Massachusetts State Election

The State Election is coming up on Tuesday, November 4!

Are you ready? If not, never fear. You have plenty of time to prepare.

Register to Vote

First things first, make sure you are registered to vote.

You can register if you are:

• a US citizen
• a resident of Massachusetts, and
• 18 years old on or before election day 

You have until October 15 to register to vote by mail. For a form, please visit www.sec.state.ma.us/ele, or call the Elections Division at 617-727-2828 or 1-800-462-VOTE.

You can also register in person at the Framingham Town Clerk's Office, but you must do so by the registration deadline (October 15). Please see the Clerk's Office website for more information, including hours: Framingham Town Clerk.

Think maybe you have registered already? (For instance, maybe you have done so a long time ago at the RMV?) Check here to be sure: Registration Status.

Research 

Now that you've got your voter registration sorted, it is time to prepare for the election!

For a complete Information Guide, please see the official Massachusetts Information for Voters Booklet.
This red booklet is available at the library and looks like this - - - - - >

The full guide is also available online: 2014 Information For Voters.

Want to see what you'll be voting for? Please see the image of the Voter Checklist below. You can print the Checklist and bring it with you to the polls after you have filled it out.

http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/ele14/ballot_questions_14/checklist.pdf

As you can see, there are two sections on the ballot: Ballot Questions and Ballot Offices.

Paper Version of the 2014 Information Guide

Ballot Questions

The 4 questions that will appear on the 2014 ballot are:

1. Eliminating Gas Tax Indexing
2. Expanding the Beverage Container Deposit Law
3. Expanding Prohibitions on Gaming
4. Earned Sick Time for Employees

If you click on the links above, you will be able to read the details of each question, including pros and cons of a Yes or No vote.

You can read all the information ahead of time so that you will be well informed by the time you go to the polls!

Ballot Offices

In 2014, the following offices will appear on the ballot:

• Senator in Congress
• Governor and Lieutenant Governor
• Attorney General
• Secretary of State
• Treasurer
  
• Auditor
• Representative in Congress
• Councillor
• Senator in General Court
• Representative in General Court
• District Attorney
• Register of Probate
• County Treasurer
  (Bristol, Dukes, Norfolk, Plymouth Counties only)
• County Commissioner
  (Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Norfolk, Plymouth Counties), or Franklin Council of Governments
• Sheriff
  (Suffolk County only)

Want to know who the candidates are? You can check the Elections Division website to see a sample ballot: www.wheredoivotema.com.

Where do I Vote on November 4?

You have researched and you are ready! Now what do you do? You need to check where your voting location is. In Framingham, there are 18 Precincts. Your voting location on November 4's Election Day depends on where you live. To check where you should vote, please see the Framingham Town Clerk's Website: Voter Registration. Here you can look up your Precinct and your voting location. Polls will be open from 7:00am until 8:00pm. Depending on how you registered to vote, when you get to the polls you may be required to show ID, so please don't forget to bring it with you.

Can't vote in person at your polling location? Are you going to be overseas or away at college? Click here for Absentee Ballot Information.

 

Massachusetts Voters’ Bill of Rights

Don't forget about the Massachusetts Voters' Bill of Rights!

Your voting rights are protected. These rights are guaranteed to qualified registered voters.

• You have the right to vote if you are a qualified registered voter.
• You have the right to cast your ballot in a manner that ensures privacy. You have the right to vote without any person trying to influence your vote and to vote in a booth that prevents others from watching you mark your ballot.
• You have the right to remain in the voting booth for five (5) minutes if there are other voters waiting and for ten (10) minutes if there are no other voters waiting.
• You have the right to receive up to two (2) replacement ballots if you make a mistake and spoil your ballot.
• You have the right to request assistance when voting from anyone of your choice. If you do not bring someone with you, you have the right to have two (2) poll workers assist you.
• You have the right to vote if you are disabled. The polling place must be accessible, and there must be an accessible voting booth.
• You have the right to vote if you cannot read or write or cannot read or write English.
• You have the right to vote but must show identification if: you are a first-time voter who registered to vote by mail and did not submit identification with the voter registration form; or your name is on the inactive voter list; or your vote is being challenged; or if requested by a poll worker. Acceptable forms of identification are: Massachusetts driver’s license, other printed documentation containing your name and address such as a recent utility bill, rent receipt on landlord’s letterhead, lease, or a copy of a voter registration acknowledgment or receipt.
• You have the right to vote by absentee ballot if: you will be absent from your city or town on Election Day; or if you have a physical disability that prevents your voting at the polling place; or if you cannot vote at the polls due to religious belief.
• You have the right to cast a provisional ballot if you believe you are a qualified registered voter but a poll worker tells you that you are ineligible to vote.
• You have the right to follow up any challenge to your right to vote through the complaint process.
• You have the right to vote if you are not currently incarcerated for a felony conviction and have registered as a voter after your release.
• You have the right to take this Voters’ Bill of Rights or any other papers, including a sample ballot, voter guide or campaign material into the voting booth with you. Please remember to remove all papers when you leave the booth.
• You have the right to vote at your polling place any time between 7am and 8pm for state and federal elections—hours may vary for local elections. If you are in line at your polling place when the polls close at 8 pm, you have the right to vote.
• You have the right to bring your children into the voting booth with you.

If you feel that your right to vote has been violated in any way, call the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s Elections Division at 1-800-462-VOTE (8683). This call is free within Massachusetts.