Early Voting: Dorchester and Mattapan voters face travel requirements
With no local polling sites in the final week, residents must go to City Hall or distant suburbs to cast ballots before the November 3 general election.
By Andrew Yang ·
Dorchester and Mattapan residents have until Friday, October 30, to vote early, but the city has designated no polling locations within their neighborhoods for the final five days. The absence of local sites forces voters in these two areas to travel to City Hall or other parts of the city to submit their ballots before the general election on Tuesday, November 3.
The last early voting sessions held in the neighborhoods took place over the weekend. Sites included the BCYF Perkins Community Center on Talbot Avenue in Dorchester, the BCYF Mildred Avenue Community Center in Mattapan, and the Salvation Army Kroc Center on Dudley Street. Beginning Monday, October 26, Boston City Hall becomes the primary hub for early voting. The city will operate extended evening hours at the Haymarket Room on Tuesday and Thursday to accommodate commuters.
Several suburban locations will also accept early ballots during the week. On Tuesday, October 27, voters can go to Saint Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Roslindale or the Institute of Contemporary Art in the Seaport, both open from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday, October 29, offers similar evening hours at Saint George Orthodox Church in West Roxbury and the BCYF Hyde Park Community Center. City Hall will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Friday is the final day for in-person early voting.
The election will determine the winners for governor, U.S. Senate, Congress, state Legislature, and other offices, alongside nine statewide ballot questions. The deadline to register to vote passed on Saturday, October 24. Residents choosing to vote by mail must submit their ballot applications by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27. Those who have already received mail-in ballots can return them to any city drop box or early voting location during operating hours.
Any registered Boston voter may cast a ballot at any of these early voting locations, regardless of their home precinct. No advance appointment or special reason is required. The city recommends using the north entrance of City Hall on Congress Street, which is across from the Haymarket MBTA station. Voters who miss the early voting window can still participate on Election Day. Polls will open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on November 3, but those voters must report to their specific assigned precinct polling places.
The Boston Election Department is available for questions at 617-635-8683. Additional details regarding the schedule and locations are available at boston.gov/departments/elections/early-voting-boston. The shift in logistics for the final week places the burden of travel on residents of Dorchester and Mattapan, as the city consolidates remaining early voting operations into a smaller set of sites.
