GOTV – Get Out The Vote!
My grandmother was born before 1920 and therefore, was unable to vote in several elections prior to the passage of the 19th Amendment. During every election cycle once I was eligible to vote, she reminded me that voting is a privilege that we enjoy in this country and it should not be taken for granted.
Voting in our country has never been easy. Voter suppression unfortunately is not a thing of the past and today it is increasing. Confusing rules, long lines at polling stations and other tactics result in low voter turnout. While Massachusetts has done much to make voting easier, as you will see from the information below, it can still be daunting, especially for first time voters.
The election in September is often called the primary election as each political party will vote to endorse their candidates for office. We will refer to the September 6th election as the primary election. The November 8th election is called the state election by the Secretary of State and the final election by the Newburyport clerk. We will call it the state election.
Are you registered to vote?
If you have a valid Mass drivers license, registering to vote is simple and can be done on-line by clicking here. Just have your drivers license ready!
If you don’t have a valid Mass drivers license, you can pick up a voter registration form at the YWCA ‘s office or your town clerk’s office.
Deadlines
| Election | Deadline |
| Sept 6th Primary | Aug 27 |
| Nov 8th State | Oct 29 |
Plan to Vote!
Vote by Mail
According to the Secretary of State, “Massachusetts voters now have the option to vote early by mail in all elections, with no excuse required. To request your Vote by Mail ballot, submit a signed application to your local election office.”
For the Sept 6th primary election, you must declare a party for a mail in ballot. This is not required for the November 8th State election.
You can print a vote by mail application here.
Deadlines to Vote by Mail
| Request
Mail in Ballot |
Submission Deadline | |
| Sept 6th Primary | 5:00 PM
August 29 |
RECEIVED BY 8:00 PM Election Day |
| Nov 8th State | 5:00 PM
Nov 1 |
POSTMARKED BY Election Day and Received by Nov 11. |
You can drop them in an official drop box
You can deliver them to an early voting location
You can deliver them to the clerk’s office
You cannot bring them to an election day polling station
Absentee Voting/Emergency Absentee Ballots and Military and Overseas Voters
Please see the Secretary of State’s website for additional information.
Early Voting
If you like to vote in person, but have other plans on Nov 8th you can vote early.
The town clerk’s office for each community lists when and where early voting occurs.
| Election | Time Frame |
| Sept 6th Primary | Aug 27 – Sept 2 |
| Nov 8th State | Oct 22 – Nov 4 |
Election Day
For first time voters, you need to know one more thing before you can vote on Election Day, what is your polling station. Before Election Day, please visit this site and enter your address, it will provide you with your polling location. Once you learn your polling place, you can also view the ballot prior to voting. (hint you can do this today long before the election to learn about the candidates).
Become a Poll Worker
In 2020, there was a record shortage of poll workers nationally. This meant long lines for some voters. Each city or town is responsible to hire and train poll workers. To be a poll worker you must be a registered voter. To be a local poll worker, please contact your city or town’s clerk and ask about the process.
YWCA, as part of its effort to turn out the vote is seeking volunteers willing to serve as poll workers in Boston on election day. Boston is desperate for workers. If you are interested, there is an on-line application process. Please call the YWCA in advance. If we get several volunteers, we will coordinate with the City of Boston to ensure volunteers from Newburyport are grouped together and can carpool to Boston. This is a long day commitment of 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM! But hopefully we can organize a small group to help ensure others can vote o
