ELECTION 2024: What to know about the Nov. 5 election

Cape Cod Times
·2 min read

Now that the Sept. 3 Massachusetts primary election is over, voting attention can turn to the General Election on Nov. 5.

In addition to voting for U.S. President and Vice President − a showdown between Vice President Kamala Harris/Tim Walz and former President Donald Trump/J.D. Vance − positions on Massachusetts' Nov. 5 ballot include U.S. senator, U.S. representative, governor's councillor, state senator, state representative, register of deeds, clerk of courts and county commissioner.

There are also five ballot questions.

Early voting begins Oct. 19, but there are a handful of other dates to keep in mind.

Here's what you need to know about the Nov. 5 General Election in Massachusetts.

A tin of I Voted stickers catch the early morning light just as the polls open at 7 a.m. at the Chatham Community Center. It was pretty quiet at the Chatham Community Center just after the polls opened at 7 a.m. on primary election day, Sept. 3, 2024. Town Clerk Julie Smith said that about 32 residents had cast their ballots during early voting. About 550 mail-in ballots were returned of the approximately 1,400 that were sent out, she said.

Dates to remember ahead of the 2024 Massachusetts General Election

  • Oct. 19 is the first day of early, in-person voting.

  • Oct. 26 is the voter registration deadline.

  • Oct. 29 is the last day to apply for a mail ballot.

  • Nov. 1 is the last day of early, in-person voting.

  • Nov. 5 is the general election. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

When do polls open?

The general election is a statewide election, so polls in every city and town open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. Voters in line must be allowed to vote when polls are closed at 8 p.m.

If you’re unsure where your voting place is, this handy tool from the secretary of state’s office will help you find your location.

Am I registered to vote in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts voters can check their registration status on the secretary of state website using this helpful tool.

What are voter ID laws for Massachusetts?

Most voters will only have to tell a voting official their address to vote. Election workers will ask for identification, according to the secretary of state’s office, for the following people:

  • First time voters

  • Voters on the inactive list

  • You’re casting a provisional or challenged ballot

  • A poll worker has a legal reason to ask

Kinga Brody and Caitlyn Kelleher have contributed to this article.

This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Mass. Nov. 5 election guide: When to vote, early voting, dates to know