Become a Poll Worker
Please consider signing up to be a poll worker in Boston for our upcoming September 1, 2020, primary election and for the November 3, 2020, general election as well. There is a great need for poll workers across the nation, including right here in Boston!
Election Day poll workers in Boston receive two hours of paid training to prepare them for their assignment on Election Day, and a stipend for their day of public service. Election Day poll worker responsibilities include:
* Help in the setup of the voting location on Election Day;
* Prevent interference with the voting process and assists voters in accordance with the law;
* Check voters in, hand out ballots, and direct voters to voting stations;
* Help voters who may have difficulties voting due to sight and physical limitations;
* Oversee the completion of forms for challenged and provisional ballots;
* Read and record the number of ballots cast before, during, and at the close of the polls; and
* Help with various assignments required to secure the closing of the polls.
Other than the two hour training, and you being a registered Boston voter, there is nothing else required for you to sign up! By spending Election Day at the polls, you will be filling a great public need, as many of our local poll workers in past years have been seniors who may not feel comfortable working at the polls this year.
Here is a link to the poll worker sign up information from the City of Boston Election Department:
https://www.boston.gov/departments/election/how-apply-become-poll-worker
Please consider signing up to be a Boston poll worker this year! You will have a great experience and serve a great public interest. Thank you!
Register to Vote
Individuals can register to vote either in person at the Election Department in City Hall in Room 241, by mail, online or through the Registry of Motor Vehicles
by August 22, 2020 at 8 p.m to vote in the State Primary election, which is taking place on September 1, 2020. (The voter registration deadline for the General Election in November, is October 24, 2020.) To be eligible to register and vote, an individual must be at least 18 years of age and a U.S. citizen on Election Day. Because of the upcoming deadline, the fastest way to register is online at:
https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr/.
Not sure if you’re registered? Find out your voter registration status by going to:
https://www.sec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch/MyVoterRegStatus.aspx
Early Voting
Registered voters can also decide to vote during the early voting period from
Saturday, August 22 through Friday, August 28, 2020. Registered voters can vote at any of the early voting sites. Hours and locations for early voting can be found online. To vote early, you must be a registered Boston voter. Any registered Boston voter can vote at any early voting location. You don’t need an excuse or reason to vote early.
Unlike traditional polling, you don’t have to vote at your assigned polling location. Vote at the location that is most convenient for you. All ballot styles will be available at every early voting location. All early voting locations are accessible to voters with disabilities. Every location will also have AutoMark machines for voters who need help marking their ballots.
During the early voting period, Boston City Hall is the main early voting polling location and the closest to Beacon Hill. City Hall will be open for voting Monday, August 24, 2020, through Friday, August 28, 2020, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., during the five-day period. On Tuesday and Thursday, City Hall will stay open until 8 p.m. for early voting. On Saturday, August 22, 2020, and Sunday, August 23, 2020, the closest early voting location to Beacon Hill is the Copley Square Public Library, McKim Building, in Back Bay, which will be open both days 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. All other early voting locations and schedules for the upcoming primary can be found at: https://www.boston.gov/news/early-voting-locations-boston-2020-primaries.
Voting by Mail
All registered voters should have received a vote-by-mail application in their mail boxes during the week of July 20, 2020. The application is in a postcard format. To receive a ballot, voters must first complete, sign and return the prepaid postcard application to the Election Department by
August 26, 2020, for the State Primary. Voters may request a ballot using the vote-by-mail application for the September 1, 2020 State Primary, the November 3, 2020 State General Election or all 2020 elections. Voters may also request ballots in Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese.
Voting by mail-in ballot was approved by the Massachusetts legislature as a temporary measure to ensure all registered voters who have concerns about voting in person due to COVID-19 precautions have another option to exercise their right to vote. Remember to
include your signature (without one the application is invalid). Also, postage has already been paid – just drop it in the mail! Also, if you are in the area of City Hall, you may drop off your application in the Election Department dropbox located on the third floor of City Hall.
Voters can track their ballots by going here:
http://www.sec.state.ma.us/wheredoivotema/track/trackmyballot.aspx.
If a voter has not received or lost this application, they can request a new ballot application by completing the mail in application at:
https://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elepdf/2020-Vote-by-Mail-Application.pdf
and sending it to the City of Boston’s Election Department, via mail, email, or fax:
1 City Hall Square, Room 241
Boston, MA 02201
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 617-635-4483
Voters may return their ballot by mail using the prepaid envelope, at an early voting location (during the early voting period), or using the Election Department dropbox located on the third floor of City Hall. City Hall is currently open to the public on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The dropbox will be accessible Monday through Friday.
Absentee voting in person is available until August 31, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. at the Elections Department in City Hall. To qualify to vote absentee, registered voters must be absent from the City on Election Day, must have a religious belief which prevents them from going inside of a polling location, or have a physical disability which prevents them from going to a polling location. The application to request an absentee ballot can be completed by mail or in person at the Election Department in City Hall. NOTE: You can vote by mail in lieu of voting by absentee ballot.
Voting in Person
If you want to vote in person on Primary Election Day on September 1, 2020, there are several polling locations on or in the general vicinity of Beacon Hill. Make sure that you are going to the correct polling location for your residential address. You can find your assigned voting location by checking online here:
http://www.sec.state.ma.us/wheredoivotema//bal/myelectioninfo.aspx
Upcoming BHCA Meetings and Activities:
Zoning & Licensing Committee Meeting – September 2 at 7pm. This meeting is virtual. Please contact the BHCA office for details.
Join Us!
If you haven’t yet become a member of the BHCA, we invite you to join online at www.bhcivic.org/become-a-member.
Your input on quality of life issues on the Hill is important to us, and we rely on you, our neighbors, to bring your comments and concerns to our attention. By joining our membership, you strengthen our numbers and add credibility to our purpose as advocates for Beacon Hill. Please call our office at 617-227-1922 or email the BHCA Executive Director at [email protected] with any questions, comments or concerns, or to learn more about how you can get involved in your community.