Update, October 16, 2026. State election officials said Thursday that just over 1 million mail ballots have been sent to voters for November 3 and roughly 175,000 have been returned, about 17 percent of those sent, Western Mass News reported. If you have one of those ballots and decide to vote in person instead, see the section below on when that is allowed.
In-person early voting for the November 3, 2026 state election opens Saturday, October 17, and runs through Friday, October 30, in every city and town in Massachusetts. Any registered voter can use it, with no excuse needed. But the hours you will find depend heavily on where you live, and the reason is written into state law: the early voting statute sets different minimums for towns of different sizes, and in many communities some weekday hours are optional.
Here is what G.L. c. 54, § 25B, which we read at malegislature.gov, and the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s guidance say about early voting this fall.
The dates
- Early voting period: Saturday, October 17 through Friday, October 30. The statute sets it “from the seventeenth day through the fourth day, inclusive, preceding a biennial state election.” § 25B(b)(2)(i).
- Weekends: October 17 and 18, and October 24 and 25. The Secretary’s office says every city and town will hold early voting hours on both weekends.
- Last day to register: Saturday, October 24, by 5 p.m. State law ends registration “no later than 5:00 p.m. on the tenth day preceding such election.” G.L. c. 51, § 26.
- No early voting on November 2. The period ends the Friday before Election Day. After October 30, you vote at your polling place on November 3.
Early voting is not the same as your Election Day polling place. The Secretary’s office says you can vote at any early voting location in the city or town where you are registered, and that location may be different from where you vote on November 3.
Why your town’s hours may look thin: the minimums in the law
Section 25B(b)(3) sets weekend minimums by the number of registered voters in a community:
- Fewer than 5,000 voters: at least 4 hours each weekend, on at least one day per weekend, with at least 2 hours on any weekend day voting is held.
- 5,000 to 24,999: at least 6 hours each weekend, on at least one day per weekend, with at least 3 hours on any weekend day voting is held.
- 25,000 to 39,999: at least 4 hours each weekend day.
- 40,000 to 74,999: at least 6 hours each weekend day.
- 75,000 or more: at least 8 hours each weekend day.
So a small town can meet the law with a single Saturday morning session each weekend. A large city has to open on both Saturday and Sunday.
Weekdays work differently:
- More than 40,000 voters: early voting during “the usual business hours of the city or town clerk” for the whole period.
- Between 5,000 and 40,000 voters: for the second week, October 26 through 30, early voting during the clerk’s usual business hours. For the first week, October 19 through 23, the city council or select board “may” vote to offer at least half of the clerk’s usual hours. That first-week weekday voting is optional.
- Fewer than 5,000 voters: weekday early voting is optional. The local board may vote to offer at least 25 percent of the clerk’s usual business hours.
Any community may offer more hours than the law requires. The Secretary’s office warns that “many towns have limited or no voting hours on Fridays.” Check before you go: the Secretary’s early voting schedule tool lists hours and locations for each community.
Where you can vote early
Every city and town must have an early voting site that includes the local election office. If that office is “unavailable or unsuitable,” registrars must use a centrally located public building instead, and they may add more sites. § 25B(b)(4). In choosing sites, the law tells communities to consider, “to the extent feasible,” geographic spread and whether a location would affect access “on the basis of race, national origin, disability, income or age.” Every site must be accessible to people with disabilities.
Sites had to be designated at least 14 days before early voting began, and registrars must publish the locations, dates and hours at least 5 business days before the period starts and at least once during it, including on the town’s website and the Secretary’s. § 25B(b)(5).
What happens when you vote
- You give your name and address. The election officer finds you on the list, repeats your name and address “loudly and clearly,” and marks the list. § 25B(b)(7).
- You get a ballot and an envelope with an affidavit, which includes a notice of the penalties for illegal voting under G.L. c. 56, § 26.
- You mark the ballot, seal it in the envelope and sign the affidavit.
- You hand the envelope back. The officer checks that the affidavit is signed, and the ballot is stored securely and taken to the local election office by the close of early voting that day. § 25B(b)(8).
- The list is marked “EV” next to your name. “Once an early voting ballot is cast, the voter shall not vote again.” § 25B(d).
One provision people sometimes wonder about: a ballot cast early by a voter who was eligible at the time is not invalid “solely because the voter became ineligible to vote by reason of death after casting the ballot.” § 25B(e).
I asked for a mail ballot. Can I vote early in person instead?
Often, yes. The Secretary’s office says you can still vote in person if you applied for a mail ballot but never returned it, if you mailed it back but it has not reached your local election office, or if it arrived and was rejected. If your mail ballot reaches the office after you vote in person, it will be rejected.
What you cannot do is vote in person after your mail ballot has been received and accepted. “Once your ballot is accepted, you have voted,” the Secretary’s office says. The Track My Ballot tool shows whether yours has been accepted.
If you have a mail ballot and simply want to hand it in, you can drop it at an early voting location in your city or town during early voting hours. § 25B(a)(13)(ii). Our mail-in ballot guide covers the other return options and the November 6 deadline for mailed ballots.
Frequently asked questions
When does early voting start in Massachusetts in 2026?
Saturday, October 17. In-person early voting runs through Friday, October 30, for the November 3 state election. Hours vary by city and town.
Do I need an excuse to vote early in Massachusetts?
No. Any registered voter may vote early in person in a state election. G.L. c. 54, section 25B(b)(1).
Can I vote early at any location in Massachusetts?
No. You can vote at any early voting location in the city or town where you are registered, but not in another community.
Is there early voting the weekend before Election Day?
No. The early voting period ends Friday, October 30. The two early voting weekends are October 17 and 18 and October 24 and 25.
Why is my town’s early voting site closed on a weekday?
State law makes some weekday hours optional. In communities with 5,000 to 40,000 registered voters, weekday hours in the first week are up to the local board, and in communities under 5,000 voters weekday hours are optional for the whole period. Communities over 40,000 voters must offer early voting during the clerk’s usual business hours.
Can I still register and vote early?
Yes, if you register by 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 24. Once registered, you can vote early for the rest of the period.
Sources: G.L. c. 54, section 25B and G.L. c. 51, section 26, read at malegislature.gov; Secretary of the Commonwealth, “Vote Early” and “Vote by Mail” pages, October 2026; Boston 25 News, October 16, 2026. Your city or town clerk is the final word on local hours and locations. General information about Massachusetts law, not legal advice.