EARLY VOTING FOR STATE PRIMARY BEGINS TODAY IN BOSTON

EARLY VOTING FOR STATE PRIMARY BEGINS TODAY IN BOSTON  Today is also the last day to register to vote in the State Primary BOSTON - Saturday, August 22, 2020 - Ahead of the September 1 State Primary, the City of Boston Election Department is reminding registered voters that a week of early voting begins today in Boston at locations around the City. The election includes the following races: Senator in Congress, Representative in Congress, Governor's Councillors, Senator in General Court, Representative in General Court, and Register of Probate. Boston City Hall is the main early voting location with early voting from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. Voters are encouraged to enter City Hall through the North Side entrance to vote on the second floor in the Haymarket Room.  EARLY VOTING Due to COVID-19, health and safety protocols during the early voting period and on Election Day will be implemented at polling locations. All poll workers will receive face shields, face masks, gloves, disinfectant wipes, disinfectant spray and hand sanitizer. Cleaning will take place at each site every two to three hours. Voters waiting in line will be instructed to stand six feet away from others and wear a face covering.  Voters registered in Boston can vote during the early voting period from Saturday, August 22, through Friday, August 28, 2020, at any of the early voting sites. No excuse is required to vote early. Hours and locations for early voting can be found here. Saturday, August 22, 2020 Sunday, August 23, 2020 Monday, August 24, 2020 Tuesday, August 25, 2020 Wednesday, August 26, 2020 Thursday, August 27, 2020 Friday, August 28, 2020 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. City Hall 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. City Hall 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. East Boston High School Gymnasium 86 White Street, East Boston, MA 02128 East Boston High School Gymnasium 86 White Street, East Boston, MA 02128 Boston City Hall 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201 Boston City Hall 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201 Boston City Hall 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201 Boston City Hall 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201 Boston City Hall 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201 James F. Condon School Cafeteria 200 D Street, South Boston, MA 02127 James F. Condon School Cafeteria 200 D Street, South Boston, MA 02127 The sites below 12:00pm - 8:00pm The sites below 12:00pm - 8:00pm Richard J. Murphy School Cafeteria 1 Worrell Street, Dorchester, MA 02122 Richard J. Murphy School Cafeteria 1 Worrell Street, Dorchester, MA 02122 Harvard-Kent Elementary School 50 Bunker Hill Street, Charlestown, MA 02129 BCYF Perkins Community Center/ Lee School Gymnasium 155 Talbot Avenue, Dorchester, MA 02124 Thelma Burns Building 575 Warren Street, Boston, MA 02121 Thelma Burns Building 575 Warren Street, Boston, MA 02121 Dewitt Center 122 Dewitt Drive, Roxbury, MA 02120 Mildred Avenue School Gymnasium 5 Mildred Avenue, Mattapan, MA 02126 Another Course To College Cafeteria 612 Metropolitan Avenue, Hyde Park, MA 02136 Another Course To College Cafeteria 612 Metropolitan Avenue, Hyde Park, MA 02136 BCYF Tobin Community Center (Community Room) 1481 Tremont Street, Roxbury, MA 02120 Saint Nectarios Greek Church Banquet Hall 39 Belgrade Avenue, Roslindale, MA 02131 Roche Community Center Gymnasium 1716 Centre Street, West Roxbury, MA 02132 Roche Community Center Gymnasium 1716 Centre Street, West Roxbury, MA 02132 Honan - Allston Branch Library (Community Room) 300 North Harvard Street, Allston, MA 02134 Margarita Muniz Academy Gymnasium 20 Child Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Shelbourne Center Gymnasium 2730 Washington Street, Roxbury, MA 02119 Shelbourne Center Gymnasium 2730 Washington Street, Roxbury, MA 02119 Copley Square Library (Mckim Building) 700 Boylston Street, Back Bay, MA 02116 Copley Square Library (Mckim Building) 700 Boylston Street, Back Bay, MA 02116 Jackson Mann School Auditorium 500 Cambridge Street, Allston, MA 02134 Jackson Mann School Auditorium 500 Cambridge Street, Allston, MA 02134 All early voting sites are equipped with electronic poll books for voter check in. Early voting locations are well staffed with poll workers and interpreters, and fully accessible to voters with disabilities.  At the end of each day, all voted ballots will be secured and then delivered on Election Day to each voter's precinct to be officially counted with all other ballots. Early voting was made possible by the Acts of 2014. During the 2016 inaugural early voting period, over 47,000 voters, representing over 17 percent of the total ballots cast, participated in early voting. VOTE BY MAIL All registered voters 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, November 3, 2020 State Election or all 2020 elections. Voters may also request ballots in Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. Residents who have requested to vote by mail can track their ballots online.  If residents never received or lost this application, they can request a new ballot application by completing this form and sending it to the City of Boston's Election Department, via mail, email, fax, physically, or dropping it off at the dropbox located in City Hall or at early voting locations during the early voting period. 1 City Hall Square, Room 241 Boston, MA 02201 Email: absenteevoter@boston.gov Fax: 617-635-4483 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. Learn more about applying here. ELECTION DAY Polling locations in Boston for the State Primary election will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Election Day on Tuesday, September 1, 2020. The City recently announced 20 precinct polling location changes this cycle. Individuals can find their polling location for Election Day on the state's website. The ballot will be available in English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese. Language assistance will be available on Election Day by translators at polling locations or by contacting the Election Department's translation phone bank. For more information on how to participate in this year's elections, please visit boston.gov/election. MEDIA GUIDELINES Members of the media are reminded that certain rules must be followed in order to ensure a smooth voting process for voters. Interviews of voters are not allowed inside polling locations and must be done at least 150 feet away. Interviews with election officers at the polling locations are not allowed. Interview requests for the Election Department must be directed through the Press Office at 617-635-4461. Photos and b-roll shots will be allowed under the supervision of each poll's warden. Photographers are reminded that zooming in on voter ballots and shots over the shoulders of voters will not be allowed -- please respect every voter's right to a private ballot.