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Date: 8/29/2023
Editor's note: This story is part of Reminder Publishing's special section dedicated to the upcoming Springfield preliminary and city elections on Sept. 12 and Nov. 7, respectively. This section is included in the Aug. 31 issue of the Springfield North and Springfield South editions of The Reminder.
SPRINGFIELD — Want to vote in the upcoming election but aren’t sure how or even if you are registered? Reminder Publishing has you covered with the information you need to know and where to find it.
Elections
Polls for the preliminary election on Sept. 12 are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The city election will follow on Nov. 7, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voter registration
You must be registered in order to vote in the upcoming Springfield elections. To register to vote, you must be a citizen of the United States, be a Springfield resident and be 18 years old or older on or before Election Day. You can check your voter registration status by visiting the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website at www.sec.state.ma.us/VoterRegistrationSearch.
The last day to register to vote in the Sept. 12 preliminary election is Saturday, Sept. 2. You can fill out a voter registration form in-person at the Springfield Board of Elections office in City Hall during regular hours, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 2. The last day to register for the Nov. 7 city election is Oct. 28. The Board of Elections Office will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day to accept registrations.
You may also register at the local Secretary of the Commonwealth’s office at 436 Dwight St, Room 102, or at any Massachusetts social service agency, such as the Department of Transitional Assistance offices, Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission offices and Department of Mental Health offices.
Registration is also available online at www.sec.state.ma.us/ovr.
In addition, thanks to the state’s automatic voter registration process, effective January 2020, those who have registered for or renewed a driver’s permit, license or ID through the Registry of Motor Vehicles are registered to vote.
Where to vote
Springfield is broken down into eight wards with each ward containing a number of precincts. A ward/precinct map is available at springfield-ma.gov/elections/ward-representation and a list of polling locations can be found at springfield-ma.gov/elections/polling-locations. You can also confirm your polling location by calling Elections Office at 413-787-6190.
Early and mail-in voting
If you aren’t able to get to the polls on Election Day, there are other options available.
Springfield will offer early in-person voting for the preliminary election at City Hall, 36 Court St., room 8, at the following dates and times:
Early voting will also take place at the, 1188 Parker St., on Saturday, Sept. 2, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Raymond Jordan Senior Center, 1476 Roosevelt Ave., on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Voting by mail is also available in 2023.
To vote by mail, you must complete an application to request a ballot, found at www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/elections/elections-and-voting.htm. All vote by mail applications must be signed by hand or electronically by mouse, finger or stylus. Typed names will not be accepted as signatures.
Applications can be submitted to the Springfield Board of Elections and must be received by Tuesday, Sept. 5, at 5 p.m. They may be sent by mail to Springfield Board of Elections, 36 Court Street — Room 8, Springfield, MA 01103; emailed to elections@springfieldcityhall.com or faxed to 413-787-6186.
Once you have received your ballot, it must be returned to the Springfield Board of Elections by the time polls close on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 8 p.m. To submit your ballot by mail, the white envelope will be addressed and include postage. You may also deliver your ballot in-person at the ballot drop box located at the rear of City Hall. The box is locked and under 24-hour video surveillance.