News

Early Voting offers new options and access

by Michele D.  Maniscalco
Wednesday Oct 19, 2016

The City of Boston is poised to begin early voting, which enables voters who were registered by Wednesday, October 19 to cast their ballots in person at polling stations, via postal mail and e-mail starting from Monday, October 24 through Friday, November 4. In the South End, early voters will cast ballots at voting locations across the city, including City Hall. In the South End, early voting locations are the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (BFIT), 41 Berkeley Street, or at the Harriet Tubman House, 566 Columbus Avenue, rather than at their regularly assigned polling places.

Early voters can also request a ballot by mail, and unlike the protocol for absentee ballots, early voting rules do not require an excuse in order to obtain the early ballot. Early voting ballots can be dropped off at City Hall or returned by mail. Mayor Martin J. Walsh expressed high hopes that early voting will facilitate a higher turnout by making voter participation much more convenient. In a written statement, he said, ""Ensuring all Boston voters are able to vote conveniently, and on their own schedule, is paramount to ensuring voter turnout. Voting is core to our democracy, and I encourage Boston voters to take advantage of all the resources the City provides during this election season." Boston election commissioner Dion Irish said, "Early voting polling locations will be open at City Hall and throughout the nine city council districts, allowing voters to vote at the most convenient location and times."

In the South End, early voters can cast their ballots on Monday, October 24 at the Harriet Tubman House, 566 Columbus Avenue, from 2:00 PM until 8:00 PM or on Monday, October 31 between 2:00 and 8:00 PM at the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, 41 East Berkeley Street. Early voting will be available at City Hall Monday-Friday, October 24-28, with hours from 9:00 AM-8:00 PM Monday, Wednesday and Friday and hours from 9:00 AM-5:00 PM on Tuesday, October 25 and Thursday, October 27. The following week, early voting at City Hall is open on Monday, October 31 and Wednesday, November 2, from 9:00 AM-8:00 PM and from 9:00 AM-5:00 PM on Tuesday, November 1, Thursday, November 3 and Friday, November 4.

State representative Aaron Michlewitz, who represents part of the South End as well as his North End home base, welcomes the early voting option and may take part himself. "I certainly am considering it. While I actually do enjoying talking with voters while standing in line, I think taking advantage of voting early is important and it is why I was so proud to advocate for years for this issue in the legislature. My constituents have expressed interest in voting early, I am interested in finding out how many take advantage of it."

Michlewitz feels that the expanded hours, options and polling locations could enhance turnout in the upcoming election. "I think for seniors, in particular, voting early could be important, especially for those that do not want or do not have the ability to sit in a line for an extended period of time. Voting early will certainly alleviate that issue." Michlewitz is not concerned that the increased options will pose any risk to the security or integrity of balloting, saying in a written statement, "I have the utmost confidence in the city's election department that the election will not be compromised or that ballot privacy will not be compromised."

Details on citywide polling locations and hours, early voting mail-in applications and more are available at boston.gov/early-voting.