What are the rules for absentee voting?
In Massachusetts, absentee voting is available to eligible voters for any election. In order to cast an absentee ballot, the voter must meet one of the following criteria: 1) The voter must be away from their city or town on Election Day. 2) The voter has a physical disability that prevents them from going to the polls. 3) The voter is unable to vote in person due to religious beliefs. 4) The voter has been designated as a “necessarily absent” voter due to their employment. The voter must provide an acceptable excuse for why they cannot vote in person in order to receive an absentee ballot. Once the voter has been approved for absentee voting, they must submit an absentee ballot request form either at least eleven days prior to the election or in-person at their local city or town hall. When submitting an absentee ballot request form, the voter must provide proof of their identity. This can be a copy of a driver’s license, state-issued ID card, or even an unexpired passport. The voter may also have to provide a phone number and email address. Once the voter has requested an absentee ballot, they must fill out the ballot. The ballot must be received by the local election office before the polls close on Election Day. If the absentee ballot is received after the polls close, it will not be counted. In order to ensure the integrity of the vote, absentee ballots will only be approved if all the required information is provided. By following these rules, absentee voting is safe and accessible for all Massachusetts voters.
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