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Elections & Voting: Registration

A research guide supporting a state-wide initiative to educate MCC students, faculty, staff, and local community members about the election process.

Red, white, and blue pins with the word "vote." Image directs to the Civic Engagement Webpage 

Welcome to the Middlesex Community Election and voting subject guide! This dedicated source encompasses information about state elections (i.e., Massachusetts and New Hampshire) and Federal Elections.

Stock image of Massachusetts state in blue. Image links to the Office of the Secretary of State of Massachusetts.The following tabs provide information and websites on Massachusett's voting registration and elections.

Eligibility

  • A U.S. citizen
  • A resident of Massachusetts
  • 18 years or older
  • Not currently incarcerated by reason of a felony conviction.

You can register to vote online, by mail, or in person.

You can pre-register to vote when you're 16 or 17 years old. However, you must meet the criteria above. Once you turn 18, you will be added to the voter list.

 

(Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, n.d.).

Voter Registration Deadlines

According to the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the deadline to register to vote, update your registration, or change your party is 10 days before any election or town meeting.

ID Requirements for Registration

In-Person

You can register or pre-register to vote in person. In Massachusetts, you can register to vote in-person at:

  • Your local town clerks, election commission, and Boards of Registrars.
  • The Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth Elections Division.
  • The Secretary of the Commonwealth’s regional offices.

Voter registration forms completed in-person are valid on the day that they are signed.

Online Registration

If you have a signature on file with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, you can register online. You can also pre-register, update your address, update your name, and change your political party designation.

Voter registration forms submitted online must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on the date of the voter registration deadline.

Mail-In Registration

You can register or pre-register to vote with a mail-in voter registration form. Print, fill out, and sign the voter registration form. Mail the signed form to your local election office. Your voter registration form must be postmarked by the voter registration deadline.

If you are registering to vote in Massachusetts for the first time, you should include a copy of your identification that shows your name and address with your form. If you don’t include a copy of your ID, you may need to show it the first time you vote.

Automatic Registration

If you are a Massachusetts citizen doing certain things at the Registry of Motor Vehicles, MassHealth, and the Commonwealth Health Connector, you will automatically become registered to vote.

You can be automatically registered to vote when you:

  • Apply for or renew your driver’s license at the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV).
  • Apply for or renew a learner's permit.
  • Apply for or renew a state ID.
  • Apply for MassHealth benefits online, in person, or by phone.
  • Apply for health insurance through the Commonwealth Health Connector.

(Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, n.d.).

The following links will provide information on how to cast your vote via mail or use the absentee ballot.

In-person early voting is available for:

  • Regular state elections
  • Regular state primaries
  • Presidential primaries
  • Special elections held on the same day as a statewide election
  • Special elections for U.S. Senate or U.S. House of Representatives

Local officials may choose to offer in-person early voting for regular city and town elections. Contact your local election office for information about early voting in local elections.

 

(Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, n.d.).

Stock illustration of New Hampshire state in blue. Image links to the website of the Office of the Secretary of State of New HampshireThe following tabs provide information and websites about New Hampshire's voting registration and the elections.

A person must meet the following to register and vote in New Hampshire:

  • 18 years of age or older on election day;
  • A United States citizen; and
  • Domiciled in the town or ward where the person seeks to vote.

You need to provide proof of your identity, age, citizenship, and domicile to register. Proof can be either by documents or by affidavit if you do not have documents with you. You may present documents in paper or electronic form.

  • A driver’s license or non-driver ID from any state is proof of identity and age.
  • A birth certificate, U.S. Passport/Passcard, or naturalization document is proof of citizenship.

(Office of the Secretary of State of New Hampshire, 2023)

General Election Day:

A person qualified to vote who is not registered may register and vote on this Election Day at the polling place for the town or city ward where the person is domiciled (New Hampshire Secretary of State Office)

For more information about the deadlines for voting in the state of New Hamshire, visit the links below:

A person must meet the following to register and vote in New Hampshire:

  • 18 years of age or older on election day;
  • A United States citizen; and
  • Domiciled in the town or ward where the person seeks to vote.

You need to provide proof of your identity, age, citizenship, and domicile to register. Proof can be either by documents or by affidavit if you do not have documents with you. You may present documents in paper or electronic form.

  • A driver’s license or non-driver ID from any state is proof of identity and age.
  • A birth certificate, U.S. Passport/Passcard, or naturalization document is proof of citizenship.

Note: A New Hampshire Real ID-compliant driver's license is  NOT  proof of  U.S. Citizenship.  

You can prove your identity, age, and/or citizenship by signing a Qualified Voter Affidavit, under oath, in front of an election official if you do not have documents.

(Office of the Secretary of State of New Hampshire, 2023).

New Hampshire voters may vote by absentee ballot for specific reasons.

You can vote absentee in any election if you are unable to vote in person because:

  • You will be out of town on election day; or
  • You have a religious observance that prevents you from voting in person; or
  • You have a physical disability or illness that prevents you from voting in person; or
  • You have an employment commitment or must care for an adult or child during the entire time polls are open; or
  • You are confined in a penal institution for a conviction of a misdemeanor or while awaiting trial; or
  • You are a member of the Attorney General’s Address Confidentiality Program or are protected by a Domestic Violence Protective Order; or
  • The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm, blizzard, or ice storm warning for your town/ ward for election day, and you have concerns about safely traveling in the storm.

How to request an absentee ballot

If you qualify to vote absentee, you will need to complete an Absentee Ballot Application and the appropriate affidavit form in pen or number 2 pencil only and return it to your local clerk. You can find contact information for your local clerk using our Voter Information Lookup.

If you are voting absentee due to a disability or illness, you must fill out the Absentee Voter Registration Affidavit - Physically Disabled. 

If you are voting absentee due to absence, you must fill out the Absentee Voter Registration Affidavit – Temporarily Absent. 

How to register by mail

If you plan on voting absentee but are not registered to vote yet, you can request absentee registration forms and instructions from your clerk before requesting an absentee ballot.

After you have applied for an absentee ballot, you can use the Voter Information Lookup to find out if your clerk has received your request, when the absentee ballot was sent to you, and when your clerk received your completed absentee ballot.

(Office of the New Hampshire Secretary of State, n.d.).

Elections and Voting Information

The Young Vote (2016)

Dir. Diane Robinson

Duration: 1 hr. 06 mins.

Description: "Democracy is being threatened, and young people are taking it personally. In 2016, only 39% of those 29 and under, the largest generation of eligible voters in US history, voted in the presidential election. What can we do to increase young voter participation and sustain a functional democracy? The Young Vote takes the temperature of a generation raised during a time of increasing distrust in government, active voter suppression, and continued inaction on the issues that matter most to them."

Get Involved and Engage button with owl

 

For more information on voting registration, contact the Office of Civic and Student-Learning.

To cite this LibGuide use the following templates:

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