Click here for all Absentee Voting information and forms.
FAQs
Who can vote by Absentee Ballot?
Registered Voters can vote by Absentee Ballot if any of the following applies:
- You will be absent from Fall River on Election Day during polling hours.
- You have a physical disability that prevents you from voting at the polling precinct.
- Religious belief
How do I vote absentee by mail?
To vote absentee by mail, you first have to apply for an Absentee Ballot. You can do this by contacting the Board of Elections office at 508-324-2630 to request an Absentee Ballot Application or by clicking on the link below to download the application:
English-Absentee-Ballot-Application (state.ma.us)
In addition, any written request is an acceptable application. You can simply send a letter to our office with:
- Your Full Name.
- The address where you are registered to vote.
- The address where you want the ballot to be sent.
- The election(s) for which you need an Absentee Ballot.
- YOUR SIGNATURE
If you are an UNENROLLED voter seeking to vote in a State or Presidential primary, you must indicate which primary ballot you prefer. You have a choice of Democrat or Republican.
A family member may apply for a person qualified to vote by Absentee Ballot.
If you are going to vote Absentee in more than one election, you can apply for all elections within a calendar year with one application.
Do I need to be registered to vote to get an Absentee Ballot?
Yes, unless you are a “specially qualified voter” you must be registered to vote to apply for an Absentee Ballot.
A specially qualified voter is a person:
- who is otherwise eligible to register as a voter and
- whose present domicile is outside the United States and whose last domicile in the United States was Massachusetts or whose present domicile is Massachusetts and who is:
(a) absent from the city or town of residence and in the active service of the armed forces or in the merchant marine of the United States or a spouse or dependent of such person
(b) absent from the commonwealth or
(c) confined in a correctional facility or a jail, except if by reason of felony conviction
What is the deadline for applying to vote absentee?
- You can request to receive an Absentee Ballot Application (by mail) up to Five (5) business days before Election Day. Please be sure to contact our office well in advance of Election Day as any request for an application on the day of the deadline would also have to be submitted the same day.
Please Note: The deadline to submit an application for the September 6th Primary Election is on Monday, August 29th at 5:00 P.M.
Please Note: The deadline to submit an application for the November 8th General Election is on Tuesday, November 1st at 5:00 P.M.
- If you are going to vote Absentee by mail, be sure to apply with enough time to get the ballot and mail it back to us by Election Day.
In-Person Absentee Voting
- You can vote In-Person Absentee starting Twenty (20) days before each election at the Board of Elections office (same criteria apply). You will be required to fill out an In-Person Absentee application prior to voting.
Please Note: As Monday, September 5th is a holiday, our office will be closed. In-Person Absentee voting in our office will end on Friday, September 2nd at 5:00 P.M.
What is the deadline for mailing back the ballot?
If you return your Absentee Ballot by hand or drop box, the Board of Elections must receive your ballot by the close of polls (8:00 P.M.)
Ballots mailed from inside the country must be postmarked by Election Day and received in our office by 5:00 P.M. on the Friday after the Election.
In a Biennial State Election, an Absentee Ballot that has been mailed from outside of the United States must be postmarked by Election Day and received in our office by 5:00 P.M. on Tenth (10) day after the Election.