City of Boston Announces New Polling Locations Following October Reprecincting
New precinct structure focuses on equity across voting populations in each precinct to reduce wait times and increase voter access.
Mayor Michelle Wu today announced new proposed polling locations based off of the precinct realignment completed last year. The precincts were redrawn across the city in October to increase voting accessibility by distributing voters equitably across precincts. The City previously created 20 new voting precincts for the upcoming fall elections, increasing the number of voting precincts from 255 to 275. Tomorrow at 10 a.m, the Board of Election Commissioners will meet to certify new polling locations, nomination papers, and initiative petitions, and other election matters.
“Tomorrow’s vote will determine new polling locations for 20 new voting precincts,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This new structure is a big deal for voter access and I look forward to working with the State and our Elections department to ensure that every registered voter knows where to vote."
New voting locations will be added throughout the City as a result of new precincts being created. Some of the new locations include:
- Artists for Humanity, 100 West 2nd St in Ward 6
- Beacon House, 19 Myrtle St in Ward 3
- Boston Chinese Evangelical Church, 120 Shawmut Ave in Ward 3
- Charlestown Boys and Girls Club, 15 Green St in Ward 2
- Cyclorama, 539 Tremont St in Ward 4 and Ward 5
- District Hall, 75 Northern Ave in Ward 6
- Fenway Center, 77 St. Stephen St in Ward 3
- Mandela Homes, 1855 Washington St in Ward 9
- Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave in Ward 4
- North End Library, 25 Parmenter St in Ward 3
- Northeastern Crossing, 1155 Tremont St in Ward 9
- Old South Church, 645 Boylston St in Ward 5
- Saint Anthony Shrine, 100 Arch St in Ward 3
- Saint Joseph Parish, 68 William Cardinal O’Connell Way in Ward 3
- Vine Street Community Center, 339 Dudley St in Ward 8
Before the process completed in October of last year, Boston last redrew its precincts in 1924, when a commission appointed by the state legislature created the wards and precinct structure. Because of this, some of the City’s precincts had disproportionately higher numbers of voters, which posed challenges for administering elections. Following the 2020 U.S. Census, the City’s Election Department worked with community groups and the state legislature on the adopted precinct changes. These changes focus on equity in the voting populations of each precinct to reduce wait times and increase voter access.
“Voting is an essential part of democracy,” said Elections Commissioner Eneida Tavares. “The equalization of the city’s voting precincts is fundamental to the proper conduct of elections, and ensures that every voter has easier access to the ballot box on Election Day.”
The City of Boston is advising voters that they may experience a change in their precinct and polling location. The Elections Department will be conducting outreach in the coming months to ensure that residents are aware of any change to their polling location ahead of the elections.
The City of Boston held four virtual community engagement sessions regarding the new precinct lines and how the realigned voting precincts will impact voting in the 2022 elections. The sessions were held on Tuesday, June 28, at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., and Thursday, June 30, at 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
For more information about the new precinct structure, please visit boston.gov/elections.
