ballot as soon as possible. You can track your ballot through the state's website. Make sure to call the Elections Department before Election Day if you haven't seen movement in the tracker.

• If you plan to return your ballot in person instead of mailing it, we have 20 dedicated drop boxes at located throughout the City. You have until 8 p.m. on Election Day to drop off your ballot. You can also drop off your ballot at any early voting location during the City's early voting period.
• If a voter brings a mail-in ballot to their polling location on Election Day, they will be provided with the opportunity to cast their vote in-person at that polling location. A poll worker will help them in ensuring that their mail-in ballot is spoiled before casting the in-person vote.

You can vote in person by Absentee Ballot at the Elections Department in Boston City Hall:

Boston Election Department
1 City Hall Square, Room 241
Boston, MA 02201
Office hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

You have until 12 p.m. the Monday before the election to vote in person.

When you visit our office, you will be asked to fill out an absentee ballot application. It includes instructions for how to complete the fields. The application is also available in Spanish.

We'll give you an Absentee Ballot after you complete your application. You can fill our your Absentee Ballot and give it back to us that day.