Elections: Absentee & Early Voting by Mail
Early Voting by Mail
We encourage you to vote by mail when it is available. The deadline to request an Vote by Mail Ballot is 5 PM on the fifth business day before an election. Please file your request early to allow time for your ballot to be mailed to you and for you to return your voted ballot so it reaches Town Hall by close of polls to be counted.
Overview of the Vote By Mail Process
Vote by mail ballot requests must be made in writing and signed. As of June 22, 2022, family members may now apply on behalf of a voter. When requesting a vote by mail ballot, please be certain to leave enough time for mailing. Early voting ballots are sent out in the order in which requests are received. We ask that you provide a phone number or email address in case there's a question as we prepare your ballot.
Please note that incomplete applications cannot be fulfilled. If you received a postcard application from the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office, make sure you check off the appropriate box for the election(s) and sign the bottom of the card. If you are requesting a ballot for a Primary election, you must also select a party ballot choice.
When the voter receives the vote by mail ballot, the voter should mark the ballot, complete & sign the inner affidavit envelope, and return the voted ballot sealed inside inner envelope to the Town Clerk. Voted ballots may be returned before the polls close by mail or dropped off to the Town Clerk’s official drop-box located outside of Town Hall, at the base of the stairs facing the parking lot.
Vote by mail ballots may NOT be brought directly to precinct polling places. Once a voter returns a voted ballot to the Town Clerk's office, the voter may not then go to the polls or vote early in person; the voter’s process of voting is complete and may not be changed.
Requesting an Early Voting by Mail Ballot
To request an early voting ballot, complete an Early Voting Ballot Application or submit the completed postcard from the Secretary of the Commonwealth's office to the Town Clerk. The signed application or card may be mailed, dropped off, emailed or faxed (see specifics below). A ballot will be mailed to you. Please allow enough time for US Postal Service; voted ballots must be received by the Town Clerk before the close of polls in order to be counted.
Send your written request (application form or letter) by any ONE of the following methods:
- By email to voting@belmont-ma.gov (send PDF or clear photo of signed early ballot application form or letter)
- By dropping off into the box outside the entrance to the Town Hall Building (facing the driveway).
- By fax to (617) 993-2601
- By mail to:
Absentee Voting by Mail
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5 PM on the fifth business day before the election. Please file your request early to allow time for your ballot to be mailed to you and for you to return your voted ballot so it reaches Town Hall by close of polls to be counted.
A voter admitted to a health care facility after 12pm on the seventh day before the election can request a hand-delivered Absentee Voting ballot.
Eligibility for Absentee Voting
- Absence from your city or town during polling hours,
- Disability, or
- Religious beliefs
Overview of Absentee Voting Process
All Absentee Ballot requests must be made in writing and signed. Absentee ballots are sent out in the order in which requests are received. Please provide a phone number and/or email address in case a question arises as we prepare your ballot. Absentee ballot requests can be for a specific election date or for the rest of the calendar year. All absentee requests expire December 31st.
When the voter receives the absentee ballot in the mail, the voter should mark the ballot, complete & sign the inner affidavit envelope and, as soon as possible, return the voted ballot (sealed inside inner envelope) to the Town Clerk. Voted absentee ballots may not be brought directly to precinct polling places.
Voted ballots may be returned by mail or dropped off by the voter or a family member at the Town Clerk’s Office before the polls close. Ballots received after the polls close cannot be counted.
Requesting an Absentee Ballot
- Complete, sign and submit an Absentee Ballot Application form to the Belmont Town Clerk's office. The form is available online or at any Town or City Clerk's Office.
- Write a letter to the Town Clerk. Be certain to sign your letter and include the following information:
- current date
- voter name (as registered)
- voter address (as registered)
- date of the election(s) you would like an absentee ballot
- if your request includes a Primary, indicate a party ballot (Democratic or Republican)
- mailing address
- signature
Send your written request (application form or letter) by any ONE of the following methods:
- By email to voting@belmont-ma.gov (send PDF or clear photo of signed form or letter)
- By fax to (617) 993-2601
- By dropping off into the box outside the entrance to the Town Hall Building (facing the driveway).
- By mail to:
Belmont, MA 02478
A family member may also apply for a voter using the Absentee Ballot Application and checking off the first box under Special Circumstances.
In-Person Absentee Voting Returns
Individuals who qualify to vote absentee may do so in-person at the Town Clerk's office. Typically, ballots are available two to three weeks before the election and are available up until Noon on the day before the election. If the day before the election falls on a holiday, then the deadline becomes the Friday before the election at 5 PM.
Members of the U.S. Armed Forces serving on Active Duty, their family members, and Citizens residing outside the U.S.
For more information, follow this link for UOCAVA voters. This is only available to citizens currently living outside the U.S. and is not available to citizens only traveling outside the US.