Get Ready to Vote: Information for the 2022 Massachusetts State Elections

By BPL Media and Journalism Specialist Erica Husting 

The Massachusetts State Primary and Massachusetts State Election are quickly approaching this fall. Below is a roundup of voting resources. Be an informed and empowered voter this 2022 election season. 

Key Massachusetts Election Dates and Deadlines 

State Primary on Tuesday, September 6, 2022

• Voter Registration Deadline: Saturday, August 27, 2022
• Vote by Mail Application Deadline: August 29, 2022
• Early Voting: August 27 - September 2, 2022
• Election Day Polling Hours: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. 

State Election on Tuesday, November 8, 2022

• Voter Registration Deadline: October 29, 2022
• Vote by Mail Application Deadline: November 1, 2022
• Early Voting: October 22 - November 4, 2022
• Election Day Polling Hours: 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. 

State and Local Voting Information 

Massachusetts Secretary of State Office – Elections Division 

The Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts publishes information about voting and elections through the Massachusetts Elections Division. Information includes:  

• Information about how to register to vote in Massachusetts, including online, by mail, or in person
• Finding your voter registration status
• Tracking your 2022 mail-in ballot
• Information about the 2022 State Election ballot
• Massachusetts voting districts 

City of Boston Election Department 

This department directs all municipal, state, and federal elections within Boston. The Election Department registers voters, conducts an annual census, and educates the public on voting. It has information about voting, including:  

• A comprehensive guide to voting in Boston, which includes new precinct lines, polling locations, ID requirements, and more  
• How to register to vote
• Early voting in Boston
• How to vote by absentee ballot
• Voting by mail in Boston

Information on Races, Candidates, and Issues 

Below is a roundup of resources to learn more about races and candidates on your ballot.  

• Ballotpedia — This resource describes itself as an online encyclopedia of American politics and elections, with a goal to inform people about politics at all levels of government. They are committed to neutrality and objectivity; articles are written by its staff.
• VoteSmart — This organization's mission is to provide free, factual, unbiased information on candidates and elected officials. The site includes information to help voters evaluate candidates using these objective criteria: voting records, issue positions, interest group ratings, public statements, and campaign finance data.
• Vote411 — Run by the National League of Women Voters, you can find information on all candidates running in your district.  
• Public Voter Education Workshops with the ACLU of Massachusetts — This month, the ACLU of Massachusetts and the BPL are hosting four voter education workshops highlighting the roles that District Attorneys and Sheriffs have in Massachusetts government and the communities they serve. Workshops include:              
  • “Know Your Sherriff” on August 23, 2022, from 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. Register at this link. 
  • “Know Your Sherriff” on August 25, 2022, from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Register at this link. 
  • “What a Difference a D.A. Makes” on August 30, from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. Register at this link.  
  • “What a Difference a D.A. Makes" on August 30, from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. Register at this link.  

As part of the “Know Your Sherriff” Campaign, ACLU MA published questionnaire responses from sheriff candidates and incumbents. 

Fact-Checking Websites and Resources  

There is a lot of election information that is circulating in media, social media, and beyond. But how do we know if the information we are consuming is factual, accurate, and trustworthy? Below is a roundup of fact-checking resources and media literacy tools to help.  

• Factcheck.org — FactCheck.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate" for voters. It is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. 
• Politifact.com — Compiled by the staff of the Tampa Bay Times newspaper, Politifact aims to rate the truthfulness of statements made by candidates and pundits.
• The S.I.F.T method — Developed by digital literacy expert Mike Caulfield, the S.I.F.T method is composed of four quick moves to help readers evaluate digital information.  
• The News Literacy Project’s Election 2022 Toolkit – The News Literacy Project is a national education nonprofit offering nonpartisan programs that teach students and the public about news literacy. This toolkit contains resources for avoiding election misinformation, understanding election data, insights from news literacy experts, and more.
• Group Viewing and Discussion of The News Literacy Project's Election Misinformation Series – The BPL is hosting an in-person viewing of The News Literacy Project’s webinars discussing election misinformation, followed by a conversation circle facilitated by a BPL librarian to discuss Massachusetts-specific voting resources ahead of the midterm elections on November 8th.

The Boston Public Library doesn’t endorse political candidates.