The Massachusetts Election Division has started to mail out Vote By Mail applications. You can sign up to vote by mail by filling out the attached form and mailing back to them. Since the form is on a postcard, USPS will scan the postcard recording the from and to fields and potentially other information on the postcard. You can instead request a mail ballot on-line via the Election Division’s website. There you an also track the status of your ballot as well as find your local ballot drop box.

Applications for the primary election (in which Pirate voters can participate), are due by August 25th. For the general election, applications are due October 25th.

If you are not registered to vote, you can register on-line, by mailing a voter registration application or at your municipality. You must to register ten (10) days before the election to participate:

• State Primary: Saturday, August 22nd, 2026
• State Election: Saturday, October 24, 2026

To register to vote on-line, you need to be a US citizen, at least sixteen years old and have an Massachusetts id issued by the Registry of Motor Vehicles. When registering to vote, you will need to select a party, political designation, or no party. To register as a Pirate, choose the Political Designation radio button and then select the Pirate designation in the drop down. There you can also update your address, name and check your registration status.

You can also register or pre-register to vote with a mail-in voter registration form or at your municipality’s town clerks, election commission, and Boards of Registrars. Print, fill out, and sign the voter registration form. When registering by mail, mail the signed form to your local election office. Your voter registration form must be postmarked by the voter registration deadline. When registering to vote, you will need to select a party, political designation, or no party. To register as a Pirate, write Pirate in the Political Designation field of the form.

If you are registering to vote in Massachusetts for the first time, you should include a copy of identification that shows your name and address with your form. If you don’t include a copy of your ID, you may need to show it the first time you vote.

For more information on registering to vote, view the Elections Division page.

Finally, the dates for this year’s elections are:

• State Primary: Tuesday, September 1, 2026
• State Election: Tuesday, November 3, 2026

masspirates.org/blog/2026/07/1…