There is a Massachusetts primary election on Tuesday, September 1 to select final candidates for the November 3 state election. The offices on the ballot are: U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, Governor’s Councillor, State Senator, State, Representative, District Attorney, and Register of Probate.
You can look up a sample ballot for your location to see the candidates you can vote for and to check your polling place.
Every registered voter can vote in a primary. Unenrolled voters and those registered with a political designation (such as the Green Party) can vote in the party primary of their choice; registered Democrats or Republicans are given their party’s ballot.
Voter registration
The deadline to register or change your party affiliation for this election has passed. You can check your registration status online.
How to vote
Vote by mail
The Secretary of the Commonwealth recommends applying for your mail-in ballot 2–3 weeks prior to the election to allow enough time to receive and return it, but August 25 is the absolute deadline. Our office does not recommend voting by mail if you have not requested your ballot within the Secretary’s recommended timeframe.
Your ballot must be received at your local election office via return mail, early voting location, or ballot dropbox before polls close at 8 p.m. on September 1. Ballots cannot be dropped off at a polling place on Election Day, but you may still be able to vote in person there if needed (see below).
You may track the status of your mail-in ballot online all the way to receipt and acceptance of your returned ballot.
Vote early in person
The period for early voting in-person at local election offices is August 22 to 28. Consult your local office for hours and locations.
Vote in person on election day
Vote in person on Tuesday, September 1 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Look up your polling location here. If you requested a mail-in ballot, you may still vote in person at the polls if: (a) you did not return it, or (b) you mailed your ballot but your local election office did not receive it, or (c) your local election office rejected it.
Local Election Offices
Your local election office (city or town clerk) can assist with voter registration and all forms of voting. They have up-to-date information about early voting in-person, ballot dropboxes, and polling locations.
Below are the local offices for Boston, Watertown, Belmont and Cambridge, the cities and towns in Senator Brownsberger’s district. For other locales, look up your voting information to find your local clerk’s office (and more).
Belmont Town Clerk
455 Concord Avenue, Ground Floor
Belmont, MA 02478 (map)
Hours: Monday: 8 am – 7 pm; Tuesday through Thursday: 8 am – 4 pm; Friday: 8 am – 12 pm.
Phone: 617-993-2603
Email: townclerk@belmont-ma.gov
Website: Belmont Elections & Voting Information
Boston Election Department
1 City Hall Square, Room 241
Boston, MA 02201 (map)
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 am – 5 pm
Phone: 617-635-8683
Website & email form: Boston Election Department
Cambridge Election Commission
689 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139 (map)
Hours: Monday: 8:30 am – 8 pm; Tuesday through Thursday: 8:30 am – 5 pm; Friday: 8:30 am – 12 pm
Phone: 617-349-4361
Email: elections2@cambridgema.gov
Website: Cambridge Election Commission
Watertown City Clerk
149 Main St
Watertown, MA 02472-4410 (map)
Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 8:30 am – 5 pm; Tuesday: 8:30 am – 7 pm; Friday: 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
Phone: 617-715-8686
Email: cityclerk@watertown-ma.gov
Website: Watertown Election & Voter Information
For more information
Visit the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s elections website for comprehensive information, including situations not covered above.