Cambridge Election Commission Announces Mail-in and In-person Voting Options, Temporary Relocation of Polling Sites, and Designated Early Voting Locations, Dates and Hours for the State Primary

In order to provide increased voting options in response to COVID-19, 950 House Bill 4820 was passed and signed into law as Chapter 115 of the Acts of 2020 “for the immediate preservation of public health and convenience.” Accordingly, early voting is available to all voters for the State Primary, September 1st and the State/Presidential Election, November 3rd. Early voting is available by mail and in person to all registered voters and no excuse is required.

To vote by mail, all you need to do is:

1. Complete a www.MailMyBallotMA.com
2. Applications can be sent by: email to elections@cambridgema.gov,  mail to Election Commission, 51 Inman Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, or fax to (617)349-4366
3. Vote when your ballot arrives;
4. Return your ballot to the Cambridge Election Commission by 8 p.m. on Election Day
• Mail: the envelopes will be addressed and postage is provided!
• In-person/Drop-Box: The Election Commission has a ballot drop box located 51 Inman Street. Any City of Cambridge voter wanting to hand deliver their ballot may use the drop box to do so. The drop box is available daily from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Voters may also return ballots at drop boxes for any of Early Voting Locations Below.

The deadline to submit a Vote by Mail application for a mailed ballot for the primary is Wednesday, August 26th by 5 p.m.

The deadline to return a Vote by Mail ballot is September 1st by 8 p.m. in order to be counted.

To vote in-person:

Visit any of the three (3) early voting locations offered in Cambridge during the period of Saturday, August 22nd to Friday, August 28th for the State Primary. You must be a registered voter in Cambridge to vote at the early voting locations. Please refer to the city’s designated early voting schedule below.

The deadline to vote early in-person is Friday, August 28th at 5 p.m.

Please be advised that once a voter has cast an early voting ballot, the voter may no longer vote at the polls on Election Day. 

City of Cambridge Designated Early Voting Locations, Hours and Days:

Moses Youth Center – 243 Harvard Street, Main Entrance

Cambridge Water Department - 250 Fresh Pond Parkway

Valente Library – 826 Cambridge Street, Side Entrance on Berkshire Street

The Election Commission office located at 51 Inman Street will NOT be an early voting location for the State Primary, September 1st. Voters must go to one of the designated early voting locations listed above

Additional Voting Options

Voting on Election Day will still be available for those who may want to vote at the polls. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, some polling sites like those in high-risk facilities were temporarily relocated for the upcoming 2020 State Primary, September 1st. Your temporary location will be in the same ward and precinct or near your regular polling place to provide voter convenience and to minimize voter confusion. In the next few weeks, voters will receive an Early Voting Guide and a Voter Notification Card. Both will have information pertaining to any relocated polling places and other important election related information. Signage will also be posted to help voters find their temporary polling sites.

For anyone wanting to vote early in-person, vote by mail or vote on Election Day, the first step is making sure you are registered. To check to see if you are registered to vote, and to find information on how to register to vote, you may visit the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website: www.registertovotema.com. If you need to register to vote, you may do so online. You a license, or an I.D. issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles to apply online. To be eligible to vote in the State Primary, September 1st, you must register to vote or make any necessary changes to your voter registration by the deadline of Saturday, August 22nd at 8 p.m.

Whenever possible, we ask voters to wear a face mask or covering in the early voting locations and on Election Day at the polling sites and adhere to social distancing requirements to help mitigate public health risks. In addition, hand sanitizer will be available for use by voters upon entering and exiting the voting area. We encourage all our citizens to exercise their right to and take advantage of the voting options available.