Know Before You Go: Preparing for Election 2020
COVID-19 has changed much about how we live in our lives in 2020 and voting this year is going to be no exception. Thanks to legislation signed into law by Governor Baker earlier this month, Massachusetts registered voters will have the option to vote-by-mail for all elections occurring in 2020.
Having the option to vote-by-mail is incredibly important for Dana-Farber patients who may be immunocompromised, it also provides flexibility for Dana-Farber staff to easily incorporate voting into their busy schedules. For everyone, having the vote-by-mail options provides a safe and convenient way to ensure your voice is heard during these unprecedented times of uncertainty. Vote-by-mail also ensures safe, equitable, access to the ballot for vulnerable communities who have historically faced systemic barriers to voting and are the same communities hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Starting this week, the MA Secretary of State will be processing and sending out vote-by-mail applications to every individual who was registered to vote in the Commonwealth as of July 1, 2020. If you wish to vote-by-mail for the September 1 primary election or the November 3 general election, simply complete the vote-by-mail application. The applications are pre-addressed to your local election official and no postage is necessary. Vote-by-mail applications are also available for download and may also be requested by contacting the MA Secretary of State, Elections Division.
To learn more about how voting-by-mail will work this year in Massachusetts, you can find additional information on the state’s Voting-by-Mail FAQs page. Please note, the vote by mail option is temporary and in response to COVID-19 and will expire on December 31 of this year.
If you need to register to vote or update your voter registration, you can use the Massachusetts online voter registration system. If you cannot register online, you may still register without leaving your home by sending a mail-in voter registration form to your local election office. If you need to register to vote in person, contact your local election official about their availability to assist with a in person registration. The deadline to register to vote or update your voter registration is ten days prior to the scheduled election day.
While COVID-19 has meant we have had to forgo many of the normal activities that we participate in, voting does not have to be one of them. For residents of Massachusetts, you have three ways to make your voice heard and exercise your civic duties to vote in 2020. In addition to vote-by-mail, in person early voting and the traditional option of voting in person on election day will be available. If you choose to vote in person, extra safety precautions will be taken at polling locations including the required use of a face covering and practicing social distancing. Hand sanitizer will also be available and surfaces at the polling location will be regularly cleaned and disinfected. No matter how you decide to vote, here are some important dates for Massachusetts voters to keep in mind.
- July 15: The MA Secretary of State processes and sends out vote-by-mail applications to registered voters
- August 22: Early in person voting for the primary election begins
- August 28: Early in person voting for the primary election ends
- September 1: Primary Election Day
- October 17: Early in person voting for the general election begins
- October 30: Early in person voting for the general election ends
- November 3: General Election Day
Finally, to find your polling location, check or update your voter registration status and even view your ballot before you vote, you can visit: www.wheredoivotema.com. Please feel free to share this important information widely with your friends, family and professional networks in Massachusetts so that everyone has this important information in advance of the 2020 election season.
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