Early Voting Starts in Boston Today

Photo via iStock/IcemanJ

Hoping to beat the Election Day crowds on November 8 and cast your vote early? Want to participate in this magnificent democracy of ours, but want to do so at your leisure?

Early voting kicks off Monday at several polling locations across Boston and runs until November 4. While similar to absentee voting, early voting doesn’t require an excuse why you’re voting early—just a regular ol’ voter registration. If you’re unsure of your registration status, you can check it using the state Election Division’s handy tool here.

Unlike standard voting, you aren’t bound to a specific location for early voting. Vote wherever’s most convenient for you. You can find a list of polling places and hours of operation here. On Monday, for example, you can vote at City Hall between 9 a.m.-8p.m.; Orient Heights Yacht Club in East Boston from 2-8 p.m.; Metropolitan Condominiums in Chinatown from 2-8 p.m.; and Harriet Tubman House in the South End from 2-8 p.m.

If you would rather vote early via snail mail, you must complete an early voting request application and return it to the city’s Election Department before November 4. Upon receiving your early ballot, you can either mail it back or deliver it to an early voting location.

Mayor Marty Walsh, who endorsed Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and spoke at the party’s national convention this summer, will cast his early ballot Monday afternoon at 12:45 on the third floor of City Hall, followed by a press conference.