Special to the Sun
The Boston Election Department is reminding voters that the General Municipal Election will take place on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. This election will determine the Mayor of the City of Boston as well as the 13 Councilors on the Boston City Council, including the nine District City Councilors and four At-Large City Councilors.
Poll Worker Recruitment
The Election Department is recruiting poll workers for the upcoming General Municipal Election on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Poll workers are paid a stipend ranging from $160–200 in addition to payment for required training. Being a poll worker is a meaningful way to give back, participate in democracy, and help neighbors vote in free and fair elections. Residents can request to be assigned a location close to their home. Bilingual applicants are strongly encouraged. Residents can apply or get more information at boston.gov/pollworkers, by emailing the Election Department at [email protected], or by calling 617-635-0905.
Last Chance:
In-Person Early Voting
The period for in-person early voting concludes today, Friday, October 31. The only location open today is Boston City Hall (North side entrance on Congress Street) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. All neighborhood early voting locations are now closed.
All early voting sites are equipped with electronic poll books for voter check-in. All sites are fully accessible to voters with disabilities.
Absentee and Vote-by-Mail Deadlines
Voters can vote by absentee ballot if:
• They will be away from their city or town on Election Day
• They have a religious belief that prevents them from voting at their polling location on Election Day
• They have a disability that prevents them from voting at their polling location
The deadline to vote absentee in-person is Monday, November 3 at 12:00 p.m. The in-person absentee voting takes place at the Boston Election Department in City Hall.
Ballot Return: Critical Warning
The Election Department has mailed out all requested vote-by-mail and absentee ballots. Voters who planned to return their ballots by U.S. Mail and have not mailed them within one week of Election Day are encouraged to return their ballots through other means to ensure they will be counted.
Ballot packages must be received by the Boston Election Department no later than 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4, 2025 (Election Day).
Drop Box Closure Today:
All 22 ballot drop boxes are closed as of 8 a.m. today, Friday, October 31, and will reopen on Saturday, November 1, by 2:00 p.m. If you have a ballot to return today, you must deliver it in person to the Boston Election Department, City Hall Room 241.
Voters may return their ballots until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day to any of the 22 drop boxes across the City or in person at the Election Department in City Hall.
Ballots cannot be returned to a polling location on Election Day.
Voters can track their ballot through the state’s website. If there is no movement indicated in the “Track My Ballot” system, voters should plan to vote in person on Election Day at their assigned precinct. Voters can check their polling location/status online.
Voting On Election Day
Polling locations open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 4. A list of polling locations and sample ballots can be found here. Voters should check their registration status via the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website.
Printed ballots will be available in English and Spanish, English and Chinese, and English and Vietnamese. Language interpreters will also be available upon request. All voting locations are wheelchair accessible and are equipped with an AutoMark Voter Assist Terminal for voters with disabilities.
Polling Location Change
Voters in Ward 3, Precinct 9, will now vote at the West End Neighborhood Center at 75 Blossom Court. Voters enter from Thoreau Path.
Poll Pads Electronic Check-in
The Boston Election Department has expanded the use of Poll Pads electronic check-in devices across all 275 precincts for voter check-in on Election Day. This upgrade speeds up the check-in process. The voting process for voters remains the same: check in, receive a paper ballot, mark your vote, and cast it as usual.
Central Tabulation
The City of Boston began removing General Municipal Election mail-in and in-person early voted ballots from their envelopes on Monday, October 27, for all 275 precincts.
Today’s Milestone: Only ballots received prior to today, Friday, October 31, 2025 will be removed and deposited in Room 801 at City Hall.
Ballot removal and processing will occur daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., beginning on Monday, October 27 through Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
Unofficial Results
After polls close at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day, the Election Department will receive and upload unofficial results of ballots counted at polling places. Uploading of election results may not begin until 10:00 p.m.
The initial results reported on the website on election night will include:
• Ballots cast in person on election day;
• Early voting and mail-in ballots, including those from precincts being centrally tabulated at the City Hall central tabulation facility.
• The unofficial results uploaded to www.boston.gov/election on election night will NOT include:
• Hand counted ballots recorded in the precinct clerk’s book after the close of polls or;
• Mail and absentee ballots that arrive on time on election day but are too late to be sent to polling locations to be counted.
The Election Department will not release unofficial results broken down by precinct until 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at the latest.