Mayor Walsh Announces Early Voting Locations for The November 8 Presidential Election

Boston’s Board of Election Commissioners unanimously voted last month in favor of the Election Department’s plan for 27 “one-day” early voting sites (three in each of the city’s nine council districts), in addition to daily early voting at City Hall during the early voting period.

“Boston is proud to support early voting, and we have worked hard on a comprehensive plan that will allow many of our residents to vote at a time convenient for their work and family schedule,” said Mayor Martin Walsh. “Whenever we are able to expand access to the ballot, we make our democracy stronger.”

For the first time Boston will be able to allow voters to cast their ballots early from October 24 through November 4 at 5 p.m., for the November 8 Election.

Voters may also request an early voting ballot by mail, and may return them in person at City Hall or by mail. Unlike Absentee Voting, an excuse or reason is no longer needed to vote early.

During the early voting period, City Hall will be Boston’s main early voting site, with voting daily during normal business hours (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.). City Hall will also be open on five evenings for early voting.

During the early voting workweek the plan calls for three district/neighborhood sites each day on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Those locations will be open from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. in the evenings.

On Saturday October 29, there will be nine early voting locations open simultaneously in each city council district open from 12 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Locations include:

  • Oct. 24, 2-8 p.m. Orient Heights Yacht Club (61 Bayswater St., Eastie) and Harriet Tubman House (566 Columbus Ave., South End).
  • Oct. 28, 2-8 p.m. Boston Arts Academy (174 Ipswich St., Boston)
  • Oct. 29, noon-6 p.m., Heritage Apartments (209 Sumner St., Eastie) and Copley Square Library (700 Boylston St., Back Bay)
  • Oct. 31, 2-8 p.m., Harvard Kent School (50 Bunker Hill St., Charlestown) and Benjamin Franklin Institute (41 Berkeley St., Back Bay).

All early voting sites will be equipped with electronic poll books for voter check-in; and staffed with between eight and ten poll workers.  All ballots styles will be available at every early voting locations, so voters are able to visit any site that they find to be convenient.

All early voting locations are accessible to voters with disabilities, and equipped with AutoMark machines to help voters who need that form of assistance marking their ballots.

At the end of each day, all voted ballots will be secured in a vault at City Hall to be counted on November 8, 2016 (Election Day).

Mayor Martin J. Walsh’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget provided $670,000 to implement early voting, which includes resources for a citywide marketing campaign and long-term investments such as electronic poll books that will be useful in future elections.

 

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