Massachusetts
Can You Vote Absentee?
In order to vote in U.S. elections you must be:
- a U.S. citizen.
- at least 18 years old.
- be absent from your voting residence.
The absentee voting process applies to you if you are:
- an active duty member of the Uniformed Services or Merchant Marine;
- an eligible spouse or family member of an active duty member of the Uniformed Services or Merchant Marine; or
- a U.S. citizen residing outside the U.S.
Federal Election Deadlines
| Registration | Ballot Request | Ballot Return | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential Primary March 1, 2016 |
Not Required
|
Received by
12 PM, February 29, 2016
|
Received by
8 PM, March 1, 2016
|
| State Primary September 8, 2016 |
Not Required
|
Received by
12 PM, September 7, 2016
|
Received by
8 PM, September 8, 2016
|
| General Election November 8, 2016 |
Not Required
|
Received by
12 PM, November 7, 2016
|
Return by Mail: Postmarked by*
November 8, 2016
Return by Email/Online or Fax: Received by
8 PM, November 8, 2016
|
*Ballot Return: Ballots must be received by 5:00 PM on the 10th day after the general election.
Please mail your voting materials early enough to account for mail delivery times. Check the recommended mailing dates section in Chapter 1 for details.
Register to Vote, Request a Ballot, or Update My Voter Info
You must register and request an absentee ballot in your State of legal residence by completing the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) and submit it to your local election office.
Download fillable FPCA
Using an iOS device? You may need to download a third-party tool to fill out your FPCA.
Get My Ballot
You may use the Federal Write-in Ballot (FWAB) to cast your absentee ballot, register to vote or request future absentee ballots.
Download fillable FWAB
Using an iOS device? You may need to download a third-party tool to fill out your FWAB.
Check the Status of My Voted Ballot
After sending in your voted absentee ballot, you are entitled to find out its status.
